Author: Matthew J. Roberts, Esq.
FMCSA Regulations Override California’s Meal and Rest Break Rules
For the last several years, California and other interested parties have fought in court over whether California’s meal and rest break laws can be enforced…
Time Off Request for Religious Reasons: Case-by-Case Decision Is Best
An employee approached me asking for time off due to “religious reasons.” We aren’t sure whether the employee has a religious reason for the time…
NLRB Rescinds Most Recent Joint Employer Rule
In 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) published a final rule updating its joint employer test to be more expansive for applying the National…
New Regulations Proposed for Enforcing PAGA Reform
Enacted in 2024, legislation reforming the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA) brought sweeping changes designed to better serve the goals of California wage-and-hour…
Supreme Court Clarifies Rules Around Illegible Arbitration Agreements
While California employers have the right to require employees to sign arbitration agreements for any employment disputes that may arise, the rules around valid arbitration…
EEOC Addresses National Origin Discrimination Against American Workers
Employers who utilize workers on visa programs, such as the H1-B visa program, have seen recent developments that have made the use of the program…
Religious Beliefs and Job Requirements Must Conflict for Religious Discrimination Claims
Not only does Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protect employees from discrimination based upon their religious beliefs, but it also obligates employers to…
District Court Enjoins SB 399 Enforcement Limiting Employer Speech
On September 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court preliminarily enjoined enforcement of SB 399, which prohibited employers from taking — or threatening to take — adverse…
Ninth Circuit Validates Employers’ Piece-Rate Compensation Plan
California law imposes special conditions on employers who choose to compensate employees on a “piece-rate” or per task basis. For example, these employees must receive…
How to Respond to Federal Request for Documents Related to Form I-9s
We received a Notice of Inspection from the federal government requesting documents related to our Form I-9s and other business documents. How do we respond…
