Over the last few months, claims for unemployment insurance benefits have increased exponentially due to the difficult financial circumstances public and private employers have been confronted with in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reductions in services and business closures have forced many employers to implement layoffs and furloughs, causing the dramatic increase in unemployment
First Responders & Residency Requirements
Residency requirements for public employees is a long-standing concept that has been experiencing a resurgence. In the 1970s, numerous legal challenges were brought against municipalities that required employees to reside in the city or county where they were employed. In 1972, the California Supreme Court found the City of Torrance residency requirement was unconstitutional. In
It’s That Time Again – A Look at the Truly Weird Employment Cases
Once again, the annual look at outlandish employment cases that should make you all think, “It could be worse.”
No Pot of Gold at the End of This Rainbow
The former aide of a state senator (amazingly not California) submitted a complaint to the state’s division of human rights, complaining that the state senator directed
Implanted Microchips: The (Dystopian?) Future of Employee Monitoring
I know I’ve made some very poor decisions recently,
but I can give you my complete assurance that my work will be back to normal.
HAL 9000 – 2001 A Space Odyssey
Microchips for dogs and cats is nothing new. Our fluffy friends have been receiving microchips for more than 30 years, resulting in happy
Leaving the Leaves to Someone Else: What Employers Should Know About Third Party Leave of Absence Administration
This post was authored by Stefanie K. Vaudreuil.
With all the possible leaves of absence that may be available to employees, ensuring consistent and accurate application of the applicable laws relating to leaves can be one of the more daunting tasks for employers. In a recent survey conducted by the Disability Management Employer Coalition
Real Strange Employment Cases About Real People
This post was authored by Stefanie K. Vaudreuil.
In this fifth annual installment of a look at some unbelievable, strange and wacky employment litigation, there remains no shortage of cases that will make you believe your human resources issues aren’t so bad after all.
The Thing That Happened on the Way to Jurassic Park
Tattoos. Piercings. The Workplace. Like it or Not, the Millennials are the Future Workforce.
This post was authored by Stefanie K. Vaudreuil.
Keeping track of monikers for the generations since World War II can be puzzling. You have Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials, but the Millennials are also known as Generation Y. Just who are these Millennials? They were born in the 80s—enough said. The Millennials have
Department of Fair Employment and Housing Issues New Regulations on National Origin, Immigration-Related Practices, and Language and Height/Weight Restrictions
This post was authored by Stefanie K. Vaudreuil.
It’s time to check your policies. New DFEH regulations (California Code of Regulations, title 2, sections 11027.1 and 11028) went into effect on July 1, 2018 that provide definitions on “national origin” and “undocumented applicant or employee,” in addition to outlining specific employment practices regarding language
A #MeToo Legislative Reckoning is Coming to California in 2018
This post was authored by Stefanie K. Vaudreuil.
There are a number of bills pending in the California Legislature this year that employers should be watching closely.
SB 1038 California Fair Employment and Housing Act: personal liability
Under existing law, individuals may be liable under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) for
The Annual Look at the Weird, Wacky and Just Plain Strange Employment Lawsuits
It is that time again. These are actual employment cases. Really, they are.
Mad at your co-workers? Tell a friend, not Facebook
Jayne Brill sued her former employer and the Virginia Employment Commission because she was terminated and denied unemployment benefits. Brill was alleged to have violated the company’s social media policy when she made