Publications
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01.18.2024Update: 2023 California Labor, Employment, and Independent Contractor Legislative UpdatePodcastsWith the 2023 California legislative year closed, we are ready to summarize the new legislation that will affect businesses operating in the state and highlight related action items.
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10.20.20232023 California Labor, Employment, and Independent Contractor Legislative UpdateUpdatesWith the 2023 California legislative year closed, it is once again time to summarize the new legislation that will affect businesses operating within the state and highlight relevant action items related to these bills.
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10.18.2023California Employers Required To Provide Reproductive Loss Leave Starting January 1UpdatesCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 848 on October 10, 2023. This new law expands California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) to provide covered employees with protected leave after a reproductive loss.
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04.12.2023Federal Government Expands Protections for Employees With Pregnancy-Related ConditionsPodcastsU.S. President Joe Biden signed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act) into law on December 29, 2022.
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01.10.2023Federal Government Expands Protections for Employees With Pregnancy-Related ConditionsUpdatesU.S. President Joe Biden signed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act into law on December 29, 2022. This combined legislation aims to bridge the gap in federal legal protections for employees who are affected by pregnancy or related conditions or who are breastfeeding.
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10.14.2022US Department of Labor Proposes Independent Contractor RuleUpdatesThe U.S. Department of Labor published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on October 13, 2022, that proposes guidance on determining employee or independent contractor classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
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07.09.2021California Labor Commissioner Issues Guidance Regarding California’s Right to RecallBlogsGovernor Gavin Newsom signed California’s limited COVID-19 right of recall law in April 2021, which established an obligation for certain employers to recall employees who were laid off because of COVID-19 when job positions become available.
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02.25.2021Consolidated COVID-19 Resources for California CompaniesBlogsThe California Labor & Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) and the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) unveiled a new website for companies operating in California that contains consolidated resources regarding COVID-19.
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11.30.2020Los Angeles County Will Issue Revised Targeted Safer at Home Order Effective November 30, 2020 to December 20, 2020BlogsLos Angeles County will issue a Revised Health Officer Order to be effective on Monday, November 30, 2020. The press release about the order provides that residents are advised to stay home as much as possible and wear face coverings when outside their household and around others.
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11.17.2020NLRB Concludes That COVID-Related Layoff Did Not Violate NLRABlogsThe National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) released an advice response memo concluding that a claim that a construction company violated the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) “by laying off the charging party in the midst of a purported downturn in business due to COVID-19” and thereafter failing to recall the employee lacked merit.
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07.29.2020California DFEH Updates COVID-19 FAQBlogsOn July 24, 2020, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) updated its DFEH Employment Information on COVID-19 FAQ in accordance with the ever-changing nature of the pandemic.
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07.27.2020CDC Issues Guidance for Preparing for a Safe Return to SchoolBlogsOn July 23, 2020, the CDC issued guidance for K-12 school administrators to safely return to school in the fall of 2020.
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06.17.2020Supreme Court Holds Federal Law Forbids Firing Employees Based on Sexual Orientation or Transgender StatusUpdates
The U.S. Supreme Court held that employers are prohibited from discharging employees on the basis of their sexual orientation or transgender status under Title VII, explaining that such discrimination necessarily requires an employer to intentionally treat individual employees differently because of their sex. The following update discusses this decision and it implications for employers.
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10.11.2018California Takes Steps to Fight Sexual Harassment in the WorkplaceUpdatesCalifornia Governor Jerry Brown recently signed Senate Bill No. 820, enacted as California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1001, which places new restrictions on confidentiality provisions in settlement agreements involving sexual harassment/discrimination claims.
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08.03.2018California’s High Court Rejects FLSA’s De Minimis DoctrineUpdatesThe California Supreme Court issued an opinion on July 26, 2018, and found that the federal Fair Labor Standards Act’s de minimis doctrine does not apply to claims for unpaid wages under the California Labor Code.
Presentations
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09.21.2023The Meritocracy Myth: Pipeline Development and Advancement for Diverse CandidatesSpeaking EngagementsCenterforce Diversity in Law Series / Los Angeles, CA
Wage & Hour Developments
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California Revises Frequently Asked Questions on Paid Sick Leave
The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) issued updated responses to frequently asked questions (FAQs) relating to the state’s amended paid sick leave law. As previously reported, California enacted SB 616, which expands the state law with respect to paid sick leave. The new law will be effective January 1, 2024, and increases the minimum...
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Oregon Slated To Increase Minimum Wage Effective July 1, 2024
Oregon has three separate minimum wages that vary based on work location and inflation (as applicable), which are labeled Portland Metro, Standard, and Nonurban. The Standard minimum wage is applicable to the counties of Benton, Clatsop, Columbia, Deschutes, Hood River, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk, Tillamook, Wasco, Yamhill, and parts of Clackamas, Multnomah,...
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California Raises Minimum Wage for Healthcare Workers Effective June 1, 2024
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law SB 525, which provides a tiered approach for minimum wages for the state’s healthcare workers. The law sets forth detailed descriptions of which types of healthcare facilities are covered and which employees are covered by the law. Covered employees include “an employee of a health care facility employer...
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California Governor Signs New Law Expanding California State Sick Leave
On October 4, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he signed SB 616, which expands the state law with respect to paid sick leave. The new law will be effective January 1, 2024, and increases the minimum amount of sick leave per year from 24 hours (or three days) to 40 hours (or five days)....