Labor & Employment Law Blog

A performance dashboard ranks an employee’s performance at the bottom of their team, a manager acts on that ranking, and the employee is terminated.  Asked later to explain the decision, the manager says the employer’s automated decision system identified the problem.  Beginning on July 1, 2027, that answer will not be sufficient in California.

As Carrie Fisher once said, “Everything is negotiable; whether or not the negotiation is easy is another thing.” A recent decision in the First Circuit, Russo v. New Hampshire Neurospine Institute, P.A., 2026 WL 2491680 (1^st Cir. 2026), while not legally binding on California employers, nevertheless raises many questions on how best to separate difficult employees and concerns that can arise out of a termination that takes place over time.

With Labor Day around the corner, California employers may be considering whether the holiday imposes any wage and hour or scheduling obligations on them. Fortunately, California’s Department of Industrial Relations (the “DIR”) has an informational webpage that provides important compliance information and guidance for employers regarding holidays.

California state’s minimum wage increased on January 1, 2026, from $16.50 per hour to $16.90. However, employers may be subject to higher minimum wage obligations, as many cities and counties across the state have enacted their own minimum wage ordinances. Below, we provide information regarding which local minimum wages will increase, effective July 1, 2026: