In today’s interconnected world, social media has become an integral part of both personal and professional life. As businesses embrace digital platforms to connect with customers and promote their brand, they must also navigate the potential risks and challenges associated with social media use in the workplace.
In a landmark decision, the California Supreme Court in People ex rel. Lilia Garcia-Brower v. Kolla’s Inc., expanded whistleblower protections for employees by declaring that whistleblowers are protected under Labor Code § 1102.5, even if the employer was previously aware of the misconduct.
On July 25, the United Parcel Service and labor union International Brotherhood of Teamsters reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement for approximately 340,000 UPS workers. The deal was reached a week before a threatened strike that could have disrupted a quarter of the nation’s package shipments and cost the economy billions.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced changes to Form I-9, effective August 1, 2023.
Earlier this month, the California Court of Appeal held in Thai v. International Business Machines (IBM) Corp. that even when governmental health and safety orders made working from home mandatory during the COVID-19 pandemic, employers may still be liable for necessary business expenses employees incurred while being required to work from home under California Labor Code section 2802.
On Monday, July 10, 2023, a California federal judge certified a statewide class of O’Reilly Auto Enterprises LLC hourly workers over allegations that O’Reilly violated California wage statement laws. However, the judge declined to certify three other classes relating to claims that O’Reilly failed to provide lawful meal breaks.
Every once in a while, a California court will issue a decision that is unexpected or, at least somewhat surprising. The California Supreme Court did just that in a recent decision titled Kuciemba v. Victory Woodworks, Inc., in which the Court ruled that employers do not have a duty to protect their employees’ household members from contracting COVID-19.
In the complex world of human resources, two concepts stand out as vital to both employers and employees: job descriptions and job classification. They provide structure, consistency, and transparency, helping every employee understand their role, responsibilities, and where they fit within an organizational hierarchy.
On Tuesday, June 27, former employees of cannabis dispensary chain MMD Inc. requested the Los Angeles County Superior Court to grant class certification in their lawsuit for failure to properly pay overtime wages, provide meal and rest breaks, and reimburse for necessary business expenses.
It isn’t every day that a state court overturns a decision by the United States Supreme Court. But it isn’t unheard of either. And that is exactly what happened on Monday, July 17 when the California Supreme Court issued its decision in Adolph v. Uber Technologies, Inc. The Adolph decision comes as a direct response to a decision issued by the United States Supreme Court in Viking River v. Moriana last year.
