Labor & Employment Law Blog

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.