News + Insights
We love to provide additional value to our clients and friends and keep you up to date on the latest developments in California business and employment law, as well as information impacting the Private Security industry and other industries we serve. Please see our latest insights below and subscribe to our newsletter receive timely updates in California law.
California Supreme Court Has the Last Word on PAGA
California Supreme Court’s Adolph v. Uber ruling reshapes PAGA standing after arbitration, rejecting Viking River and impacting employer litigation strategy.
Hot Topic: Heat-Related Law for Employers
This past July 4th was Earth’s hottest day on record since 1979, reaching the global average temperature of 62.92 degrees Fahrenheit. Currently, European countries like Spain, Greece, and Italy are being gripped by a deadly heatwave named ‘Cerberus.’ The heatwave’s...
National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
Sexual assault is broadly defined in state and federal laws as subjecting a person to any unwanted or nonconsensual sexual contact. On March 31, 2023, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. proclaimed April 2023 as National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month....
Is the Time Up for Time-Rounding in California?
For decades, California law has permitted employers to round employee time entries as long as the rounding policy is neutral on its face and does not disadvantage employees. However, on February 1, 2023, the California Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments on a Court of Appeal decision that could end California employers’ ability to round employee work time altogether.
New California Laws For 2023 Stress Safety, More Regulations, and Address Workplace Disparity
By Barry A. Bradley, Esq. Jaimee K. Wellerstein, Esq. California’s Governor Newsom signed 997 bills last year (and vetoed 169). While there was a flurry of laws that protect women’s reproductive rights as a result of the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme...
Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Requirements to Become Permanent…For Two Years
After three years of frequent changes, CalOSHA adopted the more permanent COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations.
California’s COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave: Same Buckets. Extended Time Period
By Jaimee K. Wellerstein, Esq. While many California employers were anticipating the current COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (“SPSL”) would expire on September 30, 2022, unsurprisingly, California has passed AB 152, which will extend SPSL through December 31,...
A Win (for Now) for California Employers! US Supreme Court Rocks the Boat with Viking River Cruises PAGA Ruling
By Jaimee K. Wellerstein, Esq, On June 15, 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana (U.S.S.C. Case No. 20-1573), holding that California employers can enforce arbitration agreements, thereby...
Oops, They Did It Again… California Supreme Court Strikes Another Blow to Employers Holding That Meal Period & Rest Break Premiums Are Wages, Not Penalties
By Jaimee K. Wellerstein, Esq. On May 23, 2022, the California Supreme Court lived up to its pro-employee reputation, issuing yet another major setback to employers by overturning a previously employer-friendly ruling in Naranjo v. Spectrum Security Services, Inc. The...
The Crown Act: Will the Federal Government Ban Natural Hairstyle Discrimination?
By: Jaimee K. Wellerstein, Esq. California was the first state to adopt the CROWN Act, in 2019. Since then, numerous other states have followed suit. Now, the federal government is (hopefully) on its way to enacting the federal version of the Creating a Respectful...
President Biden Signs Law Prohibiting Mandatory Arbitration of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Claims
On March 3, 2022, President Biden signed the “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021” into law. What does it mean?
It’s (Really) Back! California Implements COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave For 2022
By: Jaimee K. Wellerstein, Esq. As previously reported here, California’s Legislature recently proposed a new COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (“SPSL”) for 2022. On February 9, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the new SPSL bill into law. The law goes into...