Tag: California Supreme Court

What Are the Rules for Mixed-Motive Bias in California?

In early 2013, the California Court of Appeals ruled in favor of an employee in a so-called “mixed-motive” case (when an employer has both unlawful and legitimate reasons for taking an adverse employment action) brought under the state Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).

Changes To California Mixed-Motive Rules

Yesterday, we looked at the case of a California employee, Lorena Alamo, who successfully established that her termination was due to improper “mixed motives” (the employer had both unlawful and legitimate reasons for the firing).

What laws restrict drug testing policies in California?

“Drug testing of private sector employees and applicants in California implicates the right of privacy set forth in Article 1, Section 1 of the California Constitution.” Marc Jacuzzi told us in a recent CER webinar. “That is where individual employee rights lie for private employers.” But what about safety concerns? Do they trump privacy concerns?

More Employee Handbook FAQs

Yesterday, attorney Adam Keating took on some common employer questions about employee handbooks. Today, more Q&A—plus an introduction to a must-have California-specific collection of employee handbook policies—fully updated for 2013!

Ignoring the Basics Can Lead to HR Failures

In yesterday’s CED, we offered tips for managing the basics of HR legal issues. Today, the rest of the tips and an introduction to a California-specific resource for your employee handbook policies. Once again, a tip of the CED hat to attorneys John K. Skousen and Christopher J. Boman, partners at the Irvine office of employment law […]

Supreme Court Addresses Whether State Prevailing Wage Law Applies to Charter Cities

Yesterday, we looked at a recent case addressing the question of whether wage rates on public works projects are considered a “municipal affair” and not subject to California’s prevailing wage law. Today, the California Supreme Court’s ruling on the issue—plus a newly updated wage/hour resource specifically for California employers.

Must Charter Cities Comply with California Prevailing Wage Law?

Eighty-one years ago, California passed a law requiring contractors on “public works” projects to pay the general prevailing rate of wages to all workers. One year later, the California Supreme Court determined that wage rates for workers on locally funded public works projects are a “municipal affair” and not subject to California’s prevailing wage law.

Does California Law Protect Partners Who Report Employee Harassment?

A California trial court recently held that a partner doesn’t have the right to file a claim for retaliation for reporting sexual harassment of employees under the state’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). That decision was appealed. But a California appeals court reinstated the case; read on to find out more.