To employ minors in California, you and the potential employee must have a work permit. That permit applies to nearly all individuals under the age of 18. If your company wishes to employ a minor, you must ensure legal compliance to avoid potential legal consequences....
Employment Law
Keeping up with California’s vacation laws
With Halloween behind us, employers across California are gearing up for the holiday season. There are many coming federal and religious holidays, which means much of your staff may pursue using their vacation time. Now is a good time to brush up on some basic...
Problems at scale: when wage and hour claims stack up
Recently, a California-based company settled a lawsuit that alleged numerous wage and hour violations. The settlement, $1.8 million, is large, and for many companies, that kind of result would be a massive hit to their bottom line. It is also a demonstration of how a...
How to conduct a harassment investigation
When you learn of harassment allegations in your company, your first instinct is to react. Put aside for a moment what the action you eventually take might be or which "side" you take. The first moments after news of such an allegation are always emotional and...
A quick overview of California overtime law
California labor law strictly enforces overtime and will act on any sign that a company has not paid its employees properly. To understand exactly what your duties are to your employees, here are some facts about overtime in California: Overtime is not the total hours...
Is “role creep” making your workplace toxic?
“Role creep” is an informal term for a worker taking on additional duties over the course of their tenure in a given position. While giving additional duties is a sign of trust, employees can find themselves overwhelmed by the situation. The employee’s struggle with...
Child labor abuses in California
In California, there are strict laws to protect minors' health and safety and ensure that they have time for education and recreation. If you are a business owner with employees under the age of 18, here's what you need to know to ensure your employees are safe. What...
What is the likelihood of facing a wrongful termination suit?
Every manager and business owner knows that occasionally it is necessary to remove people from specific roles. This can mean reassigning them within the company, but often it means termination. However, if you do not follow proper protocol, terminating a problematic...
Working with unions as an employer
One of the most challenging things for a business to grapple with is unionization. While there are many arguments for and against unions, collective bargaining can be a challenge for employers. To that end, if your workforce is unionized – as many healthcare and...
What role do employers take in harassment issues between employees?
One of the worst situations for a company is when an employee brings harassment allegations against another employee. If handled poorly, the company may face penalties and litigation, so most employers err on the side of caution in taking punitive actions. However, if...