On September 29, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) 2499, which expands workplace protections for employee victims of crimes or abuse. The new law takes effect January 1, 2025. New Terminology and Enforcement California currently prohibits...
Cooler weather does not mean goodbye to heat illness concerns for employers. With the state’s unprecedented breaking temperatures in recent years, the California Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has adopted regulations on heat illness prevention in indoor...
In Bailey v. San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, the California Supreme Court ruled that a single use of a racial slur may be actionable harassment under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act if it is sufficiently severe under the totality of the...
Beginning July 1, 2024, the minimum wage in the following cities and counties has increased as shown below due to local ordinances These minimum wage increases apply not only to hourly workers, but also to exempt employees, who must be paid at least twice the minimum...
On July 1, 2024, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2288 and Senate Bill 92 into law, providing the most substantive changes to the Private Attorney General Act of 2004 (“PAGA”) in its 20-year history. AB 2288 amends Labor Code section 2699, while SB 92 amends Labor...
Congratulations to Jennifer Duggan, Laura McHugh, Christina Bucci Hamilton, and Katie Collins, who were recently selected for both Sactown Magazine’s list of Top Lawyers in Sacramento and the 2024 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. We are especially...
By July 1, 2024, nearly all California employers must adopt and implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP), provide the first round of annual training, and maintain an effective Violent Incident Log. The new law, SB 553, is codified as Labor Code section...
Last week, the California Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Naranjo v. Spectrum Security Services, Inc. (No. S279397, May 6, 2024) delivered a rare victory for California employers. The high court held that employers have a viable “good faith” defense to claims...
On June 29, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Groff v. DeJoy, 600 U.S. 447, 143 S. Ct. 2279, 216 L. Ed. 2d 1041 (2023). The decision represents a significant shift in religious accommodation law, including how employers are required to accommodate an...
What Employers Should Know About AB 1228 On September 28, 2023, Governor Newsom signed into law AB 1228, the Fast Food Restaurant Industry legislation, which increases the minimum wage for “fast food restaurant employees.” In addition, the legislation establishes a...
