November 2011

By:     Charles L. Post

        Lawyer Answer: It depends.

        Here, that answer is not simply a dodge but is instead a reflection of what can be some complicated legal terrain. The question of advanced training costs arises in a number of situations: (1) where an employer advances costs for training to obtain a license or certification that is required by an ordinance or statute; (2) where such certification or licensure is not required by statute or ordinance but the employer requires it as a condition of employment; and (3) where the training is neither a requirement of statute, ordinance or by the employer, but reimbursement or supplement of such training costs or tuition is provided as a benefit. Continue Reading When Can an Employer Seek Reimbursement for Training Costs Advanced to an Employee?

By:       Lizbeth (“Beth”) West, Esq.

Governor Brown signed a significant number of bills into law during the 2011/12 legislative term, many of which will have a direct impact on almost every California employer, regardless of size. Many laws impose new obligations on employers and prevent employers from engaging in what they may otherwise thought was previously permissible. Below is a summary of the employment-related legislation that goes into effect on January 1, 2012 (except where noted).Continue Reading 2012 Brings A Whole New Set Of Obligations And Challenges For California Employers – Failure To Comply Could Be Devastating

It is common in employee defection and trade secret cases for the plaintiff company to rush into court screaming that a robbery is underway that must be halted by the court.  The plaintiff cries that, absent the immediate intervention of the court, it will be stripped of any effective ability to compete and may be…

By:       Chelcey E. Lieber

Are you on Facebook? If your answer is no, you are one of the lone survivors who has managed to hold out from joining the social media world we now live in. There is also a good chance that you won’t be able to hold out much longer, as social media is clearly not going anywhere. Social media has managed to work its way into the lives of teenagers, parents, grandparents, and even people’s pets. Yes . . . people create Facebook pages for their pets! Continue Reading Social Media for Dummies?