In this episode of California Employment News, Lukas Clary and Meagan Bainbridge discuss the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Viking River Cruises, Inc. v Moriana holding that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) preempts the California law precluding division of individual and non-individual Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) actions for purposes of compelling arbitration. Not
arbitration
Ninth Circuit Weighs In On Class Action Waivers
A new decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit continues to leave employers uncertain as to the enforceability of class action waivers in arbitration agreements. The Seventh and Ninth Circuits are on one side of the issue, and the Second, Fifth, Eighth, and Eleventh Circuits on the other. The Seventh and…
California Legislature Attempts to Ban Employment Arbitration Regarding Labor Claims
On August 31st, the California Legislature passed a new bill (AB 465) to ensure that waivers of employment rights and procedures, often through arbitration agreements, are made voluntarily and not as a condition of obtaining or keeping employment. As the Wall Street Journal recently reported, the number of companies using arbitration agreements in the workplace…
Really? Again? – Another California Case Finds that the Parties’ Arbitration Agreement Will Not Govern their Dispute -in this Case a Dispute Centered on Whether or Not the Workers Were Independent Contractors or Employees
By: Lizbeth V. West, Esq.
There is a relatively long list of California cases that stand for the proposition that certain types of employment disputes are not subject to arbitration. On October 17, 2012, the Second District Court of Appeal’s decision in Elijahjuan et al v. Superior Court of LA County (Mike Campbell & Associates, Ltd., et al., as real parties in interest – referred to herein as “Defendants”) added to that list disputes between parties as to whether or not workers are in fact employees rather than independent contractors.Continue Reading Really? Again? – Another California Case Finds that the Parties’ Arbitration Agreement Will Not Govern their Dispute -in this Case a Dispute Centered on Whether or Not the Workers Were Independent Contractors or Employees
New California Law Restricts How Long Attorneys Can Question Witnesses in Civil Depositions
Gov. Brown signed AB 1875 on September 17, 2012. The new law essentially brings California civil procedure in line with federal civil procedure and, absent an exception or some other relief by the court, limits depositions to seven (7) hours in length. Continue Reading New California Law Restricts How Long Attorneys Can Question Witnesses in Civil Depositions