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California Paid Sick Leave and Outside Sales Employees
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP A recent California Court of Appeals decision in Hirdman v. Charter Communications, LLC brought clarity—and a win—for employers on how to calculate California Paid Sick Leave (PSL) for outside sales employees. This decision...
Court of Appeal Reaffirms California Businesses Need Not Grant Indefinite Medical Leave
Courtesy of Cook Brown LLP Extended medical leave is challenging for California businesses to navigate, especially when there is no clear return to work date. California and federal law state that extended leave is sometimes necessary as a reasonable accommodation,...
How to Have Challenging Employee Conversations
By Cami McLaren, Coach-Style Leadership Trainer and Coach A manager once came to me because her employee had been missing deadlines. She sighed: “I don’t want to discourage her. I don’t want her to shut down. But I also can’t just let this go.” If you’ve felt this...
Velarde v. Monroe Operations, LLC – Crucial Lessons for Roll Out of Arbitration Agreements
Courtesy of Duggan McHugh Law Corporation In Velarde v. Monroe Operations, LLC (June 2025, No. G063626), a California Court of Appeal invalidated an employer’s arbitration agreement due to procedural unconscionability – meaning it was not struck down for its terms,...
2026 California State Minimum Wage Update
With budget season approaching for most clients, we want to ensure you have the most up-to-date information to plan and prepare for 2026. On August 1, 2025, the California Director of the Office of Finance announced a rate increase to the CA minimum wage. Effective...
From Compliance to Compassion: Lactation Accommodation Best Practices
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP Under California’s Labor Code 1030-1033, all employers must reasonably accommodate an employee who needs to express breast milk during their workday for the employee's infant child each time the employee has a need. ...
Safety Reminder: Heat Illness
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Even though we are approaching the end of summer, temperatures remain high in sunny California. The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) recently sent an email reminder about upcoming high CA temperatures: “Heat illness is a...
From Policy to Practice: Employers New Obligations for Victims Leave Law
By Susan Breslauer, SPHR, PHRca In 2025, new requirements took effect for California employers to protect employees and their family members who are victims of a crime. We published a detailed bill summary “Victims of Violence” in our 2025 Silvers HR Employment Law...
Compliance and Safety: Navigating Cal/OSHA Injury Reporting Requirements
By Sarah Peterson, SHRM-SCP Despite California employers’ best efforts to provide robust training, create policies and procedures for safe work practices and to foster a culture which promotes safety, accidents and injuries still occur. Injuries can vary from minor,...
Form I-9 Gets a Refresh: USCIS Releases New Version and Updates for Employers
By Susan Breslauer, SPHR, PHRca The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has issued an updated I-9 form, with minor changes, for use with all new hires. The updated Form I-9, with an edition date 1/20/25 and an expiration date 5/31/27, is available for...
Secure Your Workplace: Annual Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Review and Training Is a Must for Employers
By Celesti Ripley, SPHR, PHRca California’s general industry workplace violence prevention rules, under SB 553, took effect last year on July 1, 2024. These rules require most employers to establish a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP), provide employee...
Retail Workers’ Rights Enhanced: Unpacking LA County’s Fair Workweek Ordinance
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Effective July 1, 2025, the Fair Work Week Ordinance requires retail employers with 300 or more employees worldwide and operating in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County: Provide a written "Good Faith Estimate" of work...
Meal Period Waivers Get a Boost Due to a Recent California Court Decision
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP On April 21, 2025, the California Court of Appeal reached a significant decision in the Bradsbery v. Vicar Operating case, impacting the use of meal period waivers for non-exempt employees. The court ruled that revocable...
Immigration Action Checklist
Courtesy of Duggan McHugh Law Corporation In light of the ongoing immigration enforcement actions authorized by President Trump, we have created a checklist offering guidance and recommendations to help you prepare for a potential visit by the U.S. Immigration and...
California’s Civil Rights Department Releases Updated Pay Data Reporting Guidance for 2025
Attention Employers with 100+ Employees: Are You Ready for the CRD Pay Data Reports? If you are a private employer with 100 or more employees (including full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal) in or out of California, you will need to begin preparing your Civil...
COVID-19 Standards Update: What California Employers Need to Know Now
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP It's hard to believe that dealing with COVID-19 on a daily basis is a thing of the past. Although the Cal OSHA non-emergency standards for COVID-19 expired on February 3, 2025, employers in California still have some requirements...
