On September 22, 2021, Governor Newsom signed AB 701 into law. Aimed at the use of quotas in distribution centers, AB 701 will go into effect on January 1, 2022. The new law, which was originally drafted to curtail the practices of Amazon, may potentially apply to many employers across a range of industries involved with…
It looks as if the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) will be getting approximately $7.5 billion “to boost worker protection efforts”. However, worker protection efforts will now include looking into misclassification by employers as either employees and/or independent contractors. So, in other words, the DOL will no longer limit its scope to making sure workers…
Courts deal yet another blow to the enforcement of employment-related arbitration agreements and class-action waivers in what is looking to be a growing trend. In Rittmann v. Amazon.com, Inc., the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit found that local Amazon delivery drivers were not subject to the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). The FAA was…
Since our previous article (which can be found here) about the pros and cons of employers implementing a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has issued further guidance pertaining to vaccine policies and COVID-19 related issues in the workplace. The DFEH advised that an employer may require its employees…
In an area involving much litigation, the California Supreme Court recently disapproved of the use of a rounding policy when determining whether the timing and length of a meal period is compliant with the Labor Code. Under Labor Code § 512, employees are entitled to a 30-minute meal period no later than the end of…
Aside from the latest employment-related laws referenced in yesterday’s newsletter, California has passed additional laws effective January 1, 2021 concerning housing, health, and consumer protections. A few of the key laws outside of the workplace include the following: • Property Tax Break: California homeowners who are 55 or older, can get a property tax break…
The California Legislature passed and Governor Newsom signed several new laws which immediately affect California employers, ranging from Covid-19 policies, minimum wage increases, and to expanded leave benefits. Below are highlights of the new laws, effective January 1, 2021: Notification of Potential Covid-19 Exposure: Public and private California employers are to provide detailed notices to…
The proposed COVID-19 regulations briefed by RPNA earlier this month was passed by the California Division of Occupation Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) on November 19, 2020. As discussed in our prior email advisory, the adopted regulations are extensive and pose an affirmative duty to create a written COVID-19 Prevent Plan, and could have a significant…
When AB 5 passed, insurance carriers came in to audit many policyholders attempting to convert “independent contractors” to employees. However, with the passage of Prop 22, motor carriers, such as truckers, can now make compelling arguments concerning the applicability of Prop 22 to their line of business. Recall, just a few months ago, in September,…
The California legislature expanded the obligations by employers to provide extended medical leave under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) beginning on January 1, 2021. Currently the CFRA requires companies with 50 or more employees to provide eligible workers with up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave. California employers with 20 to 49 employees…