Earlier this month I presented a program for the Beverly Hills Bar Association titled “Defending Businesses to Minimize Litigation Exposure.” The material was built around the questions I get from business owners and HR teams every week: where is the liability actually coming from in 2026, what quietly creates it, and what can an employer
At our recent masterclass, “Exiting with Confidence: Best Practices for Lawful Terminations and Litigation Prevention,” Anne McWilliams, Caylee Scott, and I went back to basics on one of the highest-risk moments in the employment relationship: the termination. We debated whether a back-to-basics topic would draw interest, but preparing for it reminded me why it is
It has become common now for employees to post their terminations on social media. In a recent video, an employee, tipped off that her remote sales role was about to be cut, quietly hit record and pushed back on the two HR representatives delivering the news — neither of whom she had ever met. She
Terminating an employee is one of the hardest things a business does, and it is almost certainly the most legally scrutinized decision you will make in the workplace. It is also one of the few decisions that triggers immediate legal obligations — the clock starts running the moment you end the relationship. Yet how to
California is technically an at-will employment state. But practically speaking, that designation comes with so many asterisks that employers who treat at-will as a blank check to terminate anyone at any time are setting themselves up for costly litigation.
Here are five things every California employer needs to understand about the at-will doctrine:
1. At-Will
A well-structured process for onboarding new employees is a common practice, but equally important—and often overlooked—is having a clear procedure for when employees leave the company. Ensuring that all company property is returned, providing any required documentation, and taking steps to mitigate potential legal risks are crucial when an employee departs. Here are five key
This week’s Friday’s Five: a curated collection of must-watch videos on our YouTube channel for all California employers. Stay informed and discover the valuable insights you need to navigate the intricacies of the state’s employment landscape:
1. Exempt or non-exempt?
2. Meal and rest break basics
3. Culture fit happens in hiring
A California appellate opinion issued yesterday offers a fact pattern and jury verdict familiar to employment counsel: A longtime employee resists a proposed change pushed by his new boss, citing an anxiety disorder; the new boss finds the claimed anxiety a dubious excuse; the boss learns the employee has been moonlighting and potentially using company
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
I just discovered How to Start a Startup, which is a series of videos published by Stanford University on YouTube with some outstanding speakers. The problem is that the class videos are so great, I have a hard time turning them off. Case in point, this week I watched Ben Horowitz’ lecture: How to