Employers can engage in racial discrimination in myriad ways without realizing it. For many years, one of these has been by using so-called “grooming policies” to prohibit employees from wearing their hair in its natural state or in various styles worn predominantly...
BUILDING SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES
Employment Law
What do employers need to know about rest breaks in California?
Employees can’t be expected to work long shifts without having some type of break during which they can rest. California law sets standards for when employers must provide rest breaks for their employees. It’s best that all employers, as well as supervisors,...
Can I fire someone who is pregnant?
One issue that could bring trouble for a California employer is terminating someone’s contract when they are pregnant. If the employee thinks that you fired them because they are pregnant, they could launch a wrongful termination lawsuit against you. Remember that the...
What to avoid when terminating your California employees
The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) drafted a report in 2019, outlining the most common mistakes employers make when they fail to set or abide by employee termination policies and laws. CalChamber noted that this often exposes employers to legal liability...
Things every employee handbook needs to have
In the 21st century, employee handbooks have gone from a convenient concept to a necessary business tool. However, your employee handbook is only as good as what is written in its pages. Addressing policies, procedures and other critical employment issues can protect...
What Proposition 22 means for California’s contract workers
In 2019, California lawmakers passed Assembly Bill 5 (AB5). This bill targets companies that employ independent contractors to conduct their primary business. AB5 uses three new questions that set a different standard for classifying employees as independent...
Why written discipline records are so important to your business
When you catch a staff member cutting corners on paperwork, talking rudely to a client or co-worker, showing up late to work or otherwise failing to perform their job responsibilities, disciplinary action is necessary. Some managers will just verbally address the...
Wrongful termination and at-will employment
Many business owners find personnel decisions to be the hardest part of the business. It can be challenging to identify the ideal employee, and it can be even harder to tell the worker that their services are no longer desired. California is an at-will employment...
What should employers know about remote work?
For several months now, businesses throughout California and across the United States have struggled with social distancing and stay-at-home orders. One of the ways employers responded to these challenges was to allow their employees to work from home. Now, many of...
Protecting your business from wage and hour disputes
In recent years, employers and their pay policies have been under increased scrutiny. With the number of wage and hour lawsuits rapidly increasing every year—rates of these cases have risen over 400% since 1997—it is essential for you to know the law and proactively...