Los Angeles City Minimum Wage Increase – Effective July 1, 2025
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Effective July 1, 2025, the Los Angeles city minimum wage will increase from $17.28 per hour to $17.87 per hour for employees who work at least two hours per week in the city of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Office of Wage...
Reminders for San Francisco Employers
By Jennifer Lippi, JD, SPHR For those of you with employees who worked in San Francisco in 2024 this is a reminder that annual reporting is due by May 2, 2025. Employers subject to San Francisco's Health Care Security Ordinance (“HCSO”) and/or those covered by San...
California Rest Breaks – Questions and Answers
By Jennifer L. Lippi, JD, SPHR Rest breaks are commonly overlooked in favor of their more popular cousin, meal periods. Here are a few frequently asked questions our consultants receive regarding rest breaks. Q: How long must a rest break be? A: The Wage Orders...
Bridging the Gap: Minimum Wage Equity for Disabled Workers
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Effective January 1, 2025, California has made a significant stride towards equal pay for all workers by eliminating the practice of paying disabled workers a lower minimum wage than other employees. With this change, the state...
If the Shoe Fits . . . OSHA to Require Construction PPE to Fit Properly According to Body Type
By Jennifer L. Lippi, JD, SPHR Construction employers have long been required to provide Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) to their employees when necessary due to workplace hazards. Effective January 2025, OSHA expanded the PPE requirements for construction...
Who Is a Designated Person and Why They Matter in Your Organization – A Reminder
By Celesti Ripley, SPHR, PHRca As we highlighted in 2022, the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) and California Paid Sick Leave (“PSL”) provisions allow employees to choose a "designated person" once every 12 months to provide care for illnesses, serious health...
2025 HR Compliance Check-In – Staying Ahead of the Curve
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP As the excitement of the holiday season fades and we step into the new year, it's crucial to take a moment and assess your HR practices to ensure compliance with the latest regulations. Here's Silvers HR To-Do list for...
Healthcare and Workers Compensation Posting Notices: Ensuring Compliance in a Complex Regulatory Landscape
By Jennifer Lippi, SPHR, J.D. As an employer in California, it's important to stay informed about the various labor and employment laws that impact your business. Among these regulations are posting notice requirements, designed to ensure employees are aware of their...
Paid Family Leave Grant Program – Reminder
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Late in August, we published the article below regarding EDD’s Paid Family Leave Grant Program. Recently, a grant program representative contacted us to let us know they have received additional funds for this program and asked...
2025 California Minimum Wage Increase
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Earlier this month, Californians voted on Prop 32, the “Living Wage Act,” which would increase the minimum wage to $17.00 or $18.00 per hour effective immediately or on January 1, 2025, depending on the size of the employer....
Mandatory Training Marathon: Navigating the Never-Ending Path to Compliance
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP In California, employers must adhere to several training requirements not only for managers and supervisors, but also for non-supervisory employees. With the addition of the training required under SB 553 on your...
PAGA Reform Incentivizes Employers Who Are Proactive
By Jennifer L. Lippi, JD, SPHR, PHRca In 2004, the California legislature enacted the Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”), which allows private employees to collect civil penalties for alleged labor code violations on behalf of the state. Fast forward 20 years,...
Autumn Brings Changes for California Employers (again!)
By Kate Kriner, PHRca As we eagerly await the changing colors of the leaves and that crispness to the air, we are reminded that the autumnal season of change extends beyond the falling leaves. With the approach of the New Year, California is set to usher in a fresh...
California Supreme Court Clarifies the Single Use of a Racial Slur Can Support a Harassment Claim
By Jennifer Lippi, JD, SPHR, PHRca Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (‘FEHA”), unlawful harassment is “unwanted and unwelcome” conduct based on a protected characteristic. The conduct must be so “severe and pervasive” that it alters the terms and...
Paid Family Leave Grant Program
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP California’s Paid Family Leave Insurance program (“PFLI”), administered by the California Employment Development Department (“EDD”), is a wage replacement program much like State Disability Insurance (“SDI”). This program allows...
Supporting Employee Well-Being
By Kate Kriner, PHRca We are all aware of the myriad of daily obstacles our employees face. These obstacles include family members falling ill, children having special needs, and, of course, personal health issues or stress, which can affect their mental well-being...
California Supreme Court Clarifies the Boundaries of “Hours Worked”
By Jennifer Lippi, JD, SPHR, PHRca In March of this year, the Supreme Court of California in Huerta v. CSI Electrical Contractors clarified when an employer’s control over an employee’s activities constitutes ‘hours worked.” The court addressed three main questions...
