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EXTENDED, EXTREMELY URGENT DEADLINE
Home Health Care Organizations Last Chance to Continue Operations After June 30, 2016 California Agency Now Directs Applications Must Be Received before July 1 California’s Home Care Organization Consumer Protection Act (the Act) required all home care agencies to apply by March 1, 2016 in order to obtain by July 1, 2016 an operating license […]
JOB INTERVIEWER GUIDELINES
How to Find the Qualified Candidates Without Violating Their Rights Conducting job interviews is no easy task. In addition to weeding out clearly unsuitable candidates such as those described below, the interviewer should steer clear of discriminatory questions and topics throughout the process. According to a CareerBuilder nationwide survey (released January 14, 2016), of […]
CASH IS TRASH
Good Reasons for Employers to Pay Wages by Means Other Than Cash Money Some companies develop a habit of paying employees partially or fully in cash. This is a dangerous practice that can violate various laws, particularly if the company is not properly documenting the payments. While it is not outright illegal, there is no […]
PERSONNEL RECORDS BASICS
California Employers Must Take Care To Avoid Document Dumping Into a Single File Folder What constitutes personnel filing can vary wildly from company to company. An alarmingly high volume of California employers are content to maintain a single file folder for each worker, the repository for any and all documents management deems relevant to that […]
NEW STRICTER FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS ON EXEMPTIONS FROM OVERTIME
Employers Must Comply No Later Than December 1, 2016 The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued this month its Final Rule raising the minimum salary amounts for certain workers to qualify for overtime exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). While the FLSA guarantees most employees an overtime premium equal to at least […]
SAFE HARBOR IN SIGHT, PIECE WORK COMPENSATION IN CALIFORNIA
July 1, 2016 Deadline Approaching for Notice To Take Advantage of Critical Backpay Provisions As we reported in last December’s Piece Work Compensation is a Wreck Waiting to Happen, The Perils of New Labor Code Section 226.2 (Piece Work), California has implemented detailed requirements for production-based compensation systems beginning January, 2016. This new law affects […]
WORKPLACE VAPING GOES UP IN SMOKE
California Bans Electronic Cigarettes from the Office On May 4, 2016 California Governor Brown signed a series of legislative amendments effective June 9, 2016 which extend smoke-free workplace protections, re-define tobacco products to include e-cigarettes and vaping devices, and raise the legal minimum smoking age from 18 to 21. Although current law prohibits the smoking […]
PAYROLL RECORD-KEEPING 101
PAYROLL RECORD-KEEPING 101 Employers should take proper steps to generate and protect complete and accurate payroll records. In addition to being legally obligated to compile such records, employers can also use these documents to refute a worker’s claim for unpaid overtime, off-the-clock hours worked, and/or missed meal breaks. Under federal and California law, employers must […]
CITY OF SANTA MONICA INCREASING MINIMUM WAGE
City of Santa Monica Increasing Minimum Wage Annually from 2016 to 2020 Continuing the trend in California and elsewhere in this country, the Santa Monica City Council has adopted an ordinance providing annual minimum wage increases for eligible employees to a maximum $15.00 per hour by 2020. The measure covers any worker who performs at […]
NEW CHANGES ON EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION FORM I-9
New Changes on Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 All U.S. employers must complete and retain a Form I-9 for each individual hired for employment in the U.S., including citizens and non-citizens. You may have noticed, however, that the version in use reflects an expiration date of March 31, 2016. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is […]