Are non-compete agreements truly a thing of the past in California? It seems that the California Supreme Court would like employers to think so. After all, in 2008 the Court brought down the hammer on these covenants not to compete (a clause under which one party (usually an employee) agrees not to enter into or…
DetailsThese days, it seems that Uber can’t stay out of the news. From wage and hour claims (were drivers being misclassified as independent contractors instead of employees? Read more on the distinction between the two here) to vicious assaults (by both drivers and passengers), the ride-sharing app has had its time in the limelight.
With the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) on the horizon, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is focusing on the issue of age discrimination in the workplace. Age discrimination involves treating an applicant or employee less favorably because of his or her age and the ADEA “forbids…
DetailsDecision shows employers and excess carriers are on same footing in TPA claims mishandling RPNA won a significant claims mishandling case on behalf of Swiss Re, one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance. After a three week trial, the superior court ruled that Sedgwick TPA Specialty Risk Services (SRS) committed seven distinct acts of…
DetailsLast week, the California Department of Insurance (CDI) reached a settlement agreement with Applied Underwriters, holding the Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary accountable and ending its bait-and-switch marketing tactics to sell its workers’ compensation products. Applied Underwriters has agreed to drop its petition to block the CDI’s enforcement action and come into compliance with well recognized state…
DetailsIn 2016, Assembly Bill No. 1732, also known as the “All-Gender” Bathroom Bill (Bathroom Bill), was introduced to the California legislature and subsequently signed into law by Governor Brown. The Bathroom Bill was sponsored by California NOW, Equality California, and the Transgender Law Center because “restrict[ing] access to single-occupancy restrooms by gender create problems of…
DetailsVarious types of insurance policies have a provision within them that gives the policyholder the right to have an attorney (who is appointed and paid for by the insurance company) represent them in the event that they are named as a defendant in a lawsuit. Read on for 4 ways to improve the odds of…
DetailsToday, many businesses use arbitration as a means of resolving claims that arise. Indeed, many California consumer agreements contain arbitration clauses. However, the California Supreme Court recently narrowed the protection of arbitration agreements with class action waivers. Financial services entities and other businesses will be required to review their current contractual provisions to ensure compliance…
DetailsAccording to the California Supreme Court, public employees’ communications about official agency business may be subject to California Public Records Act (CPRA). This extends to communications on personal computers, smartphones, tablets, etc… While this is a case involving a public sector employer and the CPRA, I foresee that it may – and sooner than later…
DetailsEmployers: Did you know that inside sales commission-based employees must be separately paid for their rest breaks? In another win for employees across the state, a California court recently held that certain employees paid on commission are also covered by the Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) Wage Order requirement that “rest period time shall be counted…
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