It’s that time of year again – when California’s cities and counties ratchet up the minimum wage! Effective July 1, 2026, several jurisdictions increased their local minimum wage rates by approximately 1.6% to as much as 3.7%. Each of the new local rates exceeds California’s current statewide minimum wage of $16.90 per hour.
The following Southern California jurisdictions implemented increases:
A recent decision from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granting summary judgment in favor of an employer despite evidence of protected whistleblowing is instructive. Han v. Pfizer (No. 23-cv-039080-AMO).
Background
The plaintiff, a compliance analytics employee, alleged that his former employer, a pharmaceutical company, retaliated against him after he internally reported suspected illegal activity and later reiterated those concerns while
A new California law imposes significant new registration and reporting requirements on a broad range of asset management firms. Although the statute is styled as a “venture capital” law, its expansive definitions and California nexus provisions mean that many firms that do not traditionally view themselves as venture capital companies may nevertheless be subject to its requirements. Meet the new “Fair Investment Practices by Venture
Los Angeles has claimed the top spot on the American Tort Reform Foundation’s (ATRF) annual list of “Judicial Hellholes.” The Report claims that “lawsuit abuse in Los Angeles . . . has propelled the jurisdiction to the very top of the list.” According to the ATRF, the plaintiffs’ bar resorts to various litigation tactics that drive Los Angeles’ notorious nuclear verdicts (i.e., those exceeding $10
Remember when the workday ended at 5:00 pm?
In today’s always-on world, the “infinite workday” has quietly taken over—creeping into dinners, weekends, and even that quaint concept known as a “vacation.” With smartphones in every pocket and teams spread across multiple time zones, work now follows us everywhere. Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index confirms what many leaders already sense: work is no longer confined by
As we reported here, a split in authority has developed in the California Court of Appeal regarding what to do when an employer moves to compel arbitration of a Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) that is “headless”—that is, a claim seeking penalties on behalf of all allegedly aggrieved employees except the named plaintiff. (This is the latest trick the plaintiff’s bar has come up
On February 26, 2025, in Parra Rodriguez v. Packers Sanitation, Inc., the California Court of Appeal (Fourth Appellate District) issued the latest published decision addressing the practice of filing so-called “headless” Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claims. In such cases, the plaintiff seeks civil penalties for all allegedly aggrieved employees except themself. In the wake of Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana, 596
The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has released updated guidance clarifying how the state’s latest statutory enactments will impact employers’ paid sick leave obligations. Specifically, as we reported here, Assembly Bill (AB) 2499 and Senate Bill (SB) 1105 expand the permissible reasons for which employees can use paid sick leave.
The updated FAQs now explain that, in addition to existing uses of paid