Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Top Ten 2024 Labor and Employment Law Updates
More Paid Sick Leave SB 616 expanded California’s existing Paid Sick Leave law, in the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act, as of January 1, 2024, requiring all employers to provide at least five (5) paid sick days or 40 hours per year to employees instead of the three (3) days or 24 hours required in… Read More »
Is an Employer Required Offer Severance Pay When an Employee Leaves in California?
Severance packages typically include pay and/or other benefits for workers who leave companies or organizations. As an employer operating a business in California, you may want to ask: Am I required to provide severance to outgoing employees? In California, the answer is “no”—severance pay is not required. That being said, many employers do offer… Read More »
What are the Holiday Pay Rules for Employers in California?
As an employer in California, it is imperative that your practices are fully consistent with all federal, state, and local requirements. You may be wondering: Does California have any special requirements for holiday hours or holiday pay? The short answer is “no” —the general pay/hour standards still apply during the holiday season. Here, our… Read More »
Employers Beware: California Regulators Announce CCPA Compliance “Sweep”
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is a state law that initially took effect on January 1st, 2020. It put more stringent requirements in place for companies that take, solicit, and use sensitive consumer information. Recently, the law was reformed. As of January 1, 2023, the CCPA privacy protections were extended to include information… Read More »
An Overview of Adolph v. Uber Technologies (What it Means for Employers in California)
On July 17th, 2023, the Supreme Court of California published an opinion in the case of Adolph v. Uber Technologies. The state’s highest court held that plaintiffs (employees) in Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) lawsuits retain the ability to pursue representative claims even if they are compelled to arbitrate their individual claims. It is… Read More »
California Regulators Certify State Minimum Wage for 2024—It Will Increase to $16.00
On August 1, 2023, the California Department of Finance sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom certifying the statewide minimum wage increase for next year. As of January 1, 2024, the state-level minimum wage will jump by 3.5 percent—increasing from $15.50 per hour to $16.00 per hour. In this article, our California employment attorney… Read More »
What Employers Should Know About Mediation for Employment Disputes in California
Employers can benefit from strong relationships with their employees. In some cases, the best option for resolving a dispute with an employee may be a non-adversarial approach. Mediation could be the best path forward. In this article, our California workplace solution lawyer highlights the most important things employers in California should know about mediation…. Read More »
An Overview of Senate Bill 699 (California’s Expanded Ban On Non-Compete Agreements)
On September 1, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 699 (SB 699) into law. The legislation strengthens California’s already comprehensive restrictions on non-compete agreements. Most notably, the law strengthens an employee’s private right of action—allowing them to sue for additional damages if an employer has them sign and/or tries to enforce an… Read More »
California Court Rules in Favor of Employer in Wrongful Termination Cases, Found Firing Based on Misconduct, Not Religious Discrimination
Recently, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals released an opinion in favor of a California employer in a wrongful termination claim (Hittle v. City of Stockton). The federal appellate court determined that the City of Stockton’s termination of a fire chief did not constitute unlawful religious discrimination. In this article, our California employment attorney… Read More »
New California Law Creates Presumption of Retaliation for Wage and Hour Violations (90 Days)
On October 9, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill SB 497, the Equal Pay and Anti-Retaliation Act. This Act creates a rebuttable presumption of unlawful retaliation, i.e., that the employer retaliated against employees who engaged in certain legally protected activities. The presumption would apply for 90 days after the protected activity,… Read More »