Governor Newsom signed a new law this week restricting employers from asking about marijuana use and conducting certain drug tests for applicants and employees. This Friday’s Five covers what the new law means for employers in the context of existing law governing employer’s ability to ask, test, and regulate employee’s use of marijuana in the
California Employers Face Increased Paid Sick Leave Requirements in 2024
On October 4, 2023, Governor Newsom approved a new law, SB 616, that increases the amount of paid sick leave that nearly every employer in California must offer to employees. Here are five key issues California employers need to understand about the new law and to comply with its requirements:
1. New requirements under
From the FAST Act to AB 1228: A New Employment Law Era for Fast Food in California
On September 28, 2023, Governor Newsom signed AB 1228 into law, which repealed the FAST Act and implemented new regulations of the fast food industry in California. AB 1228 was amended to reflect the terms of an agreement reached between labor representatives and fast-food companies that was announced on September 10, 2023. We have reported
Most Significant Employment Law Bills Sent to Governor Newsom in 2023
The legislative session has drawn to a close, and a slew of bills now await Governor Newsom’s decision. He has until October 14, 2023, to either sign them into law or veto them. In this week’s Friday Five, we spotlight the five bills, in the author’s view, that could profoundly affect California employers:
1.
Termination and Employment Separation Checklist For California Employers
We recommend employers develop a separation checklist to ensure the company’s policies are followed as well as all applicable laws that pertain to the employer. This article provides five issues employers should consider in developing a separation checklist for their company:
1. Documenting reason for termination
Employers should establish a protocol for documenting the reason
Deal Announced For California’s Fast Food Industry New Regulatory Landscape
Big changes are coming to the quick service industry in California. An agreement reached between labor and fast-food companies has been documented in a Term Sheet dated 9/11/2023 proposes to drastically alter the FAST Act and the fast food industry in California. The term sheet agreement, if it becomes final, introduces pivotal provisions impacting fast
Beyond Borders: California’s New Stance on Non-compete Agreements Affects Employers Nationwide
On September 1, 2023, Governor Newsom signed SB 699 into law that adds additional prohibitions on employer’s use of non-competition agreements and another restrictive covenants. This legislation has several key components that employers both within and outside California should be keenly aware of:
1. Implementation Date: The law will take effect from January 1, 2024.
How To Conduct Employee Terminations To Reduce Potential Liability
Employee terminations and resignations must be planned for in advance to avoid common pitfalls for California employers. This Friday’s Five focuses on critical management and legal considerations during the separation process to minimize potential liability:
1. Documenting the reason for termination
What is the reason for termination? Is there a company policy that was violated?
Five Steps to Reduce Employment Litigation
In my experience as a litigator in California, I’ve found the following five issues to be the most effective way to reduce employment-related lawsuits:
1. Owner/president/CEO is present and available.
One of the single most effective factors in reducing employment lawsuits is if the company’s leader is present at the workplace and is available to
Scheduling Restrictions On California Employers
Are there are any “predictive scheduling” requirements under California law? Can California employers change schedules for employees without notice? These are some of the questions I’ve dealt with lately about scheduling requirements in California. This Friday’s Five reviews five issues California employers should understand about regulations pertaining to setting and changing schedules under California law: