In this episode of California Employment News, Meagan Bainbridge and Ryan Abernethy break down the latest PAGA reforms and what employers need to know to reduce penalties and stay compliant. From new cure opportunities to proactive audits, they cover actionable steps to protect your business.
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Shortly after taking office, President Trump signed Executive Order 14173 (“Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”) commonly referred to as the “Anti-DEI Order” (hereinafter simply referred to as the “Ex. Order”). Among other things, the Ex. Order directs federal agencies “to combat illegal private-sector DEI preferences, mandates, policies, programs, and activities.” However, as pointed out by many legal commentators and at least one federal district court, the Ex. Order conspicuously does not define what constitutes an “illegal DEI preference or program.” Continue Reading The DOJ and EEOC Move Forward With Enforcement Of The President’s Executive Order 14173 (aka ANTI-DEI ORDER)
Last year, we reported on the reforms to the Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) that Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law on July 1, 2024. The reform legislation was pushed through to avoid a ballot vote on a measure seeking to repeal PAGA entirely in the 2024 election. The legislation was aimed at providing some relief to employers from the flood of meritless PAGA claims and provide mechanisms for early resolution. The legislation also gave the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) the resources and ability to expedite hiring and to fill vacancies in the CA Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) which is the division responsible for PAGA administration and oversight. While the reforms did not appear deter the “serial filer” firms from filing a record number of cases (9,463 PAGA notices were filed in calendar year 2024 – a jump from 8,100 the prior year), we are extremely pleased to report that the LWDA and its new hires, have begun taking a much more active role in these cases at an early stage and cracking down on the worst abusers of the PAGA statutes.Continue Reading An Update on PAGA Reform from the Trenches – Finally, Some Relief for Employers from Meritless Claims
Recent legal developments have impacted drug and alcohol policy enforcement in the workplace. In this episode of California Employment News, Weintraub Labor & Employment attorneys Lizbeth “Beth” West and Ryan Abernathy provide an overview of the latest legal updates, best practices for implementing these policies, and how they apply to remote workers.
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This is a follow-up to our recent blog post regarding Senate Bill 399 (“SB 399”) and its prohibition on an employer’s right to take adverse action against an employee who refuses to attend meetings related to “political matters” or “religious matters.” (See post here). As we indicated in the blog, it was anticipated that SB 399 would be challenged in the courts. Sure enough! Continue Reading Lawsuit Filed by CA Chamber of Commerce: Challenging Senate Bill 399
