By Kim Silvers, SPHR-CA In a stunning reversal of a National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) 2007 decision, the Board ruled earlier this month that employees who use company email must be permitted to use it for union organizing and group discussions about terms and...
by Susan Breslauer, SPHR-CA As you know, California's new paid sick leave law (AB 1522, also known as the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014) was signed by Governor Brown in September. The most critical part of the law requiring employers to grant all...
by Kim Silvers, SPHR-CA Independent contractors are becoming a dying breed in these United States. We've seen several cases this year where individuals have been found to be misclassified as independent contractors. The back taxes and penalties (think FICA match,...
By Kim Silvers, SPHR-CA The Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (AB 1522), that will be effective July 1, 2015, will require just about all California employers (private and public sectors with one or more employees) to accrue paid sick leave for all...
By Jennifer L. Lippi, J.D. A recent California Supreme Court decision places California employers who pay commissions in another wage and hour dilemma. In the often used "inside sales" exemption classification the CA Supreme Court ruled that all commissioned...
By Jennifer L. Lippi, J.D. In a sweeping decision, the Court of Appeal in Cochran v. Schwan’s Home Service, Inc., held that when employees have to use their personal cell phone for work-related purposes, the employer must reimburse them for such use, whether the...
Minimum Wage Increases By Kim Silvers, SPHR-CA AB 10 increases the California state minimum wage from $8 per hour to $9 per hour effective July 1, 2014. The minimum wage will increase again on January 1, 2016 to $10/hr[1]. Many employers are scurrying to assess the...
By Jennifer L. Lippi Knowing as much as possible about an applicant’s background is key to hiring the ideal candidate. In this pursuit, most employers require job applicants to note any criminal convictions on the employment application prior to hire...
By Curt Cetraro and Mitzi Robinson How do you ensure you are selecting the best talent? Most companies struggle to some extent with finding, attracting and hiring the best people to fill core roles within their organization. This is particularly true in a unique...
