Tag Archives: independent contractors

PAGA Plaintiffs May Maintain Representative Claims In Court After Individual Claims Are Compelled To Arbitration

Adolph v. Uber Techs., Inc., 14 Cal. 5th 1104 (2023) After months of anticipation, the California Supreme Court answered “yes” to the critical question of whether “aggrieved” PAGA plaintiffs retain their standing to pursue representative claims in court after their individual claims have been compelled to arbitration. Erik Adolph worked as a driver for Uber, … Continue Reading

September 2023 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on September 19, 2023 Posted in appellate court, base compensation, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, Court of Appeals, Employment Law Notes, Labor Code Section 4553, Liability for Employee’s Actions Outside the Workplace, Off-the-clock Issues, permanent disability, Reasonable Accomodation, reconsideration

We invite you to review our newly-posted September 2023 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Employers Owe No Duty Of Care To Prevent The Spread Of COVID To Employees’ Household Members School District Employer Did Not Violate The Law By Requiring … Continue Reading

May 2023 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on May 23, 2023 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

Unions, Legislature Dealt Yet Another Blow in AB 5 Appeal

By Tony Oncidi on May 23, 2023 Posted in California Labor & Employment Law, Day Laborers, Employee Benefits, Employment Contracts, Employment Policies, Independent Contractors

Olson v. State of Cal., 62 F.4th 1206 (9th Cir. 2023) In the latest in a string of defeats for the State of California, a Ninth Circuit panel unanimously held that AB 5 (the anti-independent contractor law) may violate the equal protection rights of independent contractor drivers and the gig companies that retain them. The … Continue Reading

March 2023 California Employment Law Notes

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

Proposition 22 Is Not Unconstitutional

By Tony Oncidi on March 31, 2023 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

January 2023 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on February 8, 2023 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

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

By Tony Oncidi on February 8, 2023 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

November 2022 California Employment Law Notes

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

Hirer Of Independent Contractor Is Not Liable For Injury To Contractor’s Employee

By Tony Oncidi on November 23, 2022 Posted in Independent Contractors, Workers Compensation, Workplace Safety

Miller v. Roseville Lodge No. 1293, 83 Cal. App. 5th 825 (2022) Roseville Lodge No. 1293, Loyal Order of Moose, Inc., hired Charlie Gelatini to move an ATM on its premises. Ricky Lee Miller, Jr., who worked for Gelatini and was the person who performed the work, was injured on the job when he fell … Continue Reading

May 2022 California Employment Law Notes

We invite you to review our newly-posted May 2022 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Former UCLA Physician Can Proceed With Whistleblower Claims Former Employee Adequately Alleged Disability Under The ADA California Resident May Rely Upon Labor Code § 925 … Continue Reading

Workers Do Not Need To Establish They Were Hired Before ABC Test Can Be Applied

By Tony Oncidi on May 25, 2022 Posted in Independent Contractors, Jury verdicts, Verdict

Mejia v. Roussos Constr., Inc., 76 Cal. App. 5th 811 (2022) Plaintiffs, unlicensed flooring installers, installed floors on behalf of Roussos Construction, a general contractor. There were three individuals working between plaintiffs and Roussos whom plaintiffs called “supervisors” and Roussos called “subcontractors.” At trial, Roussos maintained that it used independent contractors (the three individuals) who … Continue Reading

May 2019 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on May 16, 2019 Posted in ADA, California Labor & Employment Law, Discrimination, Employee Benefits, FEHA, Independent Contractors, Title VII, Wrongful Termination

We invite you to review our newly-posted May 2019 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Strict Independent Contractor Test Applies Retroactively; California Employee Is Compelled To Litigate His Employment Claims In Indiana; Employee Could Rely Upon Former Supervisor’s Statement About Existence Of Discrimination; … Continue Reading

Property Inspectors’ Putative Class Action Was Properly Denied Certification

By Tony Oncidi on January 7, 2019 Posted in California Labor & Employment Law, Class Actions, Employment Law Notes, Independent Contractors, Minimum Wage, Wage and Hour

McCleery v. Allstate Ins. Co., 2018 WL 6583916 (Cal. Ct. App. 2018) Plaintiffs/property inspectors alleged they were improperly hired as independent contractors by insurance companies and sought payment of unpaid minimum wages, overtime, meal and rest breaks, employee expense reimbursements as well as compliance with various other Labor Code provisions. The trial court concluded that … Continue Reading

Delivery Drivers Were Improperly Classified As Independent Contractors

By Tony Oncidi on May 14, 2018 Posted in California Labor & Employment Law, Class Actions

Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court, 2018 WL 1999120 (Cal. S. Ct. 2018) Two delivery drivers for Dynamex filed this putative class action on behalf of similarly situated drivers, alleging that they were misclassified as independent contractors rather than employees for purposes of Industrial Wage Commission Order No. 9 (governing the transportation industry). At … Continue Reading

Trial Court Must Determine Whether Action Challenging Independent Contractor Status Could Proceed As A Class Action

By Tony Oncidi on July 14, 2014 Posted in Class Actions, Independent Contractors

Ayala v. Antelope Valley Newspapers, Inc., 2014 WL 2924954 (Cal. S. Ct. 2014) Plaintiffs Maria Ayala, Rosa Duran and Osman Nuñez sought to certify a class of newspaper home delivery carriers in a lawsuit brought against Antelope Valley Newspapers, Inc. (“AVN”), alleging that AVN had improperly classified the carriers as independent contractors rather than employees … Continue Reading

California Supreme Court Leaves Unanswered Questions in Independent Contractor Case

By Charles J. Stiegler and Jeremy M. Mittman on July 1, 2014 Posted in Class Actions, Independent Contractors

On Monday, June 30, 2014, the California Supreme Court handed down its decision in Ayala v. Antelope Valley Newspapers, a lawsuit brought on behalf of a group of newspaper delivery carriers who alleged that they had been misclassified as independent contractors instead of employees. The trial court had initially denied certification, finding that common issues … Continue Reading

Employees Of Contractors Of Public Companies May Sue For Retaliation Under Sarbanes-Oxley Act

By Tony Oncidi on May 16, 2014 Posted in Retaliation, Whistleblowers, Wrongful Termination

Lawson v. FMR LLC, 571 U.S. ___, 134 S. Ct. 1158 (2014) Plaintiffs in this case are former employees of private companies that contract to advise or manage mutual funds (collectively, “FMR”). Both plaintiffs allege that they “blew the whistle” on putative fraud relating to the mutual funds and as a result suffered retaliation from … Continue Reading

March 2012 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on March 13, 2012 Posted in Employment Law Notes

We invite you to review our newly-posted March 2012 California Employment Law Notes – a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Teacher/Minister’s Disability Discrimination Claim Is Barred By The First Amendment Community College Employee Is Entitled To New Trial On Whistleblower Claims LAPD Officer’s $2.1 … Continue Reading

California Law Should Have Been Applied To Determine If Drivers Were Employees Or Independent Contractors

By Tony Oncidi on March 1, 2012 Posted in Class Actions, Employment Law Notes, FLSA, Independent Contractors, Overtime, Wage and Hour, Workers Compensation

Ruiz v. Affinity Logistics Corp., 667 F.3d 1318 (9th Cir. 2012) Fernando Ruiz and similarly situated drivers filed a class action against Affinity alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and California law for failure to pay overtime, failure to pay wages, improper charges for workers’ compensation insurance and unfair business practices. To work … Continue Reading

January 2012 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on January 1, 2012 Posted in Employment Law Notes

We invite you to review our newly-posted January 2012 California Employment Law Notes – a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Insurance Claims Adjusters May Be Exempt Administrative Employees Attorney Was Properly Denied Precertification Discovery To Find A New Class Representative Employee-Attorney’s $440,000 Verdict Against … Continue Reading

September 2011 California Employment Law Notes

By Tony Oncidi on September 13, 2011 Posted in Employment Law Notes

We invite you to review our newly posted September 2011 California Employment Law Notes — a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Employee Who Provided False SSN and Other Information Was Barred from Suing for Disability Discrimination Employer Did Not Violate CFRA by Transferring Employee upon Her … Continue Reading

Employee of Independent Contractor Cannot Sue Company That Hired Contractor for Negligence

By Tony Oncidi on September 1, 2011 Posted in Employment Law Notes, Independent Contractors, Workers Compensation, Workplace Safety

SeaBright Ins. Co. v. US Airways, Inc., 52 Cal. 4th 590 (2011) US Airways uses a conveyor to move luggage at San Francisco International Airport. US Airways hired independent contractor Lloyd W. Aubry Co. to maintain and repair the conveyor and did not direct Aubry’s employees in their work. The conveyor lacked certain safety guards … Continue Reading

Employer’s Failure To Provide Itemized Wage Statements Was Not “Inadvertent”

By Tony Oncidi on March 1, 2011 Posted in Employment Law Notes, Wage Statements

Heritage Residential Care, Inc. v. Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, 192 Cal. App. 4th 75 (2011) Heritage Residential, a company that operates seven residential care facilities, employed 24 workers, 16 of whom lacked social security numbers. Heritage treated the 16 employees who did not have social security numbers as independent contractors and issued them 1099 … Continue Reading

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