After more than twenty years defending California employers, I have seen a consistent pattern: even companies with sophisticated systems struggle with one of the most fundamental compliance obligations in California employment law—maintaining, accessing, and analyzing employee time records. These challenges are not merely operational inconveniences. They routinely lead to unnecessary legal exposure, inflated PAGA penalties
As we approach 2026, California employers face a new round of legal and financial adjustments that will directly impact payroll budgeting, exempt classifications, and compliance risk. From statewide wage increases to industry-specific salary thresholds, these updates require careful planning to avoid misclassification claims, PAGA exposure, and penalties.
Here are the top five increases California employers
As we move toward 2026, California employers—especially in hospitality—are navigating one of the most complex wage-and-hour landscapes in the country. The 2024 PAGA reform brought meaningful relief, but only for employers who take their compliance obligations seriously and can prove it.
At the same time, technology and AI are beginning to transform what compliance
As the holiday season approaches, it’s a perfect time for California employers to revisit their policies on holiday leave, scheduling, and pay practices. Last week, we covered key vacation considerations for the busy season. This week, we’re focusing on five important reminders to help ensure compliance and smooth operations as the year winds down.
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2025 has delivered a series of powerful—and practical—employment law decisions. These five cases carry direct lessons for every California employer, especially in areas where minor missteps can lead to major liability.
1. Iloff v. Bridgeville Properties, Inc. – California Supreme Court (2025) – “Good Faith” Requires Real Effort
This case involved a handyman who performed
Quick Story:
An HR lead recently ran a simple 30-minute spot audit and uncovered two issues—meal breaks were routinely starting late at one location, and a manager at another location was unsure whether employees needed to record 10-minute rest breaks. Small corrections, but they prevented what could have escalated into a costly PAGA claim, potentially
California employers continue to face heavy scrutiny and litigation regarding their meal and rest break practices. Since the Brinker Restaurant Group v. Superior Court decision in 2012, courts have reaffirmed that compliance is measured by strict timing rules, not just having written policies in place. Here are five key reminders on the timing requirements and
Recently, while recording a podcast, I found myself talking about something I’ve been thinking about for a long time: how much harder HR is than people give it credit for.
We tend to see HR as “soft” compared to the other seats in the C-suite. CFOs, COOs, and CTOs have hard numbers and clear metrics.
Over the summer, I like to expand my reading list into different topics. This year I discovered Rory Sutherland and his book Alchemy: The Power of Ideas That Don’t Make Sense. Sutherland is a British marketing executive and vice chairman of Ogilvy, but his insights go far beyond advertising. His book weaves together ideas
Mediation is all about finding common ground. As I discussed in my prior article, Mediation in Litigation: Five Key Tips for Success, employers can approach mediation far more effectively when they understand not only what mediation is, but also the tools that may be used during the process. One of the most common —