There are both federal and state laws that establish the financial obligations of employers to their workers. Companies have to follow minimum wage laws and other rules when compensating employees for the services they provide. Workers paid on an hourly basis or who...
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Employment Law
Can firing an older employee qualify as wrongful termination?
Employers can dismiss an employee for several reasons. If you fire an employee who’s 40 years old and above, it is possible that said employee might claim wrongful termination based on age discrimination. What is wrongful termination? Wrongful termination occurs when...
Legislative Update – March 2023
California’s legislative session is in full-swing with a variety of bills introduced that could impact compliance and notice requirements for employers. A selection of these bills is below. It is early in the life span of these bills which an and often do change...
May Employers Give Negative Job References?
When an employee is searching for a new job, a positive reference from a former employer can make all the difference. But what happens when a previous employer decides to give a negative reference? Is this legal? May employers give negative job references? Employers...
3 ways employers can reduce the risk of harassment claims
Harassment is illegal, and no one should tolerate it. Both federal and California law specifically prohibit harassment on the basis of an employee’s age, race, sex, religion or other protective characteristics, like physical disability. The law also protects workers...
What is retaliation and how can it cause problems?
Employees have the right to a workplace that’s free of harassment and discrimination. It’s up to employers to set rules that forbid those types of behaviors. Any employee who experiences one of those things or who notices that laws aren’t being complied with at the...
How do you respond to an administrative discrimination charge?
Whether it comes from California’s Labor Commissioner’s Office or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), getting a notice that there’s been a discrimination charge leveled against your company can come as a nasty shock. So, what do you do now? First,...
Cal/OSHA To Enact Non-Emergency COVID-19 Regulation
At its December 15, 2022 meeting, it is anticipated that the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (“OSHSB”) will vote on the pending “non-emergency” regulation relating to COVID-19 prevention. If the standard is approved, it will likely be...
Will making disability accommodations cause you undue hardships?
People with a disability have the same rights that other members of society enjoy. For example, they cannot be denied the right to apply for and obtain a job based solely on a disability. However, employers may need structural or operational changes in order to...
What California’s pay transparency law means for employers
Pay transparency is becoming the wave of the future. That future is starting on Jan. 1, 2023, for California employers. The new pay transparency law requires California employers with at least 15 employees to provide the pay range for any job listing. Further, it...