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California

How does California’s plant closing law work?

12/08/2014
Q. Our company is going to have lay off a large number of employees. Are we required to give notice to the employees?

Can we make worker pay for broken merchandise?

12/08/2014
Q. One of our employees dropped a case of expensive merchandise while stocking the shelves of our store. It caused a loss of several hundred dollars. Can we deduct the cost of the merchandise from his paycheck?

What’s new in California employment law in 2015

12/08/2014
A new year is coming and with it, a slew of changes courtesy the California Legislature. December is a good time to review your policies so they comply with the law. We’ve broken it down by general subject matter to make it easier.

Contractor can’t plaster over pay violations

12/08/2014
A plastering company in Ceres, California has agreed to patch things up with 208 current and former employees following a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation. The employees of Ace Commercial Plastering will receive $131,953 in back pay, the amount WHD concluded the company had sanded off their paychecks.

Fresno eatery settles EEOC sexual harassment complaint

12/08/2014
Sal’s Mexican Restaurant in Fresno, California has agreed to settle a sexual harassment complaint filed by a former hostess. According to the complaint, the hostess was a teenager when a male supervisor continually propositioned her for sexual favors, grabbed her and required her to give him hugs and back rubs as part of her duties.

Unemployment: Track complaints that led to quitting

12/08/2014

You need clear lines of communication so employees can complain about workplace problems. That can protect you if an employee quits because of alleged harassment and then applies for unemployment benefits. He won’t be eligible if he never gives you a chance to fix the problem. Not using the company complaint process pretty much means the em­­ployee didn’t give his employer a chance, blocking benefits.

Get expert help with arbitration agreements

12/08/2014
If, like most employers, you use an arbitration agreement to avoid costly court litigation, put regular consultations with your attorney on your calendar. An expert needs to make sure that your agreement is as up-to-date as possible.

Don’t rely on arbitration agreements that require class-action waivers

12/08/2014

The California Court of Appeal has yet again ruled against employers in an arbitration rights case. This time, the issue was whether employers can use arbitration agreements to limit so-called class- or collective-action claims. The apparent answer is “no.”

Ban comments about age, national origin, but don’t sweat isolated incidents

12/08/2014
Here’s some good news. One single isolated comment about an employee’s advancing age or his country of origin isn’t enough to sustain a lawsuit claiming age discrimination.

Fast lane to legal liability: Require employees to use their cars for work

12/08/2014

Do you sometimes require em­­ployees to use their personal cars during the workday for job-related tasks like going on appointments, making banking runs or other errands? You’re risking liability if the em­­ployee is in an accident and a jury decides he was negligent.