Employers generally consider arbitration to be a more favorable forum for deciding disputes than litigating in court, though the costs to arbitrate are expensive. For one, juries who find against employers tend to be more generous in their awards than arbitrators. Second, arbitration clauses can include class action waivers, making it hard or impossible for employees to bring class action lawsuits. For these reasons, employers have increasingly required employees to sign mandatory arbitration clauses.Read more
Category Archives: Employment Law Updates
Testing Requirements Rescinded for Health Care Personnel in California
For the past year, the California Department of Public Health has mandated that all health care personnel in healthcare facilities be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they document that they have religious or medical grounds for an exemption. Read more
Increases in Local Minimum Wages and IRS Mileage Rate Coming July 1, 2022
Local Minimum Wages
Employers checking to make sure they pay minimum wage can’t just rely on complying with California minimum wage standards. As we reminded you on December 8, 2021, many local jurisdictions have enacted their own minimum wage rules.Read more
CalSavers Deadline and New Ruling on Meal Periods
CalSavers Deadline:
The June 30, 2022, deadline for small employers to register with CalSavers is only five weeks away.
What is CalSavers?
California is Raising the State’s Minimum Wage January 1, 2023
At present, state minimum wage in California is $15 per hour for companies with 26 or more employees and $14 per hour for companies with 25 or fewer employees.
On May 12, 2022, Governor Newsom announced that because inflation is projected to increase by 7.6% for the 2022 fiscal year, California’s minimum wage will increase to $15.50 per hour for all employees, regardless of employer size effective January 1, 2023.
With the minimum wage increasing to $15.50 in 2023, employers should be aware that it will affect the following employees:Read more
CDPH and LA County Relax Indoor Mask Mandate for Fully Vaccinated Persons
The CDPH and Los Angeles County have updated their rules to allow fully vaccinated persons to enter indoor businesses without wearing masks under certain circumstances.Read more
The Return of Statewide Covid-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave and the End of the Statewide Mask Mandate
It’s been a busy week at the Governor’s office …
1. The return of statewide COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave
On February 9, 2022, Governor Newsom signed SB-114, which brings back COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave (“SPSL”) through September 30, 2022.
When will the bill take effect?
New Developments With OSHA’s Vaccine-Or-Test Mandate for Large Employers
On November 9, 2021, we discussed developments with the new federal OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard for employers with 100+ employees. In that post, we explained how the ETS required such employers to ensure their workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing, and noted that the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit had granted a temporary nationwide stay of the ETS, meaning that the ETS could not be enforced.
Since November 9, new developments have come thick and fast: Read more