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Bulletin Item: Ruling On Deductions From Employee Bonuses Stands

Earlier we reported on a California appeal court ruling challenging Ralph’s Grocery Co.’s practice of subtracting certain expenses—including the store’s workers’ compensation costs and cash and merchandise shortages—when calculating employee profit-based bonuses. Now the California Supreme Court has declined to review the appeal court ruling holding that the grocer’s practice violated various Labor Code and […]

News Notes: Employee’s Lack of Experience Defeats Equal Pay Claim

Paula Green, who was hired by the Ontario office of Par Pools as a swimming pool construction superintendent, complained that her $400-per-week salary was lower than the salaries paid to male construction superintendents with jobs identical to hers. She sued Par Pools under the California equal pay law. But a California Court of Appeal dismissed […]

News Notes: Employees Win Big Damages for Meal Period Violations

If employees are free to do what they wish during a lunch or other meal break, the general rule is you don’t have to pay them for that time. But what if they’re required to remain on company premises? In two recent cases, employees who weren’t permitted to leave during meal periods have won big […]

News Notes: Assembly Proposes Higher Fines For Gender-Based Pay Discrimination

The California Assembly has approved a bill, A.B. 2317, that would hike the penalties for employers who violate the state’s prohibition against gender bias in pay for employees who perform jobs of equal skill, effort, and responsibility. Under the current law, employees who suffer pay discrimination can sue to recover the wage differential plus an […]

Bulletin Item: DOL Releases Long-Awaited Overtime Exemption Rules

On April 20, the U.S. Department of Labor released the final and long-awaited changes to the white-collar overtime exemption rules under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The final version, which takes effect in late July 2004, contains some big changes from the earlier proposed version, including expanding the pool of employees eligible to receive […]

News Notes: Hastily Drawn Settlement Agreement Amounts To Expensive Mistake

Orange-based Bergen Brunswig Corp. dashed off a settlement offer to its former president, Donald Roden, to resolve a wrongful-discharge lawsuit. Theoffer stated only that Roden would receive a $5 million lump sum plus attorney’s fees, and his retirement and other benefits would be continued. After Roden signed the agreement, Bergen Brunswig claimed it had intended for Roden’s […]

New Law Exempts Certain Motion Picture Employees from Meal Period Rules

Governor Schwarzenegger has signed A.B. 1734, a measure exempting certain motion picture and broadcasting workers who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement from meal period requirements under state law (in the Labor Code and Wage Orders). The exemption applies to employees in the motion picture industry or broadcasting industry, as those industries are defined […]

May We Require Masks or Telework to Fight the Flu?

Yesterday’s Advisor featured the EEOC’s advice for avoiding ADA problems when preparing for swine flu. Today, we’ll get the agency’s advice about work practices, and an introduction to a special program for smaller HR departments. Here’s more from the EEOC’s Q&A: During a pandemic, may we require our employees to adopt infection control practices? EEOC: […]