California Employment Law Update

Tag Archives: California Court of Appeal

May 2023 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Age discrimination, California Labor & Employment Law, Computer and Internet Use, Day Laborers, Discrimination, Employee Benefits, Employment Contracts, Employment Law Notes, Employment Policies, Independent Contractors, Privacy, Religion
We invite you to review our newly-posted May 2023 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Art Teacher’s Age Discrimination Case May Not Be Barred By “Ministerial Exception” Users May Have Privacy Interest In Emails Sent Over Company Network Absent Express … Continue Reading

Art Teacher’s Age Discrimination Case May Not Be Barred By “Ministerial Exception”

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Age discrimination, California Labor & Employment Law, Discrimination, Employment Law Notes, Religion, Uncategorized
Atkins v. St. Cecilia Catholic Sch., 2023 WL 3142316 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023) Frances Atkins was a long-term employee of St. Cecilia Catholic School, and in her final year with the school, she worked part-time as an art teacher and office administrator.  Following the termination of her employment, Atkins sued the school for age discrimination in … Continue Reading

March 2023 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Arbitration Agreements, California Labor Code, Constructive Discharge, Disability, Discrimination, Employment Law Notes, FEHA, FLSA, Harassment, Independent Contractors, Labor Code § 226, Meal Periods and Rest Breaks, Military Leave, Overtime, PAGA, Paid Sick Leave, Pregnancy Leave, Reasonable Accommodation, Retaliation, Sexual Harassment, Unfair Competition, Vacation or PTO, Wrongful Termination
We invite you to review our newly-posted March 2023 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: No Claim By Employee Who Was Friends With Alleged Harasser Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit Was Properly Dismissed Employer That Failed To Layoff Employee Before She Became … Continue Reading

Employee’s PAGA Action Was Not Limited By Sick Pay Statute

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in PAGA, Paid Sick Leave, Unfair Competition, Vacation or PTO
Wood v. Kaiser Found. Hosps., 88 Cal. App. 5th 742 (2023) Ana Wood brought a PAGA action against her employer Kaiser for alleged failure to correctly pay for three paid sick days as required under California’s Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act (the “Act”). The Act provided for compensatory relief and civil penalties, but restricted relief … Continue Reading

Proposition 22 Is Not Unconstitutional

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Independent Contractors
Castellanos v. State of Cal., 2023 WL 2473326 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023) Ride-share drivers and the Service Employees International Union sought to have Proposition 22 declared unconstitutional under the provisions governing workers’ compensation, initiative power, and separation of powers. The trial court granted the petition. The Court of Appeal reversed holding that while certain provisions … Continue Reading

Labor Commissioner’s Deposition Subpoena Power Ends Once Wage Citation Issued

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in California Labor Code
Garcia-Brower v. Nor-Cal Venture Grp., Inc., 2023 WL 2421824 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023) The Labor Commissioner investigated alleged Labor Code violations at Nor-Cal Venture Group, Inc. and issued a wage citation for $900,000. The employer challenged the citation in an informal hearing and the Commissioner issued a subpoena to depose Nor-Cal’s person most knowledgeable. Nor-Cal … Continue Reading

Good Faith Is Defense To Labor Code’s “Knowing And Intentional” Standard

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Labor Code § 226, Meal Periods and Rest Breaks
Naranjo v. Spectrum Sec. Servs., Inc., 2023 WL 2261253 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023) After holding that premium payments from meal and rest period violations under Labor Code section 226.7 constituted “wages,” the California Supreme Court remanded to the Court of Appeal to resolve two questions: First, whether in failing to timely pay employees premium pay, … Continue Reading

Court Compels Individual But Not Representative Claims To Arbitration

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Arbitration Agreements, PAGA
Piplack v. In-N-Out Burgers, 2023 WL 2384502 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023) In-N-Out Burgers appealed from the trial court’s denial of its motion to compel arbitration. The trial court denied the motion because In-N-Out’s arbitration agreement contained an unenforceable PAGA waiver. After the trial court’s ruling, the United States Supreme Court held in Viking River Cruises, … Continue Reading

Employer That Failed To Layoff Employee Before She Became Disabled May Have Discriminated

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Disability, Discrimination, Wrongful Termination
Lin v. Kaiser Found. Hosps., 2023 WL 2202544 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023) Suchin Lin received favorable performance evaluations as an IT Engineer at Kaiser before the decision was made to eliminate her position. Before Lin was informed of the elimination of her position, she fell in the workplace and suffered an injury to her shoulder, … Continue Reading

Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit Was Properly Dismissed

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Disability, Discrimination, FEHA, Harassment, Pregnancy Leave, Reasonable Accommodation, Wrongful Termination
Lopez v. La Casa de Las Madres, 2023 WL 2534998 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023) Gabriela Lopez worked as shelter manager for a non-profit organization that provides services to women and children who are victims of domestic violence. In September 2016, Lopez gave birth to a child; by December 17, 2016, Lopez had received the full … Continue Reading

