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California

Is there a reason not to limit smoking breaks?

04/23/2014
Q. Two of our employees go outside to smoke almost every hour for about 10 minutes. Our other employees are starting to complain. Do we have to allow these 10-minute rest periods every hour?

Consider letting employees unionize

04/23/2014
What’s an employer to do when it becomes clear employees want to vote on a union? One strategy may surprise you.

San Diego newspaper delivery drivers awarded $5M

04/23/2014
Workers who delivered the San Diego Union-Tribune will split a $5 million judgment against the paper’s former owner. A state judge ruled that about 1,200 carriers who worked for the paper from 2005 to 2007 were employees, not independent contractors.

Papa John’s HQ pays up after franchisee stiffs workers

04/23/2014
The Papa John’s pizza chain has come through for employees left in the lurch when a franchisee in Sacra­­mento abruptly closed eight stores.

NLRB orders Anderson Lumber to negotiate with Teamsters

04/23/2014
The NLRB has ordered a Sacramento-area lumber company to restart contract negotiations with the union that represents its employees.

No state do-over after worker loses in federal court

04/23/2014
Good news for employers: Workers can’t go to state court to re-litigate an employment discrimination case based on the same underlying facts that already failed in federal court.

Male boss hits on male employee? That’s harassment

04/23/2014
Just as women have the right to dignity in a workplace free of sexual harassment, so do men.

Leave off job application any language that limits time frames for employee to sue

04/23/2014
Don’t even think of including in your job application a shortened statute of limitations for resolving employment disputes.

Want to require an arbitration agreement? That’s fine as long as it’s fair to employees

04/23/2014
Here’s some good news for employers that want to use arbitration as a way to resolve employment disputes instead of relying on federal or state courts: Imposing a fair arbitration policy on applicants as a condition of employment is fine.

Just having a policy isn’t enough! Enforce your rules against harassment

04/23/2014
We’ve said it before, but it needs to be said again: Simply having a sexual harassment policy in your handbook won’t save you from a lawsuit. It’s all about what you do with that policy.