Understanding Sick Leave: What Employers Need to Know

Understanding Sick Leave: What Employers Need to Know

In this video, we’ll discuss all the essential information you need to know about sick leave in California. We’ll cover both state and federal laws, and provide guidance on how to ensure your business stays compliant. As an employer, it’s crucial to understand your obligations when it comes to providing your employees with paid sick leave. Keeping up-to-date with these laws is vital to avoid any legal issues that may arise.

Twitter Wins Disability Discrimination Lawsuit

On Monday, May 5, in Borodaenko v. Twitter, Inc. (“Borodaenko”), a California federal judge mostly dismissed a putative class action alleging Twitter, Inc. of discriminating against employees with disabilities by requiring them to report to the office, put in long hours, and work at high intensity after the mass layoffs in November 2022. One plaintiff’s claims were dismissed, while the other plaintiff’s claims were sent to arbitration.

Biden Administration Set to Roll Back COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates

The Biden Administration has announced that it will be ending most federally mandated COVID-19 vaccination mandates on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Included in the Administration’s vaccine-mandate rollback is the Administration’s much-maligned mandate for federal contractors, which has been subject to challenges in federal court.

Crucial Aspects of Commercial Real Estate

Crucial Aspects of Commercial Real Estate

Looking to buy or sell commercial real estate in California? It can be a complex process, but understanding the important aspects of a commercial real estate transaction can help make it smoother and more successful. From the letter of intent to the contingencies in the final agreement, all parties involved should consider key factors such as due diligence, negotiating the purchase and sale agreement, and transferring ancillary items. Keep these tips in mind to ensure a smooth transaction.

Arbitration Agreements: What is the Difference Between Substantive and Procedural Unconscionability?

This year, in Basith v. Lithia Motors, Inc. (“Basith”) and Fuentes v. Empire Nissan, Inc. (“Fuentes”), the Second Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal (the “Court”) set forth the difference between procedural and substantive unconscionability as the basis for invalidating arbitration agreements. Procedural unconscionability focuses on the fairness of the process leading to the formation of the agreements, while substantive unconscionability focuses on whether the terms of the agreements are so one-sided that it unfairly benefits one of the parties to the agreement. The cases affirm the long-standing rule in California that both procedural and substantive unconscionability must be present to invalidate an arbitration agreement.

Does an Employer have to Accommodate an Employee’s Religion?

Last Tuesday, the US Supreme Court heard an oral argument in Groff v. DeJoy, a case in which the Court is considering whether to overturn decades of precedent established in the 1977 case of TWA v. Hardison (“Hardison”). Hardison established that an employer is not obligated to accommodate an employee’s religion if the accommodation would create more than a “de minimis” burden on the employer’s operations, or an “undue hardship.”

Do I Need to Pay My Employees for Travel Time in California?

Traveling for work can be a necessary part of many jobs, and it is important for both employers and employees to understand how to manage travel time and expenses. Do you need to pay your employees for travel time? Yes! California has specific laws and regulations that employers must abide by as it pertains to reimbursing employees for travel expenses.

Senator Brown Introduces Increased Federal Overtime Protections

Last month, US Senator Sherrod Brown introduced the Restoring Overtime Pay Act of 2023 (“ROP Act”) in Congress, a bill that seeks to increase the exempt salary threshold, thereby providing overtime protections to many more employees who are currently classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). If passed, the bill would update the FLSA, which was first enacted in 1938 and has not been significantly amended with respect to minimum wage and overtime exemptions since 2004.