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News Notes: Court Changes Its Mind On Retaliation And Religious Accommodation Cases

The federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal has reconsidered two opinions it issued last year. In one case, the court had ruled that the anti-retaliation provisions of the federal wage and hour laws don’t protect workers who are fired for griping about overtime violations directly to their employers rather than to the government. The court […]

News Flash: Court Upholds Municipality’s Limitations On Disability Retirement Benefits

A California Court of Appeal has upheld a decision to deny disability retirement benefits to a San Diego city utility worker. Before he started working for the city, Charles Alesi injured his knee several times while jet-skiing and in a beach football game. He then reinjured the knee twice at work and once more while […]

News Notes: EEOC Settles Lawsuit For $875,000

  The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has announced an $875,000 settlement of a sex bias and retaliation class action lawsuit against Technicolor Videocassette Inc.’s Camarillo plant. The suit alleged that women at the plant, who worked in various departments duplicating videotapes, were subjected to repeated harassment by male co-workers and supervisors-including derogatory comments regarding […]

Readers Say, ‘No Amnesty!’ (Mostly)

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Editor, HR Daily Advisor Just My E-pinion Our recent column featuring a question about amnesty for illegal immigrants generated responses from many readers, most of whom voted (or railed) against amnesty. [Go here to read the original column.] The original questioner/writer had low-level positions to fill. No one with a […]

Employers: Best to Have ‘Binders Full’ of Employment Law Info

“Equal pay for equal work” is a key talking point for President Obama’s re-election platform, and last night’s presidential debate gave both candidates the chance to discuss the growing issue of pay disparity between male and female employees. While Gov. Mitt Romney’s “binders full of women” comment in response to a question on this issue […]

News Notes: IWC Eliminates Minimum Wage Exemptions, Meal Credits

The Industrial Welfare Commission has eliminated certain exemptions from minimum wage requirements while retaining others. The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2001, as does the new minimum wage of $6.25 per hour. The IWC did away with existing exemptions for state and local government employees, full-time carnival ride operators, actors, personal attendants in private homes, […]

Safety: Governor Signs Cell Phone Law

Governor Schwarzenegger has signed S.B. 1613, which will make it an infraction to drive a motor vehicle while using a wireless phone unless a hands-free device is used. In particular, the new law, known as the California Wireless Telephone Automobile Safety Act, prohibits driving a motor vehicle while using a wireless telephone, unless the phone […]

Retirement Benefits: Proposed New Rules Would Increase Obligations For Small Pension Plans

A pension plan with fewer than 100 participants is generally exempt from the complicated and expensive accounting and reporting requirements that apply to larger programs. But in response to recent reports suggesting that small pension plans are vulnerable to employer embezzlement and misappropriation of funds, the federal government has proposed new rules requiring you to […]