In ZB, N.A. v. Superior Court (Lawson) (Sept. 12, 2019), the California Supreme Court held that plaintiffs cannot recover the unpaid wages described in Labor Code section 558 in a Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA) claim. This ruling drastically limits the amount of penalties that plaintiffs can attempt to recover in PAGA actions.
With the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis this week, I thought it would be a good time to review the pros and cons of arbitration agreements in the workplace. This this Friday’s Five is a video in which I cover five things you want to know about arbitration agreements, but
California employment law is a mind field that carries huge exposure for employers not proactively monitoring legal developments and potential legal issues. There are some statements employers in California should never make, and this Friday’s Five reviews misaligned statements that can create significant liability for an employer.
1. My company has employment practices liability insurance
Two cases decided in the last two months have further clarified the scope of discovery and plaintiff’s ability to pursue damages in addition to individual damages under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). The holdings are a bit of a mixed bag for employers, but they offer some clarification into PAGA. This Friday’s Five is
Happy New Year! This Friday’s Five consists of five new video’s taken from a recent presentation I conducted on new employment laws facing California employers in 2016. Wishing everyone the best in 2016.
2016 Update: California’s new equal pay protections:
2016 Update: Meal and rest break considerations:
2016 Update: Minimum wage increases state
California passed a new law in October 2015 that provides employers some potential 
protection against penalties imposed by the Private Attorney General Act of 2004 (PAGA). Employers need to understand the intricacies of PAGA, and the importance of seeking legal counsel immediately upon receiving a copy of the letter a plaintiff must send to the
You may recall from your college business law class of the “American rule” regarding attorney’s fees: generally in the United States each side is responsible to their own attorney’s fees, and unlike other countries, the loser does not have to pay the other party’s attorney’s fees. Employers can basically ignore this general rule
You’ve set up a successful company and begin hiring employees. 
To be a successful operator in California, a company’s management needs to be familiar with the critical legal concepts in order to successfully navigate California’s complex employment laws. You never wanted to go to law school, but time to hit the, ahem, books (or the
Let me start with the lawyer’s disclaimer up-front: this Friday’s Five list has no scientific or statistical backing whatsoever, I generated it based on the cases I’ve been litigating in 2014. My experience may be (and probably is) skewed a bit, but nevertheless California employers should pay attention to the following areas of potential litigation.
1. Arbitration Agreements: What Are They?
Employers can agree that they and any employees who enter into an arbitration agreement will resolve their differences before a private arbitrator instead of civil court. There are many different arbitration companies to choose from, but the American Arbitration Association and JAMS are two of the larger ones that