California employers who work closely with one or more other employers in a single business enterprise need to be aware of a significant change in a California law that could have major liability repercussions.
Articles Discussing Labor And Employment Law In All Fifty Us States And Puerto Rico.
New Jersey Supreme Court Rejects Heightened Standard For “Watchdog” Whistleblowers
In a decision that is likely to have far-reaching impact on employers, the New Jersey Supreme Court has rejected a heightened standard for “watchdog” employees, i.e. employees whose job duties include ensuring legal compliance, to prove whistleblower liability under the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA). Lippman v. Ethicon, Inc., No. A-65/66-13 (July 15, 2015).
The Confusing Array of Wage Hour Developments Impacting New York State Employers’ Wage and Hour Compliance
In prior posts, we have summarized the New York State Department of Labor’s most recent rulemaking processes, comprised of two separate wage boards. The first, in 2014, addressed the hospitality industry as a whole, while more recently, in 2015, another highly publicized wage board addressed the subset of that industry deemed “fast food.” Employers should be aware of the cascade of new rules flowing and likely continuing to flow from these wage boards. “Wage Boards” are authorized to make recommendations to the Commissioner of Labor regarding changes in regulations, which the Commissioner can either accept or reject.
California Supreme Court: Federal Arbitration Act Preempts Plaintiff’s State Rights
An arbitration clause in a consumer agreement was enforceable, including the class action waiver, despite four supposedly one-sided arbitration provisions in the agreement, the California Supreme Court has held. Sanchez v. Valencia Holding Co., LLC, No. S199119 (Aug. 3, 2015). The much-anticipated decision has significant implications for arbitration agreements between employers and employees.
Maryland’s Montgomery County Enacts First Paid Sick and Safe Leave Law in State
Montgomery County is the first county in Maryland to enact a paid sick and safe leave law. The Earned Sick and Safe Leave Law (“the Law”) requires employers operating and doing business in Montgomery County, that employ one or more employees, to provide paid sick and safe leave to their employees who perform work in the County. It becomes effective on October 1, 2016, or, for employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) in effect, on October 1, 2016, after the expiration of the CBA. The Maryland General Assembly had considered a similar bill during the 2015 legislative session, but the bill failed in session.
Wisconsin Eases, But Does Not Eliminate, the One Day of Rest in Seven Law
Effective July 14, 2015, Wisconsin has made it easier for an employer to comply with Wisconsin Statute 103.85, Wisconsin’s “one day of rest in seven” requirement. Under this statute, most factory and mercantile employers must provide their employees with at least 24 consecutive hours of rest for every 7 consecutive days worked. These restrictions do not apply to certain categories of workers, including janitors; security personnel; those employed in the manufacture of butter, cheese or other dairy products, or in the distribution of milk or cream; those who work in canneries or freezers; individuals who are employed in bakeries, flour and feed mills, hotels or restaurants; employees whose duties include no work on Sunday other than caring for live animals or maintaining fires; and workers whose labor is required by an emergency situation that could not reasonably have been anticipated.
Bay Area Employer 411: What You Need to Know About the New Laws on Equal Pay, Fair Scheduling and Slavery-Free Supply Chains
Jackson Lewis Shareholder Punam Sarad will serve as a panelist at the Bay Area Employer 411: What You Need to Know About the New Laws on Equal Pay, Fair Scheduling and Slavery-Free Supply Chains Conference hosted by the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, Department of Labor/Women’s Bureau, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and American Association of University Women/San Francisco Branch. The panel will be followed by a roundtable discussion about the Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance and Retail Workers Bill of Rights.
Copycat Ordinance: Los Angeles County to Adopt $15 Minimum Wage Similar to Recent Los Angeles Citywide Ordinance
On July 21, 2015, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion directing County Counsel to prepare a “Countywide Minimum Wage Ordinance” to incrementally increase the minimum wage for Los Angeles County employees and employees working in unincorporated areas within the county. The motion calls for raising the minimum wage in ways that match the recently enacted Los Angeles City Minimum Wage Ordinance.1 If the county follows through, both Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County would require all covered employers to provide a minimum wage of $15 per hour by 2021.
Ninth Circuit Finds That Insurance Claims Adjusters Are Exempt Administrative Employees Under California Law
Applying California’s administrative exemption test, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently concluded an insurance company properly classified its claims adjusters (who handled and processed disability claims) as exempt from the overtime provisions of the California Labor Code, notwithstanding the clerical duties the adjusters performed and their characterization of their work as “routine”. See Bucklin v. Zurich Am. Ins. Co., 2015 U.S. App. LEXIS 12497 (9th Cir. July 20, 2015).
Nevada Updated Its Definition of Personal Information, Have You?
When businesses set out to safeguard “personal information,” a fundamental consideration is what that term means. Likewise, when negotiating a third-party vendor agreement, it typically is not enough to rely on the standard definition for “confidential information.”
New Texas Law: Is it Enough to Ease Concern Over Franchise Liability for Employment-Related Claims?
In response to concerns of franchisors that recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) actions threaten to undermine the common understanding of a franchisor-franchisee relationship, the Texas Labor Code was amended by the Texas Legislature. The amendment, which goes into effect on September 1, 2015, was introduced to protect franchisors from unmitigated exposure to employment claims asserted against franchisees. The amendment is reportedly in response to the NLRB’s General Counsel issuance of unfair labor practice complaints asserting that certain franchisors are “joint employers” with their franchisees. Specifically, S.B. 652 amends the Texas Labor Code to confirm that a franchisor is not considered an employer of its franchisee’s workers for any purpose, including employment discrimination, wage and hour laws, workers compensation, and workplace safety.
Connecticut State Contractors, Health Insurance Industry Businesses Subject to Enhanced Significant Data Security Mandates
In June, Connecticut’s governor signed into law Senate Bill 949 which amended the State’s breach notification statute. The requirement that covered businesses must provide one year of identity theft protection services for certain breaches, easily the most popular aspect of the legislation, may have diverted attention from some significant aspects of this new law.
New Hawaii Medical Marijuana Law Bars Use in Workplace; Zero Tolerance Policies Still Enforceable
Closing a gap in Hawaii’s medical marijuana law, a new law sets up a regime of vertically integrated grow facilities and retail dispensing licenses for the delivery of medical marijuana to “cardholders” in Hawaii.
Washington Piece-Rate Workers to Receive Separate Rest Breaks
The expansive interpretation of meal and rest break regulations continues in Washington State, as the state’s highest court ruled in Demetrio v. Sakuma Brothers Farms, Inc., Case No. 90932-6 (Wash. Sup. Ct. July 16, 2015), that agricultural piece-rate workers are entitled to separate paid rest breaks. The court reasoned that hourly workers remain “on the clock” during rest breaks, and thus piece-rate workers should receive the same treatment.
Washington High Court: Piece Rate Compensation Alone Does Not Satisfy Rest Break Pay Requirement
The Washington Supreme Court has ruled that employers must provide agricultural piece rate workers with extra compensation for their rest periods, rejecting the employer’s argument that its piece rate already included compensation for the required rest periods. Demetrio v. Sakuma Bros. Farms, Inc., 2015 Wash. LEXIS 807 (Wash. July 16, 2015).