Labor & Employment Law Blog

Join us as we celebrate 15 years of hosting Southern California’s most comprehensive employment law conference. Our Fabulous Fifteenth Anniversary event offers the opportunity to reflect on the past and plan for the future.

Below is a summary of the employment-related bills that were signed or vetoed by Governor Brown. Changes to the law are effective January 1, 2014, unless otherwise specified.  Among the legislation Governor Brown signed are bills increasing the minimum wage, extending overtime protections to certain domestic workers, and expanding protections against discrimination and harassment under the Fair ...

In 2011 the National Labor Relations Board ordered private sector employers nationwide to post a Notice of Rights. While no such posting is required by the law itself, the NLRB justified the posting requirement on the basis of regulations and a need for public awareness of workplace rights. That said, the list of rights was not comprehensive, and selectively included the right of employees to form and organize ...

On September 24, 2013, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 770, which expands California’s Paid Family Leave Program as of July 1, 2014.

How does SB 770 expand California’s Paid Family Leave Program?

The Paid Family Leave Program is a component of the State Disability Insurance Program, which is state-mandated and funded by employee payroll deductions. California’s Paid ...

Under the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), employers will be required to provide all employees with notices regarding rights concerning the insurance Marketplaces on or by October 1, 2013.

On September 25, 2013, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 10 (“AB10”), which will increase the state’s minimum wage to $9.00 per hour by July 1, 2014, and $10.00 per hour by January 1, 2016.

With the close of the 2013 legislative session on September 12, 2013, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 10 (“AB 10”), which will increase the state’s minimum wage to $9.00 per hour by July 1, 2014, and $10.00 per hour by January 1, 2016.  AB 10 now awaits signature by Governor Jerry Brown by October 13, 2013.  The Governor has promised he will sign the bill.

The current California minimum wage is ...

A California Court of Appeal struck down yet another employment arbitration provision, based on lack of notice to the employees, and an attempted modification to the agreement after the plaintiffs’ claims accrued and the plaintiffs’ complaint was filed.

In Avery v. Integrated Healthcare Holdings, Inc., six employees sued Integrated Healthcare Holdings, Inc., an operator of four hospitals in ...

Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (AALRR), a statewide firm, announced today that partner Nate Kowalski has again been named to the Daily Journal’s list of the Top 75 Labor & Employment Attorneys in California. This is the second time that Mr. Kowalski has been included among this exclusive group.

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The trucking industry has a special history with respect to the employment status of its drivers.  Those who own or lease their own rigs prefer to view themselves as owner-operators.  They may work principally for one carrier or can work for multiple carriers in different parts of the country.  This tradition runs so deep that even Teamster Union contracts have had special carve-outs for the owner operator.  Over time, the growth of the industry into different carrier modalities, from interstate freight to web based consignment package delivery, has changed the opportunities for drivers and the economic model for the shippers.  Still, the independent contractor model has remained resilient across the industry, despite numerous legal challenges.