Ramona Carrillo

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By:     Chelcey E. Lieber

On March 2, 2012, United States District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson invalidated portions of the National Labor Relations Board’s recent “Notification of Employee Rights” rule, which, as previously discussed in our posts, requires private employers to post a notice to employees explaining their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (the “NLRA”) by April 30, 2012.Continue Reading Court Invalidates Portions of Recent NLRB Posting Rule

By: Brendan J. Begley

Making national headlines today is the news of a physician’s assistant who obtained an astronomical $167 million jury verdict against her employer in a Sacramento federal court. Going largely unreported, however, is information about the case (Ani Chopourian v. Catholic Healthcare West) that should be noted by employers in the healthcare industry.Continue Reading The Real Story Behind the $167 Million Verdict

By: Brendan J. Begley

An employer’s ability to have disputes with employees resolved by arbitrators instead of courts had some ups and downs in recent days. One of those developments suggests that employers should review and perhaps revise their arbitration agreements to keep them enforceable in state court. The other development indicates that arbitration agreements will continue to be treated favorably by federal courts.Continue Reading Recent Developments Warrant Review of Arbitration Agreements

The State of California Signed an MOU with the Federal Department of Labor Together They Will Locate and Punish Those Who Misclassify Independent Contractors

By: Lizbeth V. West, Esq.

In my November 4, 2011 post, I discussed a new California law (Labor Code § 226.8) that imposes serious monetary fines and other sanctions against those who willfully misclassify workers as “independent contractors” rather than “employees.” Those who violate the law can find themselves paying up to $15,000 per violation and up to $25,000 if there is a pattern and practice of misclassification. Also, if the violator is a licensed business, it runs the risk of having its license revoked. Finally, the law provides for publication of a notice to employees and the general public for a period of one year, stating that the violator committed a serious violation of the law.Continue Reading Employers Beware – The Crackdown Continues

By:       Scott M. Plamondon

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) thinks so. The EEOC recently posted a letter to its website stating that it may be unlawful for employers to require a job applicant to have obtained a high school diploma if the applicant suffers from a learning disability and has been unable to obtain one. The EEOC’s position represents a significant departure from traditional interpretation by the courts with regard to matters of unintentional discrimination resulting in a disparate impact on certain groups.Continue Reading Is It Discrimination To Require A High School Diploma?