Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The EDD has now told us the new law allows an employee who has taken disability pregnancy leave to take six weeks of paid family leave, contrary to our statement in last month’s issue. The law is (seemingly) contradictory in several places. If clarification is provided, we’ll let you know. In the meantime, employers need […]
Because the new law opens all California employers up to liability for harassment of workers by nonemployees, it’s critical to take steps to prevent and address these situations. Here’s what you can do to avoid potential harassment complaints—and expensive liability—involving your customers, vendors, or other nonemployee business associates:
Leave for Crime Victims and Their Families Under SB 478, employees who are the victims of serious crimes and relatives and domestic partners of crime victims can take unpaid leave from work to attend legal proceedings. This new law applies to all employers, regardless of how many employees you have. Be sure to immediately update […]
Smoking by Public Employees Under existing law, neither employees nor members of the public may smoke inside a state-owned or state-occupied building, or a state-leased and state-occupied building, or within five feet of the main exit or entrance of these buildings, or in a state-owned passenger vehicle.
Because the new laws make domestic partners eligible for the same benefits and workplace rights as spouses, it is important to understand the definition of “domestic partners.” Public and private employers must follow this definition with respect to any rights or benefits afforded domestic partners by law.
Limits On Use Of Social Security Numbers In July 2002, a law took effect restricting the display of consumer Social Security numbers (SSNs) by California businesses. Although the law wasn’t targeted at the workplace, it had implications for employers’ use and display of worker SSNs. Now a follow-up law, SB 25, will further limit SSN […]
Delay Penalties and Utilization Review AB 1557 provides that an employee isn’t entitled to the usual 10 percent increase in workers’ compensation benefits for an unreasonable delay in providing medical treatment if the delay was necessary to complete the new utilization review process required of employers by the workers’ comp reform legislation (see below).
Employee Enforcement of Labor Code Under SB 796, which has been dubbed the “bounty-hunter law,” employees may file private lawsuits against their employers, on behalf of themselves and other employees, for labor code violations when the responsible state agency doesn’t pursue the violations. The law provides employees with various financial incentives to file suit, as […]
Wage and Hour Appeals AB 223 makes it harder for employers to recover attorney’s fees and costs in connection with an employee’s appeal from a labor commissioner wage and hour ruling. If the court awards the employee a sum greater than zero in the appeal, the appeal is successful and the employer can’t recover its […]
Updated Jan. 2004 The [insert company name] (“Company”) believes in respecting the dignity of every employee and expects every employee to show respect for all of our colleagues, clients, customers, and vendors. Respectful, professional conduct furthers the Company’s mission, promotes productivity, minimizes disputes and enhances its reputation. Accordingly, this policy forbids any unwelcome conduct in […]