Los Angeles Further Restricts Background Checking in Employment
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP In California, employers can no longer ask applicants about their criminal history before a conditional offer of employment is made. We hope this isn’t news to you. Employers in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County with...
Expanded Protections for Pregnant Workers Under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP If you’ve ever had a pregnant employee, you know California’s Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) law has long established robust protections for pregnant employees and pregnancy-related conditions. However, recent developments at...
Updated Wage Theft Prevention Act Notice (Notice to Employee)
By Jennifer L. Lippi, JD, SPHR In late 2023, the Governor signed AB 636 which revised the information that must be included in the Labor Code Section 2810.5 “Notice to Employee.” Section 2810.5 requires that employers provide non-exempt employees with written notice...
Weekly Pay Periods – Best Practice? Maybe Not…..
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Are your employees paid bi-weekly (every two weeks), semi-monthly (twice per month), or weekly (52 payrolls per year)? Of all these options, you may be thinking “who would want to run payroll 52 times in a year?” However, we...
Paid Sick Leave Update
As you know, there was a significant update to the California Paid Sick Leave (PSL) law in SB 616, effective January 1, 2024. As we have been assisting our clients with updating their policies, an additional question has been asked by several of our clients. You may...
Top 10 Things on the 2024 HR To-Do List
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Top 10 Things on the 2024 HR To-Do List Holiday greetings to all. As the year end approaches (where did 2023 go?), you may be wondering what should be on your top 10 list of HR things to do for 2024. Here are our suggestions:...
Getting into the Weeds on SB 553- California’s Workplace Violence Prevention Standard
Getting into the Weeds on SB 553- California’s Workplace Violence Prevention Standard By Jennifer L. Lippi, JD, SPHR, PHRca Earlier this month, in our 2024 legal update, we highlighted the key requirements of SB 553, which is California’s new workplace violence...
Artificial Intelligence has Entered the Chat…
Artificial Intelligence has Entered the Chat… Kate Kriner, PHRca Artificial Intelligence or “AI” might be the word of 2023 (even though forms of AI have been around since the 1950s). Most recently Generative AI (ChatGPT being a well-known example) has been the topic...
When Did Rounding Become Square? Timecard Rounding, That Is.
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP For years, California courts have allowed the practice of rounding in/out times for the day up to the nearest quarter of an hour. This was before any real technology was available that allowed employers to easily calculate hours...
Who Bears the Cost? Navigating Remote Work Expenses and Responsibilities
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP The courts have been busy this summer as another case was decided, this time in the area of reimbursement of expenses for employees working remotely. If you have been our client for any amount of time, you know we have...
Revamping Background Check Protocols: What Employers Need to Know
By Jennifer L. Lippi, JD, SPHR, PHRca California Employers have long been subject to the state’s Fair Chance Act, which among other things, requires employees to wait until a conditional offer of employment is made to inquire about or consider an applicant’s criminal...
Onboarding Remote Workers & Form I-9 Completion Requirements? E-Verify Might Be the Solution for You.
By Kate Kriner, PHRca As you may have discovered in the last few years with the huge increase in remote work, on-boarding now has some new unique challenges. One of the many challenges for employers is arranging for a physical inspection of the employment eligibility...
Coming to an End… Remote Form I-9 Inspections
By Kate Kriner, PHRca The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“USICE”) has announced the inevitable end to the COVID-19 exception from the physical inspection of employment eligibility documents (i.e., social...
Do Numbers Matter? AKA “How Many Employees Do You Really Have?”
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Do you have temporary, seasonal, part-time, on-call, inactive or “as needed” employees on your payroll? We will often ask clients “how many employees do you have?” This question is asked to determine which employment laws an...
Beware of Boilerplate Severance Agreements
By Jennifer Lippi, SPHR, PHRca In a recent National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) decision McLaren v. Macomb, the Board ruled that offering severance agreements with certain confidentiality and/or non-disparagement provision violates the National Labor Relations Act...
How do I pay overtime when my employees have multiple rates of pay in a workday or workweek?
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP We all know if a non-exempt employee works in California for more than eight hours in any one workday or more than 40 hours in a workweek, then overtime wages are due at the rate of one and one-half the employee’s regular...
Setting the Record Straight—Common Workplace Myths
By Kate Kriner, PHRca We are well into the 21st century and many of the workplace practices and benefits have been around so long we just assume they are based on laws, regulations and rules. In fact, many of these practices have no legal basis. Let’s separate some...
It Is Time to Update Your COVID-19 Prevention Program- Again!
