By Susan Breslauer, SPHR-CA, SHRM-SCP Vacation and paid time off (PTO) are optional benefits, not required by law in California. However, if vacation/PTO is provided to employees, it is considered a deferred wage. (PTO is usually a combination of vacation and sick...
Department of Labor Exempt Salary Ruling Struck Down
By Susan Breslauer, SPHR-CA, SHRM-SCP Employers breathed a sigh of relief at the recent court ruling that the Department of Justice overstepped its bounds last year in raising the minimum salary for certain exempt employees to $913/week ($47,476 per year). This is...
Employment Bills Awaiting the Governor’s Signature
Kim Silvers, SPHR- CA, SHRM-SCP As the triple digit temperatures fade in Sacramento, the state legislature wraps up its bills for the Governor’s signature or veto. We watch the employment related bills closely throughout the year and call our state Senator and...
The Litigation Risk that Many Small and Mid-Size Employers May Be Needlessly Holding On To
By John Wood The latest edition of The Betterly Report noted that, when it comes to Employment Practices litigation risk, “The larger employer is much more likely to transfer risk than are smaller employers. Ironically, it is the smaller employer that probably...
A Day of Rest is Clarified –
By Kim Silvers, SPHR-CA, SHRM-SCP California employers who have employees working beyond a regular five-day schedule will be happy to see the California Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Mendoza v. Nordstrom. Although Nordstrom may have felt like it...
New California Regulations: Consideration of Criminal History in Employment Decisions
By Susan Breslauer, SPHR-CA, SHRM SCP New California regulations entitled “Consideration of Criminal History in Employment Decisions Regulations”, will limit an employer’s right to use criminal background information in hiring and other employment...
Commissioned Employees are Entitled to Separate Pay for Rest Breaks
By Kim Silvers, SPHR-CA, SHRM-SCP California employers received another surprise court decision requiring commissioned sales employees to be paid separately for their state-required rest breaks. This decision is somewhat related to earlier decisions...
Check Your New Hire Packet: A New Version of Form I-9 is in Effect
By Susan Breslauer, SPHR-CA, SHRM SCP By January 22, 2017, all employers should be using the updated Form I-9, dated November 14, 2016, published by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. The new form has an expiration date of August 31, 2019. ...
More “Ban the Box” Laws; What Employers Need to Know
By Jennifer L. Lippi, J.D., SPHR There are several local laws and a possible new state law that severely limit employer inquiry into criminal convictions. On January 22, 2017, Los Angeles became the second city in California, after San Francisco, to...
