Seyfarth Synopsis: Governor Jerry Brown has already signed into law legislation covering meal period exceptions for truck drivers delivering commercial feed, adding communications to be considered as “privileged” for purposes of defamation suits, removing a reference to the seven-day waiting period for disability benefits under the paid family leave program, and clarifying salary history information.

As temperatures begin to drop,
Continue Reading Legislative Update: Employment Bills Already Signed, Two Weeks Remain

Seyfarth Synopsis: Several bills of concern to California employers failed to receive the house of origin blessing and passage by the June 1 deadline, including this year’s attempts at PAGA reform, criminal history inquiries, and medical marijuana accommodations, while a boatload of others, most notably sexual harassment-related bills, sail on. The measures being passed to their opposite house for consideration
Continue Reading 2018 California Legislative Update: What Survived the House of Origin Deadline?

Seyfarth Synopsis:  After two previous failed attempts, California joins seven other U.S. jurisdictions to prohibit inquiries into an applicant’s salary history.  Read on for a recap of the new law.

With Governor Jerry Brown signing AB 168 into law today, California joins Delaware, Puerto Rico, Oregon, Massachusetts, New York City, Philadelphia (currently pending legal challenge)
Continue Reading Third Time’s The Charm For California Salary History Ban Legislation

Seyfarth Synopsis: Governor Jerry Brown has till October 15 to approve bills the Legislature sent to his desk by its Friday, September 15, deadline, including bills that would require employers to ”show us the money” for certain employees and to make “mum be the word” for an applicant’s past conviction history.

The 2017 California Legislative Session kicked off on January
Continue Reading 2017 Labor & Employment Legislative Update: The End is Near!

Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 11, AB 1209, the Gender Pay Gap Transparency Act, which would require larger employers in California to publish differences in pay between male and female employees and Board members, left the Legislature on route to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk for his approval or veto. A statewide salary history ban may soon be headed to his desk,
Continue Reading With EEO-1 Pay Report Gone, California Moves to Fill the Gap

Seyfarth Synopsis: Employers in California: be aware and prepare for new laws increasing minimum wages and mandating overtime pay for agricultural employees; expanding the California Fair Pay Act to race and ethnicity and to address prior salary consideration; imposing new restrictions on background checks and gig economy workers; and more. Small employers will be relieved the Governor vetoed expanded unpaid
Continue Reading 2016 California Labor and Employment Legislation Update: It’s Final!

Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Legislature sent a number of employment bills to the Governor, including bills that would expand the Fair Pay Act to race and ethnicity and prohibit salary history inquiries; require overtime pay for agricultural workers, extend family leave protections to employees of small businesses, and much more!  We will update you on what received the Governor’s approval
Continue Reading 2016 California Labor and Employment Legislation Update: The End (of Session) Is Near…

From high profile cases in Hollywood to the Silicon Valley, to high-profile legislation, gender pay equity has been top of the news in the past year.  On January 1, 2016, the California Fair Pay Act — widely publicized as the toughest (gender) pay equity law in the nation — became effective.  Other states (Massachusetts, New Jersey,
Continue Reading Pay Equity Legislation: Not Just Gender Anymore

Business Man and Woman Workplace InequalityRepresenting what media observers call the nation’s most aggressive attempt yet to close the salary gap between men and women, SB 358 would substantially broaden California gender pay differential law. Since the bill landed on his desk September 1, all eyes have been on Governor Jerry Brown. Though aide Nancy McFadden tweeted on Women’s Equality Day (August 26) that “@JerryBrownGov
Continue Reading California Gender Pay Equality Bill To Be Strictest In Nation?