Well September 30, 2018 has come and gone. As my September 19, 2018 article indicated, that was the deadline for Governor Brown to either sign or veto a large number of employment-related bills passed by the California Legislature during the 2017-2018 Term. Out of the 21 employment-related bills I summarized in my September 19th article, 12 were signed into law, and 9 were vetoed. Below is a list of the new laws California employers must comply with, as well as a list of vetoed bills where employers dodged the bullet. To read the full article, please click here.
Continue Reading Which California Employment-Related Bills Were Signed Into Law And Which Ones Did Not Make The Cut?
To Be or Not to Be [a New Law]? Countdown on Governor Brown’s Review of California Employment-Related Bills
The September 30th deadline for Governor Brown to act on numerous employment-related bills passed by the California Legislature during the 2017-2018 Legislative Term is fast approaching. This Blog summarizes only 21 of the more than 40 employment-related bills currently on the Governor’s desk. Employers are encouraged to stay tuned to see which bills become law and which ones don’t make the cut. NOTE: employment laws are constantly changing and employers must ensure that they make the necessary changes to policies and practices so that they are in compliance with current legal requirements.
Continue Reading To Be or Not to Be [a New Law]? Countdown on Governor Brown’s Review of California Employment-Related Bills
Attorney Beth West Testifies Before the California Legislature
Weintraub Tobin Shareholder, Beth West, shared her expertise and testified before the California Legislature’s Subcommittee on Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response on February 15, 2018. The hearing focused on the legal issues surrounding sexual harassment and Ms. West’s testimony identified challenges employers face in having effective anti-harassment programs in place, as well as some legal challenges employers face when complaints are filed.
Continue Reading Attorney Beth West Testifies Before the California Legislature
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
The Governor Agrees – Professional Cheerleaders are “Employees” and Employees are Entitled to Paid Sick Leave Pursuant to the Amended Healthy Workplaces-Healthy Families Act
The California Legislature has been pretty busy this year introducing various bills that will affect certain California employers. Below is a brief summary of two bills recently signed by the Governor – one that amends the new mandatory sick leave law, and one that ensures that professional cheerleaders are treated as employees for purposes of employment entitlements and protections.
Assembly Bill 304 – Amending the New Healthy Workplaces-Healthy Families Act (aka Mandatory Paid Sick Leave Law).
The bill which takes effect immediately, amends the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 that went into effect on July 1, 2015. Among other things, this bill clarifies that an employee must work for the same employer within California for 30 or more days per year in order to qualify for accrued sick leave. It also authorizes an employer to provide for employee sick leave accrual on a basis other than one hour for each 30 hours worked, provided that the accrual is on a regular basis and the employee will have 24 hours of accrued sick leave available by the 120th calendar day of employment. Additionally, the bill clarifies that an employer may limit an employee’s use of paid sick days to 24 hours or 3 days as follows: in each year of employment; in a calendar year; or in a specified a 12-month period. The bill also provides that an employer has no obligation to inquire into or record the purposes for which an employee uses sick leave or paid time off.Continue Reading The Governor Agrees – Professional Cheerleaders are “Employees” and Employees are Entitled to Paid Sick Leave Pursuant to the Amended Healthy Workplaces-Healthy Families Act