Labor & Employment Law Blog

On October 12, 2017, Governor Jerry Brown signed the New Parent Leave Act ("NPLA") (SB 63) into law, expanding access to job-protected leave for employees of companies with 20 to 49 employees.

Effective January 1, 2018, SB 63 will allow employees who work for an employer that directly employs 20 to 49 employees within 75 miles, to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave during a 12-month period to bond ...

Berkeley’s Paid Sick Leave Ordinance took effect October 1, 2017.  The Berkeley minimum wage also increased on October 1, 2017.  And earlier this month, the City issued new guidance on its Family Friendly and Environment Friendly Workplace and Paid Sick Leave Ordinances.  The details of the Ordinances are outlined below.

Minimum Wage

Berkeley’s current minimum wage is $12.53 per hour and is scheduled to ...

On September 15, 2017, the 2017 California legislative session ended, with several employment-related bills being sent to the Governor’s desk.  The Governor has until October 15, 2017 to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature.  Below is a quick summary of key bills that may be signed and become effective in the upcoming year:

On August 31, 2017, a federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas ruled the Department of Labor (“DOL”) exceeded its authority by more than doubling the minimum salary level needed for an employee to qualify for the “executive, administrative, or professional” exemption from federal overtime and minimum wage laws (commonly referred to as the “white collar exemption”).  U.S. District Court ...

Last year Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 2337, requiring employers to provide employees with a notice regarding the availability of domestic violence victim leave. The notice must be provided to new hires and other employees upon request.  The notice requirement took effect July 1, 2017, with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (“DLSE” otherwise known as the Labor Commissioner ...

Earlier this year, voters in San Francisco approved amendments to the San Francisco Paid Sick Leave Ordinance in an effort to streamline the Ordinance’s provisions with that of the California sick leave law.  The changes to the San Francisco law take effect January 1, 2017.

Among the revisions to the Ordinance are the following provisions:

• Explicitly recognizes front-loading sick leave, which it labels ...

In late August, 2016, the Berkeley City Council approved a new sick leave ordinance that will take effect October 1, 2017.  The City Council also approved scheduled increases to the City minimum wage.  Until now, it was unclear whether the minimum wage and sick leave rules the City Council implemented would be altered by competing measures on the City ballot.  On Tuesday, November 8, 2016, voters in Berkeley voted ...

Recently, several cities and counties across California have enacted their own minimum wage and sick leave ordinances. Many of these local ordinances are scheduled to take effect July 1, 2016. Local businesses must make sure to comply with these new ordinances and pay their workers not only the state minimum wage, but also any applicable city or county minimum wage for all work performed within the geographic ...

In early June 2016, the Mayor and Los Angeles City Council approved an increase to the number of paid sick days to six days (48 hours) for employees working in the City of Los Angeles, doubling the three days required by the State.  Los Angeles will join more than 20 cities and counties throughout the nation who have mandated minimum paid sick days.

Beginning July 1, 2016, employers with 26 or more employees will be ...

On April 26, 2016, the Santa Monica City Council approved amendments to its Sick Leave Ordinance (“Ordinance”) delaying its implementation until January 1, 2017.  This change will give employers extra time to comply with the Ordinance.  However, the Santa Monica minimum wage remains effective July 1, 2016, to increase to $10.50.

Rather than rushing to implement the new law this summer, the amended ...