Posts Tagged ‘workplace policies’
MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY
California At-Will Employees Bound to Lawful Policy Changes by Continuing to Work after Their Adoption In Diaz v. Sohnen Enterprises, California employer Sohnen Enterprises instituted a mandatory dispute resolution policy requiring that all employee claims be arbitrated. “Arbitration” is a private dispute resolution tool, bypassing court trials by jury. The company informed the employees of […]
CAUTIONARY TALES EPISODE 26
Playa Vista Car Wash Takes a Dunking for $2.36 Million “Wage Theft” On April 17, 2019, the Labor Commissioner’s Office announced a $2.36 million citation — the largest issued against a car wash business to date — against Playa Vista Car Wash along with its president and general manager for failing to properly pay or provide required […]
THE #METOO MOVEMENT’S IMPACT
EEOC 2018 Report Reflects Increases in Sexual Harassment Charges The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced the number of workplace discrimination charges filed nationwide during fiscal year 2018 (October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018). Of the 76,418 discrimination charges filed last year, retaliation topped the list, totaling 39,469 charges, followed by sex, […]
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR OR EMPLOYEE?
California Legislature Dealing with Competing Proposals to Kill or Expand New Dynamex Test In 2018, the California Supreme Court’s Dynamex ruling drastically changed the criteria for independent contractor classification to determine entitlement to many employee rights and benefits. See, Independent Contractor Status in California Now Falls Under Radically Different Rules (June, 2018). Rejecting the long-established balancing […]
CHECK OR DEBIT CARD
Changes to California’s Mandatory Workplace Pamphlets on State Benefit Programs California employers must provide certain government-issued pamphlets or information sheets to new hires, to employees on certain types of leaves of absence, and to workers upon termination of employment. The California Employment Development Department (EDD) — overseeing unemployment and disability benefits, payroll tax collection, and […]
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS…
KNOCK, KNOCK When It’s Your Turn For a Government Payroll Audit For California, the Employment Development Department (EDD) is responsible for the administration of unemployment and disability insurance, workforce training services and payroll audits. The agency has the power to impose significant, potentially fatal penalties for non-compliance. An EDD visit to look over pay practices […]
HAIRSTYLE DISCRIMINATION
California Aims to Protect Workers Against Race-Based Natural Hairstyle Bias Federal, state and local laws have long banned workplace racial discrimination. A recent trend seeks to expand such protections to various race-based traits, particularly certain hairstyles. Under California’s now-pending Senate Bill (SB 188), workplace dress or grooming policies prohibiting natural hairstyles, including Afros, braids and […]
PHONING IT IN
California Employers Must Pay Wages for Required Call-In to Confirm Day’s Work Schedule Employers who require workers to call in to ascertain whether they are needed for a scheduled work shift will now need to rethink this practice. California Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) publishes “wage orders” containing regulations on wages, breaks, record-keeping and other working […]
SAFETY SAFEGUARDED
Required Injury and Illness Recordkeeping and Posting in California California law requires most employers who have had more than 10 employees on payroll during the last calendar year to keep illness and injury records for each worksite. Covered employers must also conspicuously post at each worksite an annual accident and injury summary for the prior […]
WHAT’S NEW FOR 2019 INDUSTRY WAGE ORDERS UPDATED FOR CALIFORNIA MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES
Don’t Forget to Post Your New California Wage Orders California employers must comply with one or more of the 18 California Industrial Welfare Commission’s (IWC) published “wage orders” applicable to their industry or profession. For example, Wage Order 1 applies to the manufacturing industry; Wage Order 4 to professional, technical, clerical, mechanical and similar occupations; […]