Labor Law and Unions

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Governor Newsom has officially signed Senate Bill (SB) 399 into law, which enacts the California Worker Freedom from Employer Intimidation Act (Act) to take effect January 1, 2025. California employers have been monitoring its passage because of its potential impact on an employer’s ability to lawfully communicate its position and educate employees regarding a labor…

On September 5, 2022, California passed Assembly Bill (AB) 257, titled the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act, or the “FAST Recovery Act.” AB 257 establishes a Fast Food Council comprised of fast food employees, worker advocates, franchisors, franchisees, and government officials within the Department of Industrial Relations that would set industry-wide standards…

Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 237 (AB 237), which prohibits California public employers from discontinuing employer contributions for health care or other medical coverage for employees who, during the duration of an authorized strike, fall below the minimum hours worked to qualify for employee health care coverage.

The bill expressly provides that it is an…

In 2018, the California legislature passed Assembly Bill 2455 (“AB 2455”), which required the Department of Social Services to provide labor organizations registered home care aids’ contact information to assist with organizing efforts of the home care workforce.

Two industry groups, the Home Care Association of America and the California Association for Health Service at…

A controversial amendment to the California Home Care Services Protection Act (Home Care Act) requires the state Department of Social Services (DSS) to provide the names, phone numbers, and addresses of new or renewing registered home care aides (HCAs) to labor unions on request, unless the aides opt out.

The new law, which raises concerns…

Unionized employers in the construction industry can potentially receive some well-needed relief from California’s Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (Labor Code Section 2698 et seq.), known as “PAGA,” in light of the Governor signing AB 1654. Unionized employers in California must review their collective bargaining agreements and evaluate whether they can take…

The California Supreme Court, in Dynamex Operations v. Superior Court, held that for purposes of claims under the California Wage Orders “engage, suffer or permit to work” determines employee status, thus requiring a defendant who disputes that a worker is an employee (rather than an independent contractor) to prove (A) the worker is free…

In a recent decision, Judge Philip S. Gutierrez of the United States District Court for the Central District of California clarified an available avenue for employers with collective bargaining agreements (“CBAs”) to combat the growing trend of wage and hour lawsuits in California. In granting defendant Kiewit Infrastructure West Co.’s (“Kiewit”) motion for summary judgment…

In recent years, there has been an uptick in union organizing focusing on California charter schools.   Traditionally, education related labor groups focused on organizing large public school districts, but with over 1,200 charter schools in California, groups like the California Teachers Association have shifted gears to try to bring unions into charter schools. Such organizing …

California Governor Jerry Brown just announced a compromise that would raise the state minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2022 and head off competing union-backed ballot measures.  The proposal raises the current $10 minimum wage every January starting in 2017 until it reaches $15 in 2022.

Employers with fewer than 25 workers have an …