California

Products sold in California, and restaurants, workplaces and other environments located in California, that contain or expose people to chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity, will soon be required to provide more specificity in the warnings they provide to the public. California’s amended “Prop 65” regulations require not only new warning statements, but Read more

As California prepares for another increase in the state minimum wage rate, employers that employ computer software employees should also be aware of the increase in the minimum wage rate that must be paid to their IT workers to continue qualifying for overtime-exempt status next year. The computer software employee’s overtime exemption is found in California Read more

California agricultural workers will soon become the first in the county to receive overtime pay on the same terms as other hourly employees. Like most states, California law requires most hourly employees to be paid time and one-half their regular rate of pay for hours worked in excess of a 8 hours in one workday Read more

On July 1, 2016, Pasadena will be one of several Southern California cities to implement a minimum wage requirement. Pasadena’s new Minimum Wage Ordinance requires employers to pay employees no less than the minimum wage described in Municipal Code 5.02.015 for each hour worked within the geographic boundaries of the City. The Ordinance is effective Read more

Governor Jerry Brown signed into law several new no smoking laws that effectively eliminate smoking in all workplaces, ban the use e-cigarettes and other vaping devices where other tobacco products are prohibited, and prohibit the marketing and sale of tobacco products and e-cigarettes to persons under 21 years of age. The bills are effective June Read more

Thanks to a new California Law, California minimum wage workers will soon see an increase in their paychecks. The new minimum wage law also puts California in place with the highest statewide minimum wage rate in the nation – $15.00 per hour. The minimum wage rate high will take several years to realize and may Read more

On January 1, 2017, Vermont will become the fifth state to require employers to provide employees with paid sick leave, following Connecticut, California, Massachusetts, and Oregon. Vermont ‘s paid sick leave law will eventually provide employees with five days (40 hours) of paid sick leave per year, but employers will have plenty of time to prepare Read more

California’s Fair Employment and Housing Council has issued proposed regulations on the use of criminal history information in making employment decisions and is giving the interested public until April 7, 2016 to give their feedback. Presently, California law (Labor Code §§432.7, 432.8) prohibits an employer from asking about or considering the following types of criminal Read more

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has amended the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) regulations and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) regulations. As part of employers’ responsibilities under both amended regulations, employers are required to post two new workplace notices – Paid Disability Leave (PDL) and California Family Rights Act Read more