General Blog

Navigating California’s complex leave and employment laws can be intimidating and risky for both employers and employees. From understanding leave entitlements like CFRA and FMLA to ensuring compliance with anti-discrimination laws, staying informed is crucial to avoiding costly legal pitfalls. We’ll explore it all in…Read More

Employee disputes and claims are landmines scattered throughout the business and employment world in California. It's nearly impossible for any California employer in business for any length of time to avoid a land mine going off. This article outlines our experience in defending California employment…Read More

Firing an employee can be a moment of deep stress and of even greater legal danger. In California, small business owners every day run into problems because of how, why, or under what conditions they let go of one or more employees. This article is…Read More

Life is not easy as an employer in California. Businesses are tough enough to run without all the traps and pitfalls you can all too easily fall into when it comes to your employees and state laws and regulations. This article dives into several of…Read More

Every day, businesses across the State of California face frivolous and harmful lawsuits from employees. Small businesses, who cannot afford large-scale compliance efforts and struggle with record keeping, are the most vulnerable to these abuses. This article explains: Why employee claims and lawsuits against employers…Read More

California Family Rights Act (CFRA)SB 1383 This is California’s equivalent to the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).  California has now significantly expanded its CFRA: Covered “Employer” Expanded – CFRA used to apply only to employers with 50 or more employees.  This now applies to employers…Read More

Since 2012, California businesses have been hammered by adverse compensation rulings. Incentive compensation plans have been under fire. It seems the California legislature (and courts) think everyone should be paid solely on an hourly basis. Finally California employers have an court opinion that supports incentive-based…Read More

A new California law just changed the ball game for in home care for the elderly who are unable to care for themselves. What happens when your parent would like to remain in their own home but they cannot care for themselves and need someone to…Read More

Here’s another reason for California employers to know their California minimum wage obligations and to comply with them. For a while now, a failure to pay minimum wage carried with it the penalty of having to pay not only the minimum wages owed but “liquidated…Read More

Can an employer and employee agree to litigate wage claims before an arbitrator rather than the Labor Commissioner? Two days ago, the California Supreme Court issued its Sonic-Calabasas II decision that was supposed to answer that question.  But the case creates more confusion in an already uncertain and…Read More