Category Archives: Labor and Employment

A workplace investigation is conducted when there is credible information that there may have been significant wrongdoing, misconduct, or ethical lapses. A workplace investigation may also be appropriate even if there have not been specific allegations against an employee or department, but there have been allegations against others, and the investigation is intended to exclude […]

2026 brings several important changes to the California employment law landscape, affecting pay transparency, leave rights, workplace postings, and employer liability. Below is a summary of key updates that may impact your policies and compliance obligations. Workplace Know You Rights Notice (SB 294) By February 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, California employers must provide existing […]

Beginning January 1, 2026, California Senate Bill 294 (the “Workplace Know Your Rights Act” or “SB 294”) requires all employers to provide current employees and any new hires with (1) an annual, stand‑alone, written notice of their workplace rights and (2) implement new procedures for contacting designated emergency contacts in the event of an employee’s […]

Effective January 1, 2025, Senate Bill 428 (signed by Governor Newsom on September 30, 2023, and codified in California Code of Civil Procedure section 527.8) expands employers’ ability to seek a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and Workplace Violence Restraining Order (WVRO) against individuals who harass their employees. Prior to SB 428, employers could seek a […]

On December 30, 2024, in Leeper v. Shipt, Inc., the California Court of Appeal (Second District) ruled that all Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) actions necessarily include an individual PAGA claim, which, in turn, can be subject to binding arbitration agreements. https://www4.courts.ca.gov/opinions/documents/B339670.PDF Leeper involved independent contractor misclassification and attendant PAGA claims brought by a worker […]

Retirement plans are something employers have offered for decades as an employee benefit.  However, in 2025 the requirement to have one in California will become a reality for all employers with one or more employees. CalSavers was created in 2016 and began being implemented in 2019.  It is California’s state-sponsored retirement savings program and helps […]

In 2024, the California Legislature enacted significant amendments to California’s Private Attorneys General Act (or “PAGA”). PAGA has been in effect for decades, and many believe that, while well-intentioned, it has come to be a boon for a select group of savvy plaintiff-side attorneys while resulting in minimal financial benefits for employees. The 2024 amendments, […]

In our last issue of Perspectives, we summarized recent non-compete-related legislation in a California employer alert entitled “New Prohibitions and Penalties Concerning Noncompetition Clauses.” However, many employers continue to have questions about the practical takeaways regarding this legislation. So, here is a refresher summary focusing on the most impactful takeaways. Effective January 1, 2024, California […]

On January 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor released the details of a long-awaited “final rule” addressing when employers can classify workers as independent contractors under federal labor law. Our overall assessment of the FLSA “final rule” (effective March 11, 2024) (the “2024 Rule”) is that it will not materially impact independent contractor misclassification […]

Effective July 1, 2024, Senate Bill 553 (signed by Governor Newsom on September 30, 2023 and codified at California Labor Code Section 6401.9), California employers (with very few exceptions) must (1) establish, implement, and maintain an effective written workplace violence prevention policy / plan that includes specified information, training, and recordkeeping requirements and (2) provide […]