Public agencies in California face ongoing challenges to keep their personnel rules current with evolving legal requirements. Summer offers an ideal opportunity to review and update these rules. Over the past few years, LCW attorneys have identified several key areas where updates are needed in almost every public agency’s personnel rules. Addressing these areas now
Most employers know the value of an exit interview. When an employee resigns, agencies often ask why they are leaving and what could have been done differently. The problem, of course, is that by the time an exit interview takes place, the employee has already decided to move on.
What if agencies asked those questions
Juneteenth commemorates a pivotal moment in U.S. history—the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865. Celebrated on June 19, the day marks the end of slavery in the United States and serves as a time to reflect on freedom, justice, equity, and progress. Known in the federal service as Juneteenth National Independence Day, it
Many California public agencies staff summer camps and other recreation activities with seasonal employees, teen workers, coaches, and temporary supervisors.
Below is a short staffing checklist to review before the first day of camp, or before recreation activities commence.
1. Identify Mandated Reporters
Under Penal Code section 11165.7, mandated reporters include an administrator of
As California public agencies increasingly experiment with generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools like ChatGPT, a critical question is no longer theoretical: are AI prompts and outputs subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act (“CPRA”)?
Recent reporting and public records requests suggest the answer may soon be tested in real time—and that agencies should
For agencies operating hospitals, clinics, behavioral health programs, correctional health programs, or other essential public health services, picketing and strike activity by their employees can raise immediate operational, legal, and public-facing concerns. In these settings, the urgent question is how the agency will maintain critical services, protect patients and the public, and respond lawfully and
Disciplinary and investigatory interviews are an unavoidable part of managing a public workforce. When a represented employee is questioned in a setting that could lead to discipline or involving highly unusual circumstances that may significantly impact the employer-employee relationship, the employee may invoke the right to union representation. The right is grounded in both PERB
High-profile U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations across the country underscore how rapidly moving and emotionally-charged immigration enforcement actions can be. Planning in advance for how your agency will respond if federal agents contact or involve employees in an enforcement action can be critical to managing risk and maintaining calm. Below are key legal principles
Senate Bill 627, also known as the No Secret Police Act (“Act”) was signed by Governor Newsom on September 20, 2025. The Act takes effect on January 1, 2026; an urgency clause in a prior version of the legislation that would have made it effective immediately was not included in the final version.
Can a public agency deduct an overpayment directly from an employee’s paycheck without running afoul of the Labor Code? Two recent cases shed new light on this long-debated issue. In Stone v. Alameda Health Sys., (2024) 16 Cal. 5th 1040, and Bath v. State of California (2024) 105 Cal.App.5th 1184, California courts confirmed that