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Category Archives: New Legislation and Regulations

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IRS to Provide Tax Relief to Some Employers in Light of Families First Coronavirus Response Act

By Meagan Bainbridge on Posted in Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Wage & Hour

On March 20, 2020, the Department of Treasury, IRS, and Department of Labor announced plans to provide some relief for small and midsize employers in light of the recently passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Specifically, it was announced that employers will have access to refundable payroll tax credits designed to provide reimbursement for the… Continue Reading

Governor’s Newsom’s Statewide Order is in Place So Now, How Do Businesses Identify Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers?

By Beth V. West on Posted in New Legislation and Regulations

As our earlier post on March 19, 2020 announced, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-33-20 ordering all residents to stay home or at their place of residence except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of the federal critical infrastructure sectors as defined by the federal Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency… Continue Reading

(H.R. 6201) FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT: What Employers Should Know

By Labor & Employment on Posted in FMLA and Other Leaves of Absence, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations

On March 18, 2020, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). The President quickly signed it into law on the same day. The Act provides paid sick time and expands the Family and Medical Leave Act to provide an extended period of unpaid or partially paid leave for qualifying reasons related to the… Continue Reading

Federal Court Explains Order Barring California From Enforcing New Anti-Employment-Arbitration Law

By Brendan J. Begley on Posted in Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Wage & Hour

A federal court in Sacramento explained last week its rationale for temporarily barring the State of California from enforcing a new law, AB 51, that would curtail employment arbitration agreements.  The rationale set forth in that written order of February 7, 2020, strongly suggests (but does not guarantee) that the court is inclined to permanently… Continue Reading

Upcoming Seminar: Life After Dynamex and AB 5 – Independent Contractors v. Employees

By Ramona Carrillo on Posted in Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Wage & Hour

Summary of Program The risks involved in misclassifying a worker as an independent contractor rather than an employee have always been serious. A number of federal and state agencies regulate the proper classification of workers and have the authority to impose significant monetary and non-monetary sanctions against employers who get the classification wrong. AB 5… Continue Reading

New Year, New Minimum Wage

By Katie Collins on Posted in Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Uncategorized, Wage & Hour

Effective January 1, 2020, California’s minimum wage rate increased to $13.00 per hour (from $12.00) for employers with 26 or more employees and $12.00 per hour (from $11.00) for employers with 25 or fewer employees. The minimum wage will continue to increase yearly until it reaches $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2022 for employers… Continue Reading

Court Blocks Ban on Mandatory Arbitration Agreements in Employment

By Lukas Clary on Posted in Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Wage & Hour

Mandatory arbitration agreements in California employment have been granted a stay of execution. For now. Earlier today, a federal judge in California issued a temporary restraining order enjoining enforcement of AB 51, the new California law that would have banned employers in the state from requiring employees to sign mandatory arbitration agreements as a condition… Continue Reading

New California Law Will Outlaw “No-Rehire” Provisions in Settlement Agreements

By James Kachmar on Posted in Discrimination, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & Hour

I have discussed in the past how the use of “no-rehire” provisions in settlement agreements between employers and their former employees were coming under attack in court.  In 2015, the Ninth Circuit in Golden v. California Emergency Physicians Medical Group, held that a “no-rehire” provision in a settlement agreement between the plaintiff doctor and his… Continue Reading

New Laws that Will Significantly Impact the Litigation of Employment Disputes

By Beth V. West on Posted in Disability Discrimination, Discrimination, Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & Hour

The October 13, 2019 deadline for Governor Newsom to take his final actions in the 2019 legislative season has come and gone and as expected, he signed into law a number of employment-related bills. Below is a summary of just a few of those bills that will have a significant impact on employment litigation in… Continue Reading

Now Available! Weintraub Tobin’s 2020 Labor and Employment Seminar and Training Schedule

By Ramona Carrillo on Posted in Disability Discrimination, Discrimination, Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, FMLA and Other Leaves of Absence, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Reductions in Force, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Trade Secrets and Competition, Wage & Hour

Weintraub Tobin’s 2020 Labor and Employment Seminar and Training schedule is now available.  Click here for a copy of the schedule. If you have any questions on any of our seminars or would like to inquire on private, custom-tailored training, please contact:  Ramona Carrillo  (916) 558-6046.

