Archive for the ‘Employment Law’ Category
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 […]
MID-YEAR DEADLINE APPROACHES
California Employers Must Post Certain Updated Workplace Notices by July 1, 2017 All California employers must prominently post certain notices on wages, hours and working conditions. Employers must display these announcements where all employees have access. Failing to inform employees of their rights can subject an employer to penalties. Several California statewide and local notices must […]
EXPANDING POLICY AND NOTICE REQUIREMENTS TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES
PREVENTING WORKPLACE HARASSMENT – California’s Guidelines and Mandatory Measures California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), the state agency responsible for enforcing the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), has released a new employer guide and an updated sexual harassment brochure to further assist California employers in developing effective anti-harassment programs. According to DFEH Director […]
LOS ANGELES HIRING PRACTICES
APPLICANT CRIMINAL HISTORIES – New Information Restricting Los Angeles Hiring Practices The City of Los Angeles’ Department of Public Works, Bureau of Contract Administration recently published frequently asked questions (FAQs) to assist employers in applying its Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO) that went into effect January 22, 2017. For more on this ordinance, […]
WORKERS DON’T LOSE THE SNOOZE
California Employers May Not Require “On-Call” Rest Breaks California businesses have a well-established duty to provide their employees a “net” ten-minute paid rest break for every four hours worked, or major fraction thereof (i.e., anything more than two hours of work). (“Net” here means the time an employee spends reaching and returning from his/her rest […]
CALIFORNIA’S WEEKLY DAY OF PLAY
Recent Supreme Court Decision Resolves Some Questions, Leaves Another The California Supreme Court has clarified some of the requirements for employees’ weekly day of rest while leaving another open to interpretation. Labor Code 551 and 552, respectively, provide: “Every person employed in any occupation of labor is entitled to one day’s rest therefrom in seven” […]
MINIMUM WAGE IN CALIFORNIA
Published Industry Wage Orders Now Reflect Current and Upcoming State Minimum Wage Increases – Have You Posted the Correct Wage Order? The California Industrial Welfare Commission’s (IWC) 18 published “wage orders” can be among the most underutilized items in an HR Manager’s toolkit. They are chock full of wage and hour regulations regarding overtime wages, meal […]
WORKPLACE IMMIGRATION SNAFU
Employers Must Fix the I-9 Glitch; Download the Corrected Form ASAP Under federal law, employers have the responsibility to verify the identity and employment authorization of their employees through the Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification). On November 14, 2016, the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a revised Form I-9, allowing employers to download […]
HCOs AND THE HEAT
California Home Care Organizations Facing Unannounced Inspections and Possible Fees Increase California’s Home Care Services Bureau (HCSB) licenses and oversees Home Care Organizations (HCOs) that provide employee caregivers to private clients. See: You Snooze, You Lose (April, 2016) and Home Health Care Organizations Last Chance to Continue Operations After June 30, 2016 (June, 2016). In its […]
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Nine California Municipalities are Increasing Minimum Wage on July 1, 2017 As relayed in our December, 2016 blog Hot Off the Presses, no less than 23 local governments are now requiring minimum wage levels higher than the California standard. Nine municipalities are raising their rates effective July 1, 2017, with larger Emeryville employers the hardest hit. […]