Insight & Commentary on California Workplace Law Issues & Developments
In June, California relaxed many of its COVID-19 restrictions, including allowing fully vaccinated individuals to go without a face covering indoors, with limited exception. Also in June, Cal/OSHA passed an amended Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) that allowed for fully vaccinated employees to go without a face covering in most situations.
However, as California…
Current law authorizes employers to pay less than minimum wage for employees with physical or mental disabilities under a subminimum wage certificate program.
California’s Governor has signed Senate Bill 639 (SB 639) which requires the development of a plan to phase out the use of this program. Under SB 639, the program will be phased…
On August 2nd, seven Bay Area counties and the city of Berkeley joined the ranks of Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Yolo counties in issuing local ordinances that reinstitute indoor masking mandates. The orders require all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings when indoors in public settings, with limited exceptions,…
California’s unfriendly business environment took another unprecedented step this week, with Governor Jerry Brown raising the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by 2022. Governor Brown signed SB 3 into law on April 4, 2016.
The new law annually increases the state minimum wage starting January 2017. California’s minimum wage currently is $10.00 per hour. California employers opposed the bill arguing the minimum wage increases will make it even more difficult for in-state producers to compete with out-of-state employers; employer advocacy groups also argued the bill will result in more employers leaving the state. …
Continue Reading Governor Brown Raises the Minimum Wage to $15.00 per Hour, Despite Strong Employer Opposition
The California Court of Appeal ruled that an automobile dealership that translated a sales contract into Spanish, but neglected to include the arbitration clause in the translated agreement, could not enforce the arbitration agreement. Ramos v. Westlake Services, LLC, A141353. Although the case involved a commercial transaction, it has important implications for employers who use arbitration agreements with employees whose primary language is other than English.
Continue Reading Inaccurate Translation Invalidates Arbitration Agreement
On October 6, 2015 Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 358 (“SB 358”), a law that substantially eases California employees’ burden in proving gender-based pay claims. This law also increases the number of years that employers must retain employee records, and creates additional protections for employees who wish to discuss or disclose their wages.
Continue Reading New California Law Eases Employees’ Burdens in Proving Gender-Based Pay Claims and Creates Additional Protections for Employees to Discuss Their Wages
An arbitration clause in a consumer agreement was enforceable, including the class action waiver, despite four supposedly one-sided arbitration provisions in the agreement, the California Supreme Court has held. Sanchez v. Valencia Holding Co., LLC, No. S199119 (Aug. 3, 2015). The much-anticipated decision has significant implications for arbitration agreements between employers and employees.
Continue Reading California Supreme Court: Federal Arbitration Act Preempts Plaintiff’s State Rights