By Jennifer Lippi, SPHR, PHRca As you are likely aware by now, under Cal/OSHA’s new COVID-19 “Non-Emergency” Regulations adopted on February 3, 2023, an employer must develop a written COVID-19 Prevention Program (CPP) or ensure its elements are included in an...
Considering Allowing Remote Work?
By Kate Kriner, PHRca Wow, here we are at the end of 2022 and we have all sorts of new work words in our lexicon: quiet quitting, hybrid work, digital exhaustion, career cushioning. Today, we want to discuss remote work (FKA: telework), specifically work performed...
Top 5 Things on the 2023 HR To-Do List
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Holiday Greetings, all you HR nerds. If you’re anything like this HR nerd, you make compulsive lists, if nothing but to cross things out and give you a sense of accomplishment. As the year end approaches, what should be...
New Law Changes Pay Transparency Requirements for Every CA Employer
By Kim Silvers, SPHR, PHRca Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 1162 (SB 1162) this week, furthering the pay information CA employers must share with applicants, employees, and the state. This body of law has been creeping up around the country and now it’s in...
CA COVID-19 Supplemental Sick Leave is Extended
Governor Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 152 (AB 152) extending the use of COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) from the original expiration date of September 30, 2022 to December 31, 2022. This will apply to CA employers who have more than 25 employees. ...
San Francisco Passes Proposition G: Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance (“PHELO”)
By Kate Kriner, PHRca There is yet another leave in effect for employees working in San Francisco. Passed by voters in June as Proposition G, the Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance, or “PHELO,” becomes effective on October 1, 2022. There is some good news… This...
Paid Family Leave Small Business Grant
By Jennifer Lippi, JD, SPHR, PHRca California’s Paid Family Leave Insurance (“PFLI”) program provides eligible employees with up to 8 weeks of wage replacement benefits when employees are on leave for certain qualifying reasons, such as caring for a seriously ill...
It Is Time to Update Your COVID-19 Prevention Program- Again!
By Jennifer Lippi, SPHR, PHRca As you are likely aware by now, under Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS), employers are mandated to have a written COVID-19 Prevention Program (CPP). On April 21, 2022, the Cal/OSHA standards board adopted revisions...
Sourdough Bread, Chocolate, Fog and… Extra Employee Benefits?
By Kate Kriner, PHRca Yep, we are talking about the City (and County) by the Bay. If you have employees working in San Francisco, you are likely (hopefully?) already familiar with the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE). The rest of you might think to skip...
When was the last time you met with your direct reports individually?
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, SHRM- SCP, PHRca If you can’t remember the last time you had a one-on-one meeting with each of your direct reports, or remember it being during your last annual performance evaluation meeting, well, some will tell you this is too darn...
Alcoholic Beverage Control Responsible Beverage Service Training effective July 1, 2022 – Who Pays for It?
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP If you serve alcohol at your business, please take note. Beginning July 1, 2022, anyone who serves or delivers alcohol, checks IDs for the purpose of serving alcohol, takes orders for alcohol or pours alcohol, and their...
Time to Take Another Look at Arbitration Agreements?
The long-awaited decision by the United States Supreme Court in Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana was issued on June 15, 2022, and brings some good news for California employers. In a sweeping decision, the Court held that employers may compel arbitration of...
Is Your Retirement Plan in Place?
By Kate Kriner, PHRca The final deadline is approaching for employers to register for the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program. If you have not previously registered and have at least 5 employees you must either register for the CalSavers program or offer another...
(Don’t) Take the Money and Run Common Pitfalls When Deducting from Wages
Courtesy of Duggan McHugh Law Corporation We all know that employers may make certain deductions from wages for payroll taxes, medical insurance premiums, retirement plan contributions, and garnishments or court orders. But what about deductions to recuperate expenses...
When An Employee Dies
By Jennifer L. Lippi, JD, SPHR, PHRca Although not a popular topic, it happens – someone dies while employed. Whether it is sudden or expected, the death of an employee can be challenging for staff and management. Management may be unclear on the short and long-terms...
Salary Budget Trends for 2022
By Kim Silvers, SPHR, PHRca Employers are struggling to find the right mix of base compensation and incentives to attract and retain talent. We all know of the “Great Resignation”, the dearth of candidates (no longer referred to as “viable candidates”) and the...
Ask the HR Nerd… What Is It With All These Pamphlets?
By Kate Kriner, PHRca A frequent question our consultants are asked is “What is with all the employment pamphlets and notices that California requires? Do we really have to give them more than once and when?” We are sure you are all tired of hearing this, but… it...
