Archive for the ‘employee’ Category
WHAT’S NEW FOR 2018 CALIFORNIA READY TO ENFORCE GREATLY EXPANDED WORKPLACE LAWS
Immediate Actions for Safeguarding Your Business The 2018 changes in California employment law are numerous. Compliance with these from January 1 on will of course reduce the prospect of related claims or lawsuits. Two new provisions particularly require immediate review of employment applications and hiring practices for “Day One” compliance. See: California Adopts Ban the […]
KILLING THE MESSENGER
Retaliation Is Still Illegal – When Attorney Acts for Employer Federal and California law guarantee minimum wage and overtime pay, and prohibit retaliation against an employee who complains about a perceived violation of those laws. In California law, unlawful retaliation includes reporting or threatening to report any worker to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to […]
CAUTIONARY TALES EPISODE 3
Construction Company Sued for $6,300,338 – Alleged Misclassification of Independent Contractors The California Labor Commissioner has sued Glendale-based Calcrete Construction, Inc. claiming $6,300,338 for the company’s willful misclassification of some 175 persons as independent contractors as well as other wage violations. The Commissioner credits the Carpenters/Contractors Cooperation Committee, a union-affiliated non-profit organization monitoring workplace compliance, […]
REQUIRING EMPLOYERS TO PAY FOR SICK DAYS; A NATIONAL TREND
PAID SICK LEAVE BENEFITS, A NATIONWIDE LIST – Is Your Business Affected? Currently, no federal paid sick leave law exists. However, over the last decade, many states, counties and cities have passed distinct laws requiring covered employers to provide such benefits to designated workers. Businesses employing persons in multiple covered locations may face conflicting requirements for […]
ASKING FOR JOB APPLICANT AGE IS A NO-NO
California’s Updated Guidelines for Hiring Interviews and Applications California employers must comply with increasingly complex anti-discrimination laws. See, New Transgender Rights in the Workplace (July, 2017), High Times in California (April, 2017), and Banning the Box in Los Angeles (March, 2017). To further aid management in determining a person’s job qualifications without violating the applicant’s […]
CAUTIONARY TALES EPISODE 2
Two Tow Companies Owe $4.8 Million In Unpaid Minimum Wages, Overtime The California Labor Commissioner has announced a $4,874,661 award against Irvine Auto Towing, Inc. and Yaco Investments, Inc. for multiple wage theft violations affecting 187 drivers, mechanics, and dispatchers. Following a formal administrative proceeding, a hearing officer found these two tow companies had generally paid a flat […]
I-9 FORM REVISED YET AGAIN
Just When You Thought You Had the Right Form, Feds Issue New One The federal government requires employers to verify identity and work authorization of their employees using a Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) with certain supporting documentation. After revising the form on November 14, 2016, the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on […]
ASSISTING WORKER-VICTIMS OF STALKING, SEXUAL ABUSE AND OTHER TRAUMATIC INCIDENTS
HELPING THE HAUNTED – California Employers Must Accommodate Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking California Labor Code section 230 prohibits all employers from terminating, discriminating or retaliating against employee victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking for taking time off for related court appearances. Private employers with 25 or more on payroll must […]
NEW NOTICE POSTING REQUIREMENTS FOR BARBERS AND COSMETOLOGISTS
CUTTING TO THE CHASE – New Workplace Posting Requirements for California’s Salon Industries, Effective July 1, 2017 Starting July 1, 2017, California’s Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) requires its licensees – including hair salons, nail salons, estheticians, and barbers — to post a special Labor Commissioner notice on applicable employment laws. The notice includes information […]
MIND THE STINK
The Consequences of Failing to Reasonably Accommodate Worker Disability What happens when an employer ignores requests from a disabled employee for reasonable accommodation? In one recent case, a $3 million jury verdict was the result. Caltrans analyst, John Barrie, sued his employer for failure to accommodate his severe allergies to chemicals, such as cleaning agents and […]