By Susan Breslauer, SPHR, PHRca Many businesses appreciate employees who volunteer in their communities, and may welcome volunteers, interns, or community members to help with events and special projects. However, volunteers are only permitted in for-profit...
By Ashley Holsey, SPHR, PHR Think your training records are just training records? California law now says they may also be personnel records. Effective January 1, 2026, SB 513 expanded California's personnel-record requirements to include employee education and...
By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP A time record is more than data entered into a system; it is evidence. Evidence that can work for you or against you. An employer’s time record tells the story of when an employee worked, when they stopped working, and...
Kate Smith, PHRca, SHRM-CP The consequences of Form I-9 mistakes are growing, making accurate completion more important than ever. In March 2026, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revised its Form I-9 inspection guidance and began treating several...
Sarah Peterson, SHRM-SCP, PHRca One of the most common questions we hear from clients is: “If I allow it for one employee, will I have to allow it for all employees?” It is a reasonable question. Employers want to be flexible with employees and comply with...
Managers often are not trained in specific leadership skills, so they tend to default to whatever management style they have observed. Coach-style leadership is a style of leadership that develops strong relationships and empowers people to be accountable and...
By Sarah Peterson, PHRca, SHRM-SCP “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” — Benjamin Franklin Few things create more concern for California employers than receiving notice that a lawsuit or claim has been filed against them. It is no surprise that many...
By Ashley Holsey, SPHR, PHR Creating a respectful workplace is more than a legal requirement; it's a critical component of a healthy, productive, and inclusive work environment. California employers are required to provide harassment prevention training, but the...
By Kate Smith, SHRM-CP, PHRca When California's Workplace Violence Prevention requirements took effect on July 1, 2024, employers across the state were required to implement a customized Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (“WVPP”), train employees on the Plan,...
