On March 7, 2019, the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued a proposed rulemaking to increase the salary level that employees must receive in order to qualify as an exempt employee. The DOL sets standards under the Federal Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), but California employers are also required to comply with California’s wage
California passed a wave of new laws in 2018 relating to the #metoo movement, many of which prohibit confidential settlement agreements or disclosure of allegations related to sexual harassment in the workplace. This Friday’s Five post reviews five areas impacted by these new laws in 2019, which illustrate the need for employers to stay informed
The process of separating an employee from a company must be clearly set out and planned in advance. I recommend developing a separation checklist so that all of the company’s policies are followed, as well as any applicable laws that pertain to the employer and their industry. This article is the fourth article in my
On February 4, 2019, a California Court of Appeal ruled that employees calling their employer to determine if they must come into work is considered reporting to work, and reporting time pay is owed to the employee if they are not required to work that day. The case is Ward v. Tilly’s, Inc. from the
Expense reimbursement may seem like a small issue in comparison with the other areas of liability facing California employers, but the exposure for not appropriately reimbursing employees can be substantial. In Gattuso v. Harte-Hanks Shoppers, Inc., the California Supreme Court clarified the parameters of mileage reimbursement under California law, as well as the three
With the start of 2019, I’m writing a series of posts covering employment law areas that employers should audit on a routine basis. The first two articles covered hiring practices and records retention practices. This post covers five wage and hour considerations that every California employer should review on a routine basis:
1. Payroll
The beginning of 2019 brought substantial employment case settlements and verdicts. This Friday’s Five reviews the settlements and verdicts that should catch the attention of all employers, as well as a review of the U.S. Supreme Court’s new ruling on arbitration agreements for transportation workers:
1. Restaurant settles claim with Labor Commissioner for $4 million
Recently I had the opportunity to interview Nolan Bushnell and Jason Crawford, co-founders of Modal Systems, a LA based virtual reality start-up company. Nolan is a serial entrepreneur who has founded many companies, but you probably recognize Atari and Chuck E. Cheese as his most notable. My full interview is available on iTunes here.
Employers should remember to take time to review their employee documentation, retention policies, and how this information is being saved on a periodic basis. The beginning of 2019 it is a great time to review these items to ensure compliance with the law and to make the best defense against litigation. The first article in
Happy New Year! This Friday’s five video covers five reminders about the minimum wage increase:
1. As of January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in California increased from $11.00 to $12.00 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees (the increase is from $10.50 per hour to $11.00 per hour for employers with