New California Employment Laws for 2012

Significant changes to California employment laws may have an effect on your job or your business. New employment laws in California for 2012 include: • Employers subject to the pregnancy disability leave law must maintain and pay for group health insurance during the leave, up to 4 months in a 12-month period. • Employers are now…

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Sexual Harassment Suit Filed Against the Arroyo Grande Police Department

From CalCoastNews.com Another Arroyo Grande sex harassment claim December 28, 2011 By KAREN VELIE Another Arroyo Grande police officer says she was sexually harassed and discriminated against, and that department and city officials ignored reports of illegal acts. Michelle Cota is suing the city, the police department, Chief Steven Annibali and former Commander John Hough…

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New Bill Could Eliminate OT for IT Employees

Congressional member, Senator Hagan,  recently introduced a bill that would greatly expand the exemption to the Fair Labor Standards Act for IT employees, eliminating overtime benefits for many employees, including network, database and security specialists. Currently, California law and the FLSA mandates that employees get time-and-a-half (1.5x) overtime pay for working more than 40 hours…

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California’s Civil Rights Agency’s Regulations Now in Effect

ELK GROVE, CA – The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the state’s civil rights agency, announced that its first-ever procedural regulations became effective today. The Department’s regulations were approved by the Office of Administrative Law on September 7, 2011 and filed with the Secretary of State. In a succinct and clear format, they…

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Can You Be Terminated for Your Comments on Facebook or Twitter?

Social Media pervades our lives – including the workplace. Recently, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) has sought to define the parameters of an employee’s right to engage in “protected concerted activity” given the role that Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other such social media and internet based forums play in our lives. The NLRB issued…

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Mileage Reimbursement Rate Increase

The IRS has announced a 4.5 cent increase in the standard mileage rate to be in effect for the last six months of 2011. Effective July 1, 2011, employers who use the IRS rate to reimburse employees for business mileage must pay 55.5 cents per mile. If you use your own vehicle during the course…

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Junior Professionals Owed Overtime Compensation?

The Ninth Circuit’s recent decision in Campbell v. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) is significant. In that case, a group of 2,000 unlicensed junior accountants, sued their employer under California law for alleged unpaid overtime wages.  During the litigation, Plaintiffs filed a motion for summary judgment, seeking to establish that as a matter of law, the junior accountants…

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Keeping Track of the Hours You Work Just Got Easier

If you are an “App User,” the U.S. Department of labor launched its first smartphone application – the DOL-Timesheet that may be useful to you in tracking your hours worked. This timesheet application, which is available in English and Spanish versions, provides a record keeping system that enables you to keep track of your work hours and…

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Permanent Light Duty Positions – Required?

In California, it is unlawful for an employer to terminate you because you suffer from a disability. What happens when you have been injured and attempt to return to work? Many employers offer light duty assignments to employees who are temporarily unable to perform the essential duties of their positions, some do not. While there…

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