No Claim By Employee Who Was Friends With Alleged Harasser

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Constructive Discharge, FEHA, Retaliation, Sexual Harassment
Atalla v. Rite Aid Corp., 2023 WL 2521909 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023) Hanin Atalla and Erik Lund had a social relationship and became “close friends” before Atalla began working at Rite Aid where Lund worked as a district manager/district leader. Atalla and her husband socialized with Lund and his wife, and Atalla and Lund exchanged … Continue Reading

January 2023 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Age discrimination, Anti-SLAPP, Bonus Compensation, Breach of Contract, Defamation, Discrimination, Employment Law Notes, Hiring, Independent Contractors, Jurisdiction, Meal Periods and Rest Breaks, Minimum Wage, Overtime, PAGA, Payroll, Wage Statements, Wrongful Termination
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 … Continue Reading

Outside Salesperson Exemption Does Not Apply To Workers Whose Employer Controls Their Hours And Working Conditions

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Meal Periods and Rest Breaks, Minimum Wage, Overtime
Espinoza v. Warehouse Demo Servs., Inc., 86 Cal. App. 5th 1184 (2022) Georgina Espinoza, an employee of Warehouse Demo Services (“Warehouse”), worked in a Costco and performed demonstrations of products. Warehouse did not lease the space, but instead collects floor space on behalf of the companies whose products are demonstrated and then remits payment on … Continue Reading

Employer Need Not Count Overtime Twice In Bonus Calculation

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Bonus Compensation, Overtime, PAGA
Lemm v. Ecolab Inc., 2023 WL 21795 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023) Stephen Lemm, a route sales manager, brought a PAGA action against his employer, Ecolab, Inc., alleging that Ecolab improperly calculated nondiscretionary bonuses. Pursuant to Ecolab’s incentive plan, an employee could receive a higher monthly bonus based on performance as a percent of gross wages. … Continue Reading

Real Estate Agents Are Independent Contractors As A Matter Of Law If Requirements Met

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Independent Contractors, PAGA
Whitlach v. Premier Valley, Inc., 86 Cal. App. 5th 673 (2022) James Whitlach, a real estate agent, brought a PAGA suit against Premier Valley, Inc. dba Century 21 MM and Century 21 Real Estate, LLC (collectively, “Century 21”). Whitlach alleged that Century 21’s real estate agents were misclassified as independent contractors. The Court of Appeal … Continue Reading

Former Teacher’s Defamation Suit Was Properly Dismissed Under Anti-SLAPP Statute

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Anti-SLAPP, Breach of Contract, Defamation
Bishop v. The Bishop’s School, 86 Cal. App. 5th 893 (2022) Chad Bishop was a teacher at The Bishop’s School for 16 years. In March 2019, Bishop entered into a contract as an English teacher for the 2019-20 academic year. In September 2019, Bishop and Kendall Forte, a 19-year-old former student of the School who … Continue Reading

Family Court May Order Employer To Provide Determination Of Arrearages Owed In Spousal Support Case

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Payroll, Wage Statements
Brubaker v. Strum, 2023 WL 179541 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023) The family court ordered the employed former husband in this case to pay his former wife monthly child and spousal support payments; the husband’s employer was ordered to withhold the total amount of support payments from the husband’s paychecks and to forward those amounts to … Continue Reading

November 2022 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Arbitration Agreements, Class Actions, Disability, Discrimination, Employment Applications, Employment Law Notes, Equal Pay Act, FCRA, FEHA, Gender discrimination, Harassment, Independent Contractors, Negligence, Reasonable Accommodation, Retaliation, Settlement, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblowers, Workers Compensation, Workplace Safety, Workplace Violence, Wrongful Termination
We invite you to review our newly-posted November 2022 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Equal Pay Act Claim Should Not Have Been Dismissed Whistleblower Claim Should Not Have Been Dismissed In Part School District Employee May Have Been Discriminated … Continue Reading

Target Of Workplace Violence TRO Was Entitled To Cross Examine Witnesses

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Workplace Violence
CSV Hospitality Mgmt. LLC v. Lucas, 84 Cal. App. 5th 117 (2022) CSV Hospitality Management LLC obtained a restraining order under the Workplace Violence Safety Act against Jermorio Lucas who was living at the Aranda Residence, a residential hotel that provides supportive housing to formerly homeless individuals.  In support of its petition against Lucas, CSV … Continue Reading

Employer Waived Right To Arbitration By Failing To Timely Pay Arbitration Fees

By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Arbitration Agreements, Discrimination, Retaliation
Espinoza v. Superior Court, 83 Cal. App. 5th 761 (2022) Rosa M. Quincoza Espinoza sued her former employer, Centinela Skilled Nursing & Wellness Centre West, LLC, for discrimination and retaliation.  The employer filed a motion to stay the litigation and compel arbitration, invoking the terms of an arbitration agreement that Espinoza had signed.  After the … Continue Reading
LexBlog

This website uses third party cookies, over which we have no control. To deactivate the use of third party advertising cookies, you should alter the settings in your browser.

OK