Employment Law

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...