Are You Leaving Money on the Table – Tax Credits are Serious Business
By Judah LaVine, Partner Carrazco – Innovative Tax Solutions Too often available tax credits are not identified or even looked into as they are often too specialized or unknown to businesses and their accountants. But in today’s business climate, taking full...
Our Predictions for 2022… Because We Refuse to Write One More Article About YOU KNOW WHAT in 2021
Musings by Kim Silvers, SPHR, PHRca Congratulations on getting thorough another year of YOU KNOW WHAT (an acronym also known as COVID-19). If you’re as weary of hearing about this as yours truly (and those surrounding her) you may welcome this distraction on the road...
Will COVID-19 Paid Time Off Be Extended?
We’ve received several questions from employers questioning the possible extension of the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) time off and the CA COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave. As you may recall, the FFCRA was extended a couple of times, most...
Remote I-9 Identification Procedures Still in Play
The U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has once again extended the allowance for employers who are working exclusively in a remote setting due to COVID-19-related precautions, to be exempt from the physical inspection requirements associated with the...
The Calm Before the Storm – What Do We Know About the Federal Vaccination Mandate?
By Kim Silvers, SPHR, PHRca Earlier this month, President Biden announced he was mandating all private employers with 100 or more employees and health care facilities (including hospitals, nursing homes and home health agencies receiving Medicare and Medicaid...
New Meal Period and Rest Break Premium Calculation
New Meal Period and Rest Break Premium Pay Calculation The hits just keep on coming… By Kim Silvers, SPHR, PHRca Last week the California Supreme Court ruled in Ferra v Loews Hollywood Hotel, LLC that non-exempt (“hourly”) employees who are not afforded a compliant...
To Mask or Not to Mask?
To Mask or Not to Mask? We hate to be the “repeaters of bad news” but you’ve likely seen the recent press announcements of several CA cities and counties requiring or recommending that all persons (vaccinated and unvaccinated) wear a mask while indoors. Last...
One Score… Including a Dog Year
By Kim Silvers, President of Silvers HR, LLC We’re celebrating our 20th anniversary in the HR consulting business this year. (Although I’m pretty sure the last year has been equivalent to a dog year in the life of an HR nerd.) I started this business in 2001 after ...
Revised Emergency Temporary Standards for COVID-19 in the Workplace
(This is an update to an article previously sent to our clients with new information) As you’ve likely heard, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board approved the revised Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) on June 17, 2021. Whew! Well not a total WHEW. There’s still work to be...
COVID-19 Vaccine: The Good, The Bad, and the well…It’s Complicated
By Jennifer Lippi, JD, SPHR, PHRca As COVID-19 vaccines become more readily available, many employers are asking if they should require employees to get vaccinated. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has said that if the employer can show that,...
EEO-1/California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (“DFEH”) Pay Data Reporting
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP Senate Bill 973 was signed by the Governor on September 30, 2020. The intention of this new reporting requirement is to assist the DFEH in identifying wage patterns and enforcing equal pay and anti-discrimination laws. The...
Minor Workers? See Something, Say Something… Mandated Reporters and Required Training
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP If you employ minor workers (anyone under the age of 18), pay close attention. You have new requirements under the California Penal Code! For many years, certain professions (e.g., teachers, police officers, social...
California Minimum Wage Increase (Reminder)
Senate Bill 3 (“SB 3”) passed in 2016 detailed an increase of the state’s minimum wage over future years, providing smaller employers one additional year to reach the level of larger employers’ minimum wage rates. On January 1, 2021, the state minimum wage will...
California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”) Expansion – For Just About Everyone and Their Brother
Senate Bill 1383 (“SB 1383”), signed by the Governor on September 17, 2020, expands the CFRA to all employers with five or more employees. SB 1383 makes it an unlawful employment practice for any employer, with five or more employees, among other things, to deny or...
Even More Covid-19 Notice and Reporting Requirements Coming New Year’s Day
Assembly Bill 685 (“AB 685”), signed by the Governor on September 17, 2020, and effective on January 1, 2021, amends several provisions of California’s Health and Safety and Labor Codes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including exhaustive notice requirements in...
A Slew of New Employment Laws May Be on the Horizon for California Employers
By: Robin E. Largent Partner, Carothers DiSante Freudenberger LLP Although the pandemic has caused the shutdown of many businesses and has significantly curtailed life as we know it, it has not stopped the California legislature. The legislature is considering a...
