Tag: Labor Code

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 […]

Lawsuits and Lawyers: Insurance Adjusters Who Won $90 Million Now Claim Their Lawyers Should Have Won an Even Bigger Verdict; Watch Your Step

The long-running class action lawsuit over alleged misclassification of Farmers Insurance Exchange adjusters has taken another twist: A California court of appeal has ruled that the employees can sue the San Francisco law firm that represented them against Farmers for malpractice.

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 […]

Employee Dating: Court Upholds Employer’s Nonfraternization Policy After Supervisor Terminated For Dating Subordinate

Given how much time employees spend at work, it’s no surprise that romantic liaisons often develop. Many turn into happy relationships, but some end in disaster—for both the participants and their employer. This is particularly true when one person has direct or indirect control over the other at work, which can lead to allegations of […]

Wage and Hour: Were Bonus Deductions for Workers’ Comp Losses and Cash Shortages Illegal? Exercise Caution with Deductions

In calculating profit-based bonuses for certain store employees, Ralph’s Grocery Co. subtracts the store’s workers’ compensation costs as well as cash and merchandise shortages. David Swanson, a former Ralph’s store manager in Southern California, filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of himself and other employees challenging these bonus deductions. He claimed the grocer violated […]

Whistleblowers: Legislation Targets Corporate Accountability; New Whistleblower Protections, Posting Requirement, and Penalties Take Effect January 1

Gov. Davis has approved legislation taking aim at corporate corruption. The new laws, modeled on the federal Sarbanes-Oxley Act, protect employees who blow the whistle on possible corporate transgressions, create steep new fines for not disclosing corporate financial fraud, and add an important new workplace posting requirement. Here’s an overview of what you need to […]