Archive for General Business

The Importance of an Inclusive Workplace

What? Inclusion is a pillar of a functional workplace. It manifests on many levels, from meetings to policies to seemingly insignificant day-to-day workplace banter. As the boss, it is ultimately your responsibility to create an inclusive space on all levels, for all demographics that comprise your team. A…

Governor Newsom Signs SB 778 — New Harassment Training Deadline

As we blogged about previously here, since January 1, 2019 California law has required employers with 5 or more employees to provide at least 2 hours of classroom or other interactive sexual harassment training to all supervisory employees and 1 hour of classroom or other interactive sexual harassment…

California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act Applies to Virtual Stores

On August 12, 2019, in White v. Square, Inc.. the California Supreme Court answered a novel question — that is, can a plaintiff who has only visited a business’s website but has neither engaged the business’s services, bought any products, or visited the business’ bricks-and-mortar store sue for…

A New Approach to Employee Benefits?

Recruiting and retaining talent is a challenge for every employer, especially in the red-hot economy here in the Bay Area.  That’s why many employers are taking a fresh look at their employee benefits and asking, “Are these benefits really adding value?” A recent article in Forbes explains how “forward thinking”…

Have You Completed Your Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training?

As we blogged about previously, a new law came into effect January 1, 2019 requiring California employers with five or more employees to provide sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training for all employees by January 1, 2020.  Prior to this new law, only employers with 50 or…

Employers Catch a Break on Wage Statement Requirements

Under California Labor Code §226(a), California employers are required to provide wage statements to employees that contain 9 different pieces of information.  One of the requirements is that the wage statement must show “the name and address of the legal entity that is the employer.”  Given the statute’s use…

Employers Beware: Call-In Scheduling Policies Trigger Reporting Time Pay

The California Court of Appeal recently ruled in Ward v. Tilly’s Inc. that employers who utilize “on call” scheduling have to pay reporting time pay to their employees.  This decision is sending shockwaves through California’s restaurant and retail industries because it will significantly increase payroll costs for those…

2019 Brings New Laws and Obligations for California Employers

Last year was a busy legislative year in California.  The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements in particular spawned a host of new employment laws that took effect on January 1st.  If you haven’t done so already, you should review your employee handbook and personnel policies to make sure that you are…

Dynamex “ABC Test” Limited to Wage and Hour Claims Only

It was only 8 months ago that the California Supreme Court announced its bombshell ruling in Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court and announced the new test for determining when a worker was an employee or independent contractor.  This new test was dubbed the “ABC Test” because, for a…

Employers’ Group Sues California Claiming PAGA is Unconstitutional

Last week, an employers’ group that represents small and medium sized business across California sued the State claiming that its Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”) statute was unconstitutional. As readers of this blog know, PAGA is a controversial state statute, found in the Labor Code, that allows an…