Governor Newsom formally concluded the 2024 legislative session by signing into law several new bills that greatly expand employee rights in California starting on January 1, 2025. Between now and then, California employers should review their existing policies to ensure compliance with these laws in the new year. New State Minimum Wage (Prop 32) On… Read More
Posts Categorized In: Employment Law Advice & Counsel
California Employers Must Display New Whistleblower Rights Poster
Governor Newsom signed AB 2299 which requires all California employers to prominently display a new whistleblower rights poster in the workplace effective January 1, 2025.
Employee Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs)
This week Fast Company published an article about employee performance improvement plans (PIPs). A PIP is a structured plan that is developed by the employer for an under-performing employee. In general, a PIP (a) outlines specific areas where the employee is failing to perform satisfactorily, (b) states concrete improvements that the employer expects to see… Read More
Governor Signs PAGA Reform Bills to Ease Burdens on Employers
California’s Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”) deputizes any employee who has experienced a violation of virtually any state employment law to sue to recover penalties arising out of violations he or she experienced – plus penalties arising out of violations committed against every one of his or her coworkers, and attorneys’ fees. The potentially massive… Read More
July 1st Deadline for Workplace Violence Prevention Plans
As we blogged about here back in March, this coming Monday, July 1st is the deadline for California employers to have implemented their newly required Workplace Violence Prevention Plans (WVPP). July 1st is also the deadline by which employers must have conducted their first WVPP training with all employees. Cal-OSHA has created a template WVPP… Read More
EEOC Updates Workplace Harassment Guidance
Earlier today, for the first time in over 25 years, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its enforcement guidance on unlawful workplace harassment. Though not legally binding, this new guidance makes clear how the EEOC will enforce federal anti-harassment laws under the current administration. The EEOC’s new guidance provides clarity — and… Read More
Employers Must Have a Written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan by July 1, 2024
As a result of SB 553, which we blogged about here, on June 1, 2024 most California employers will be required to establish and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan that includes several new mandates. A Written Workplace Violence Plan That plan must be in writing and must contain the following: Names or job… Read More
California Employers Face a Slew of New Employment Laws in 2024
New Laws That Take Effect on January 1, 2024 SB 616 (Paid Sick Leave) SB 616 significantly expands California’s existing state paid sick leave law and provide more generous paid sick leave terms to employees. Under SB 616, an employee is now entitled to a minimum of 5 days or 40 hours of paid sick… Read More
Heads Up! Employers Now Required to Use a New Form I-9
In July of this year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced a new version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. The new version of Form I-9 is meant to streamline the employment eligibility verification for both the employer and the employee. As of November 1, 2023, all employers are required to start using the updated… Read More
Are “Stay Or Pay” Clauses The New Non-Competes?
Today’s New York Times contains an excellent article on the increasing use of so-called “stay or pay” clauses in employment agreements. Once an employee signs a contract with a “stay or pay” clause, if that employee quits before X months/years (each contract is different), the employee will have to repay the employer for the costs… Read More
