California Employers, Watch For Sharp Turns Ahead
If you operate a business in California, you know how difficult it is to keep up with ever-changing legal trends. California employers should review and refresh their workplace postings each year to keep up with legislative changes and annual minimum wage increases. Various California state agencies, including the Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”)
Continue Reading Signs You Can’t Ignore If You’re Doing Business In CaliforniaSeyfarth Synopsis: On March 4, 2021, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (“DFEH”) provided some much needed clarity in its updated COVID-19 Related Guidance. The Guidance answers many pressing questions for employers regarding COVID-19, including the all-important question: Can employers mandate their employees to get a vaccine?
In short, yes, California employers may require their employees to
Continue Reading Updated DFEH Guidance on Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policies
Seyfarth Synopsis: California’s ban-the-box law strictly regulates how employers may obtain and consider background check information when hiring and making personnel decisions. What’s more, Los Angeles and San Francisco have their own ban-the-box ordinances. These ordinances and the California Labor Code create a patchwork of rules that put employers at risk when checking whether an applicant has a criminal record.
Continue Reading California Employers Watch Out! Legal Minefields for Background Checks
Seyfarth Synopsis: The California state assembly is set to vote on Senate Bill 171, a state analogue to the federal EEO-1 report, which would require employers with 100 or more employees to submit annual pay data reports to the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, broken down by gender, race, ethnicity, and job category.
Pay Data Reporting at the
Continue Reading California To Protect Pay Equity Reporting Requirements From Federal Challenge?
Seyfarth Synopsis: Sometimes even the best employees can have their woebegone days. How is an employer to distinguish between (1) a mental disability that may require accommodation and (2) a case of someone “having the Mondays”? In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we offer some therapeutic antidotes for your queries on tackling mental illnesses at work.
In
Continue Reading Employer Web Therapy: Accommodating Employee Mental Health Illness
Seyfarth Synopsis: Halloween is lurking just around the corner, and workplace festivities may present unusual challenges. Unsafe or offensive costumes, religious discrimination, and harassment are among the issues potentially facing employers around this time of year. Here are some tips to avoid the tricks and enjoy the treats.
Exorcise Your Right to Have Fun
It’s not uncommon to allow employees
Continue Reading Treating Employees To Halloween Fun Can Be Tricky
Seyfarth Synopsis: New Year’s resolutions typically address health and well-being. Many among us have resolved this year to get off the couch, to sweat a bit more often to the “oldies,” to meditate and be mindful, and to eat less cake and fewer tacos. And so one might think that courts would endorse the EEOC’s approval of employer-sponsored wellness
Continue Reading A New Year, A New Wellness Program
Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Legislature has just created yet another protected class of individuals entitled to sue employers under the Fair Employment and Housing Act. The new class of potential plaintiffs are applicants denied employment because of their conviction history, where the employer is unable to justify relying on that conviction history to deny employment.
We’ve reported on two January
Continue Reading California Passes State-Wide Ban-the-Box Law
Seyfarth Synopsis: On July 17, 2017, the California Fair Employment and Housing Council (FEHC) heard public comments on its proposed regulations covering national origin discrimination under the FEHA. Discussion centered on employer-imposed language restrictions, English proficiency requirements, and immigration-related employment practices. Look for final regulations later this year.
The FEHC kicked off its third meeting of the year, this time
Continue Reading New National Origin Discrimination Regs: FEHC Hears Public Comments
Seyfarth Synopsis: California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing has just issued its Annual Report on civil rights complaints during 2016. Here are some highlights.
The DFEH hails as the largest state civil rights agency in the country, with 220 full-time employees operating out of five offices throughout California. Its annual report makes clear that its core work is litigation.
Continue Reading Hot Off The Press! DFEH’s Annual Report