Author Archive
NEW CALIFORNIA WORKERS’ COMPENSATION POSTING AND PAMPHLET REQUIREMENTS
New California Workers’ Compensation Posting and Pamphlet Requirement Deadline: October 8, 2010 All California employers must post a new workers’ compensation notice and must distribute a new workers’ compensation benefits pamphlet to new hires by October 8, 2010. California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) has recently enacted regulations that require employers within California to post […]
TERMINATION OF EMPLOYEES
How to Fire a Troublesome Worker Without Getting Burned Susan is the supervisor for “Tony the Trouble-Maker.” Although Tony used to be the top producer in the division, lately he has been rude to Susan, fights with his coworkers, and refuses to take responsibility when something goes wrong under his watch. Susan is struggling to […]
DON’T KILL AT WILL EMPLOYMENT
Maximize Ability to Manage by Written At Will Employment Agreements “At will” means either employer or employee can terminate or quit the relationship at any time, with or without notice and with or without a reason. That’s usually a good thing for an employer since it maximizes the company’s ability to make employment decisions. The […]
CALIFORNIA EMPLOYER WHO SENDS WORKERS HOME EARLY CAN PAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE
PAID TO PLAY, BUMMER MAN California Employer Who Sends Workers Home Early Can Pay for the Privilege Jim is one of the company’s three customer service representatives. Thirty minutes into the morning shift, the supervisor sends him home for lack of incoming calls. Later in the day, the work picks back up, the supervisor calls […]
BACKGROUND CHECK FOR EMPLOYMENT
Many employers find it prudent for various reasons to conduct appropriate background checks in the employee pre-screening process. Here is a simple overview.
LOVE CONTRACTS IN THE WORKPLACE
Love Contracts in the Workplace How Employers Can Regulate Office Romance In just about every supermarket tabloid on the shelves, there’s at least one splashy article about actors or actresses falling in love on a movie set. In a 2009 survey by CareerBuilder.com on relationships at work, 37% of U.S. employees surveyed stated they had […]
HOW TO AVOID COSTLY PENALTIES FOR MISSED MEAL BREAKS
How to Avoid Costly Penalties for Missed Meal Breaks As discussed in Bowles Law Report Volume 8, Issue 3, California courts have differed on what it means to “provide” hourly, exempt-from-overtime workers their meal and rest breaks. Until the California Supreme Court clarifies labor laws on breaks, we advise employers to err on the side […]
ON-DUTY MEAL BREAKS
Can’t catch a break?? On-Duty Meal Breaks In California, generally an employer may not have an hourly wage employee work more than five hours per day without providing that employee with at least a thirty minute meal break. However, if that worker will complete the day’s work in six hours, the worker and employer may […]
CALCULATING OVERTIME WITH EMPLOYEE BONUSES IN CALIFORNIA
Click here for our most recent article about calculating overtime (updated Apr 27, 2018). CALCULATING OVERTIME WITH EMPLOYEE BONUSES IN CALIFORNIA Calculating overtime for weeks when a worker earns a “nondiscretionary” production bonus can be is a trap for unwary employers. Under California and federal law, employers must calculate overtime pay based on an employee’s […]
AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN, 2006-2007
African Human Rights Leadership Campaign Origins, 2006-2007 If ten years back, a soothsayer had projected I would shortly be neck-deep in a growing peace and conflict transformation leadership training initiative in Africa, I would have terminated that person’s employment for excessive hallucinations. Yet, in 2010, we are in our fifth year of innovation on just […]