We invite you to review our newly-posted May 2024 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
California Employers Score A Rare Victory On Wage Statement Penalties
Naranjo v. Spectrum Sec. Servs., Inc., 2024 WL 1979980 (Cal. S. Ct. 2024)
Gustavo Naranjo, a security guard, filed a putative class action against his former employer, alleging violations of California Labor Code section 226 based upon the employer’s failure to report missed-break meal premiums on employees’ wage statements. Labor Code Section 226 imposes a penalty of up to $4,000 per employee when an
Abused California Employers Score A Rare Victory!
The California Supreme Court handed employers a consolation prize this week, holding that an employer does not incur monetary penalties if there is a reasonable, good faith dispute over whether the employer violated the wage statement statute. Naranjo v. Spectrum Sec. Servs., Inc., 2024 WL 1979980 (Cal. May 6, 2024).
One of the employer’s workers in this case filed a putative class action, alleging
November 2023 California Employment Law Notes
We invite you to review our newly-posted November 2023 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
- Company That Hired Competitor’s Employee Was Not Entitled To Arbitrate Claims
- Disability Discrimination Claim Was Properly Dismissed On Summary Judgment
- Employee’s Attorney’s “Pervasive Incivility” Justified $460,000 Reduction In Fees
- Employees Were Properly Awarded $7.2 Million
Employee’s Meal and Rest Break PAGA Claims Survive Summary Judgment
Arce v. Ensign Grp., Inc., 96 Cal. App. 5th 622 (2023)
Cecilia Arce worked as a certified nursing assistant at a skilled nursing facility. After her employer terminated her, she brought claims under the Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”) that she worked through meal and rest periods and was not paid premiums she was owed for meal and rest breaks after her termination. The
July 2023 California Employment Law Notes
We invite you to review our newly-posted July 2023 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
- Enforcement of PAGA Carve Out Suggests Need For New Revisions To Arbitration Agreements
- PAGA Debt Not Dischargeable in Bankruptcy
- Distributors Not Liable For Unpaid Wages Of Agricultural Workers
- Exemption of Financial Professionals From ABC
Statute Prohibits Employer Retaliation For Report Of Unlawful Activity Even If It’s Already Known To Employer
People ex rel. Garcia-Brower v. Kolla’s, Inc., 14 Cal. 5th 719 (2023)
The California Supreme Court has held that an employee who makes a whistleblower complaint to his or her employer may bring a retaliation claim under the whistleblower statute (Cal. Lab. Code § 1102.5(b)) even if the subject of the complaint was already known to the employer. The employee, who worked as
12 California Counties and Municipalities Increasing Minimum Wage Rates on July 1
As we previously covered here, the State of California and select California cities increased the minimum wage effective January 1, 2023. Now, another round of minimum wage increases from a dozen localities will take effect on July 1, 2023.
The following list contains the local minimum wage rate, effective July 1, 2023, for non-exempt employees working in each of the California counties and municipalities
Good News for Employers: Good Faith Belief of Compliance Precludes Both Final Wage and Wage Statement Penalties
Last summer, we reported here the California Supreme Court ruling that premium payments owed under Labor Code section 226.7 for meal and rest break violations constitute “wages.” The Naranjo et al. v. Spectrum Sec. Servs., Inc., 13 Cal. 5th 93, 102 (2022) decision had significant ramifications because it triggered related obligations for employers to report the premiums on employee wage statements, pay employees these
January 2023 California Employment Law Notes
We invite you to review our newly-posted January 2023 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
- Age/National Origin Case Was Properly Dismissed Despite “Direct Evidence” Of Discriminatory Animus
- Family Court May Order Employer To Provide Determination Of Arrearages Owed In Spousal Support Case
- Background Check Agency May Have Violated State