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, the California Supreme Court issued a decision that made independent contractor status even harder to establish under some circumstances – so now the risk of misclassification is amplified! Continue Reading Upcoming Seminar: Independent Contractors v. Employees – Do Independent Contractors Still Exist?

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 Department have years of experience conducting energetic, compliant, and effective harassment prevention training for employers of all sizes and in all industries.  The Training Division of the Labor & Employment Department is headed up by Shareholder Beth West.  Feel free to reach out to her or Department assistant Ramona Carrillo if you are interested in scheduling training – we are available to discuss a training program that meets the specific needs of your workplace. Continue Reading Neutral Services 2019: A New Year that Brings New Training Obligations

Effective January 1, 2019, California’s minimum wage rate increased to $12.00 per hour (from $11.00) for employers with 26 or more employees and $11.00 per hour (from $10.50) 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 with 26 or more employees and January 1, 2023 for employers with 25 or fewer employees.

In California, many cities are increasing their minimum wages faster than the state. Click here for a chart of increases set to take place in 2019.

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 California Judges Association’s Employment Litigation 2019: Facing Workplace Realities in Divisive Times on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City.  Highlights include: Sexual Harassment and Retaliation, Wage and Hour, PAGA, New California Rules of Professional Conduct (eff. 11/1/18), A Conversation with Calif. Supreme Court Justices Ming W. Chin and Leondra R. Kruger.  For more information on this seminar, please visit: https://www.theruttergroup.com/index.cfm?p=36&lp=216.

 On December 10, 2018, the Fourth Appellate Court decision in Kennedy Donohue v.  AMN Services, LLC  (“AMN”) was certified for publication and it brings good news for California employers who use a neutral rounding timekeeping system. The case involved a class action and PAGA action brought by Ms. Donohue on behalf of nurse recruiters who worked for AMN.  Ms. Donohue claimed that AMN had violated various California wage and hour laws and brought claims for: 1) failure to provide meal and rest periods in violation of Labor Code sections 226.7 and 1197.1; 2)  failure to pay overtime and minimum wage in violation of Labor Code sections 510 and 1197.1; 3) improper wage statements in violation of Labor Code section 226; 4) unreimbursed business expenses in violation of Labor Code section 2802; 5) waiting time penalties in violation of Labor Code sections 201-203; 6) unfair business practices in violation of Business and Professions Code section 17200; and 7) civil penalties authorized by the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004  (PAGA), under Labor Code section 2698 et seq. Continue Reading Employer’s Rounding Policy Upheld and Employees Lose Their Class Action & PAGA Lawsuit