More Cities Pass COVID-19 Ordinances for Employers
Kim Silvers, SPHR, PHRca If you have employees in Sacramento, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, or San Mateo County, you’ll want to be familiar with the additional COVID-19 related ordinances these city/county governments have gifted their employers with this month. Since...
A Few Other Matters Creeping into These Unprecedented Times
by Kim Silvers, SPHR, PHRca How many ways can we say “unprecedented” without repeating this dreadfully overused term? We’ve sent out weekly COVID-19 updates since the first week in March. I’m over it. How about you? Oh, but wait – the waves of the “Return from...
As the Pandemic Subsides, Working from Home Is Here to Stay: Best Practices for Employers as They Prepare for Long-Term Teleworking
By Jennifer Duggan and Susanna Matingou In this uncertain era of COVID-19, at least one thing is sure: teleworking is not going anywhere. Our collective initial foray into mass teleworking was abrupt, mandatory, and perhaps best described as trial by fire. However,...
Are Parent-Teacher Conferences FMLA eligible?
By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) states that eligible employees* are allowed time off from work to care for a child with a “serious health condition,” which includes both physical and psychological care as well as making...
A W-4 Makeover for 2020. Free of Charge…
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) gave the W-4 a makeover for 2020. This is the first major redesign of the form since 1987. The 2020 W-4 will look very different from previous versions to you and your employees, as the...
Good News (for now) California Court of Appeal Clarifies Meal and Rest Period Premium Pay Calculation
By Jennifer L. Lippi, SPHR, PHRca On October 9, 2019, the California Court of Appeal in Ferra v. Loews Hollywood Hotel, LLC, issued a decision clarifying the rate of pay at which an employer must pay meal and rest period premiums. As you likely know, if an employee...
California Wildfires… the season is coming
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP If you’ve lived in California for any length of time you know we are about to start California’s wildfire season. The fire season in California has been starting earlier and ending later each year. As I write this article...
Risks And Rewards Of Unlimited PTO
By Shaw Law Group “Reprinted with permission from the Daily Recorder, a Daily Journal Corp. publication” Some California employers offer, or may be considering, “unlimited” paid time off plans (“unlimited PTO”) in lieu of traditional accrued vacation or PTO. The...
Paid Family Leave Insurance Continues to Expand
Governor Newsom signed SB 83 this summer, extending the maximum period of paid family leave insurance (PFLI) wage replacement benefits from six to eight weeks beginning on July 1, 2020. Although this is not currently an employer funded program (deductions are made...
The CROWN Act – Creating a Respectful & Open Workplace for Natural Hair
By Laurie Nooren, PHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP In early July, Governor Newsom signed into law a bill (SB188), making it clear that California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and Education Code protect individuals with race traits, such as hair texture and hair...
This Month’s Top Three Questions
This Month’s Top Three Questions We receive hundreds of employer inquiries every month about a variety of employment related topics. Here are the big hits we’re hearing a lot about these days and a bit of our findings… It’s so much easier and cheaper to have an...
The Power of Pause: Emptying Cups and Other Tools to Win
By Katie McConnell Olson, CPA, PHR Have you ever sat in complete silence with a stranger for ten whole minutes? It feels like a really long time. Sometimes two minutes of silence with a stranger can feel like a lifetime! The good news is that there is real power in...
They’re back… Social Security No-Match Letters that is!
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP Social Security No-Match letters aren’t new. If you were in HR or Payroll in the last 10-15 years you’ve seen these letters from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in years past notifying you that you have an...
Everyone Reading This Needs This Training – Seriously!
Who would have guessed a year ago that CA employers would be required to train every employee and manager in their firms this year on avoiding sexual harassment claims and other related topics? As you may have heard by now, every CA employer with 5 or more employees...
State Run Retirement Plans
By Kate Kriner This article was edited on 6/17/2020 to update the June 2020 deadline to September 30, 2020 As your efforts to retain good employees in the current labor market become more challenging, you might have considered offering a Retirement Saving Plan to your...
EEO-1 Pay Data Requirement May Be Back
By Jennifer L. Lippi, J.D., SPHR, PHRca Generally, each year employers with 100 of more employees, and federal contractors with 50 or more employees, are required to file the EEO-1 report, providing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) with data on the...
Whoa – We didn’t see this one coming! Changes in Call-In Reporting Time Pay
By Laurie Nooren, PHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP California employers and employees are likely familiar with the reporting time pay requirements included in most of our Industrial Wage Orders. Hang on, because this type of pay is changing, and it may impact your business now or...