The California Supreme Court Clarifies Wages are NOT Part of the “Civil Penalty” under Labor Code Section 558 in a PAGA Action

By Beth V. West on Posted in Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Wage & Hour

On September 12, 2019, the California Supreme Court issued it decision in ZB, N.A., and Zions Bancorporation v. Superior Court [Lawson, real party in interest] (“Lawson”).  In analyzing whether the Plaintiff’s lawsuit could be compelled to binding arbitration under the arbitration agreement she entered into with her employer, the Supreme Court clarified that under Labor… Continue Reading

California Employers Have Another Year To Comply With New Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Requirements

By Shauna N. Correia on Posted in Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations

Last year, new California legislation effective January 1, 2019 expanded the mandatory sexual harassment prevention training requirements for California employees.  That law required that, by January 1, 2020, employers with 5 or more employees must provide their supervisory employees with two hours of classroom or other effective interactive training and education AND must provide their… Continue Reading

AB 51: Another Attempt to Take Down Mandatory Arbitration Agreements in California

By Ramona Carrillo on Posted in Employment Contracts and Agreements, New Legislation and Regulations, Wage & Hour

By:  Kritika Thukral Background Mandatory arbitration agreements are a source of contention in employment law. However, since 2000, they are generally permissible in California. In response, the California Legislature has made repeated efforts to ban such agreements over the years. In the past, many such bills have passed both the state assembly and the state… Continue Reading

New DFEH Notice and Certification Related to Medical Leaves and Parental Leaves under California Law

By Beth V. West on Posted in FMLA and Other Leaves of Absence, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations

California employers covered by the California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”) and/or the California New Parent Leave Act (“NPLA”) should take note that California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (“DFEH”) has issued two new documents that are relevant to the administration of an employee’s leave under these laws. Family Care and Medical Leave and Pregnancy… Continue Reading

In the News: Lukas Clary in Stateline Article on the Unfolding Impacts of Dynamex Decision

By Labor & Employment on Posted in New Legislation and Regulations

Gig Economy Workers Gain Security, But at What Cost? by Scott Rodd, Stateline SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It started with installing some red and green LED lights. Then came the disco balls, neon eyeglasses and a gold Bluetooth karaoke microphone. Daniel Flannery had transformed the car he drives for Uber and Lyft into a party on… Continue Reading

Do California Employers Have Any Scheduling Flexibility Options Left?

By Shauna N. Correia on Posted in Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Wage & Hour

Scheduling employees is becoming more difficult for employers, and the State seems to be hurtling toward predictive scheduling laws. Last month, my partner Lukas Clary blogged about the recent California Supreme Court case, Ward v. Tilly’s, Inc., in which the Court ruled that “reporting time” pay is owed whenever an employee is required to “report”… Continue Reading

In the News: Lizbeth West In SBJ Article “California Raising the Minimum Wage is Causing a Domino Effect”

By Labor & Employment on Posted in New Legislation and Regulations, Wage & Hour

Minimum Wage Hikes Leave Businesses Feeling the Pinch by Scott Rodd, Sacramento Business Journal California’s minimum wage is set to increase annually over the next three years, and businesses large and small are feeling the pinch. On Jan. 1, the minimum wage rose from $11 to $12 for companies with more than 25 employees, and from… Continue Reading

Upcoming Seminar: Exempt Status – More Than Just a Salary

By Ramona Carrillo on Posted in Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Wage & Hour

Summary of Program With the ever increasing number of claims filed with the Department of Labor and California Labor Commissioner for unpaid overtime, and the increasing number of wage and hour class action lawsuits, the importance of correctly classifying employees as exempt or non-exempt is clear.  This seminar is designed to help employers and HR… Continue Reading

Upcoming Seminar: Independent Contractors v. Employees – Do Independent Contractors Still Exist?

By Ramona Carrillo on Posted in Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Uncategorized, Wage & Hour

Summary of Program The risks involved in misclassifying a worker as an independent contractor rather than an employee have always been serious. A number of federal and state agencies regulate the proper classification of workers and have the authority to impose significant monetary and non-monetary sanctions against employers who get the classification wrong. In 2018,… Continue Reading

Neutral Services 2019: A New Year that Brings New Training Obligations

By Labor & Employment on Posted in Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations

While it has always been good practice for employers of all sizes to train both their supervisory employees and non-supervisory employees on the prevention of harassment, California law now mandates such training by 1/1/20 (and every 2 years thereafter) for any employer with 5 or more employees.  The attorneys in Weintraub Tobin’s Labor & Employment… Continue Reading

Brendan Begley Presenting at Employment Litigation 2019: Facing Workplace Realities in Divisive Times

By Ramona Carrillo on Posted in Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & Hour

Brendan Begley spearheads the firm’s Appeals and Writs group and is a member of the firm’s labor and employment, litigation, and trust, probate and elder abuse litigation groups. He is an Appellate Law Specialist certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Brendan will be speaking at The Rutter Group and the… Continue Reading

Save the Date – Weintraub Tobin’s Employment Law Update 2019

By Ramona Carrillo on Posted in Disability Discrimination, Discrimination, Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, FMLA and Other Leaves of Absence, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Reductions in Force, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Trade Secrets and Competition, Wage & Hour

Tuesday, January 8, 2019 – Sacramento, CA Wednesday, January 23, 2019 – San Francisco, CA Additional information and details for each session will be available December 3, 2018. To reserve your space at one of these sessions, please email Ramona Carrillo at rcarrillo@weintraub.com.