Author: Matthew J. Roberts, Esq.

Medical Certification Important for Workers’ Comp Claim Absences
2731
Posted in Workers' Compensation

Medical Certification Important for Workers’ Comp Claim Absences

We have an employee with an active workers’ compensation claim. We agreed with the employee that he would work a normal 40-hour-per-week schedule with exceptions…

EEOC’s New Five-Year Strategic Enforcement Plan
2307
Posted in Discrimination Harassment

EEOC’s New Five-Year Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP)

On September 21, 2023, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released its Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP) for fiscal years 2024 through 2028. As previously…

FEHA Liability
3354
Posted in Discrimination

California Supreme Court Imposes FEHA Liability on Agents of Employers

In a long-awaited decision, the California Supreme Court has determined that third-party business agents of a certain size can now be directly liable for violations…

Employers Responsible for Employees’ Business Expenses Incurred During Stay-At-Home Orders
3953
Posted in Compensation

Employers Responsible for Employees’ Business Expenses Incurred During Stay-At-Home Orders

A recent Court of Appeal held that although government COVID-19 mandates required remote work arrangements, employers are still responsible for reimbursements of business expenses that…

How to Track Family Leave When Workweek Includes a Holiday
2977
Posted in FMLA/CFRA

How to Track Family Leave When Workweek Includes a Holiday

We have an employee that is currently on California Family Rights Act (CFRA)/Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave and will be using leave during…

U.S. Supreme Court Issues Another Favorable Arbitration Agreement Ruling
2700
Posted in Workplace Policies

U.S. Supreme Court Issues Another Favorable Arbitration Agreement Ruling

On June 23, 2023, in a 5-4 decision authored by Justice Kavanaugh, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) requires district…

Pay
3132
Posted in Compensation

No Pay Secrecy; Bona Fide Factors OK to Justify Pay Differences

We recently gave only one of our employees a merit-based raise after an excellent performance review and asked that employee not to tell others. The…

religious beliefs
4620
Posted in Discrimination

Employers Must Explore Reasonable Accommodations for Religious Beliefs

Religion is one of just two protected classes under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) — disability is the other — that requires employers…

paid sick leave
3967
Posted in Time Off

Employees May Bring PAGA Claims for California’s Mandatory Paid Sick Leave Law

Since its inception, California’s mandatory paid sick leave law was interpreted as only allowing the California Labor Commissioner or Attorney General to bring claims against…

4166
Posted in Workplace Policies

California’s Ban on Mandatory Arbitration Agreements Invalidated

On February 15, 2023, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision in Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, et al….