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The proposal would protect older workers during cash balance conversions by, among other measures, imposing a five-year hold harmless period. During this period the benefits earned by any employee would have to be at least as valuable as benefits under a traditional plan. The new regulations would also provide that cash balance plans do not […]
Do we have to have a dispensary or a staff doctor or nurse at our worksite?
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld San Francisco’s groundbreaking domestic partner ordinance, which requires certain businesses to offer the same benefits to heterosexual and gay partners of unmarried employees as they offer to married spouses. The court rejected an argument by United Air Lines, FedEx and an airline association that the ordinance, […]
Gov. Davis recently signed a new law (A.B. 2357) that expands the grounds for domestic violence victims to take unpaid time off from work, such as for counseling and relocation. However, some provisions of the new law, which has separate rules for employers with 25 or more workers, are ambiguous and may require legislative […]
Graduating college students are often warned that the content in their online profiles can hurt their chances of gaining employment. But as social media usage increases, so do the risks to employers, who are now seeing a rise in social media lawsuits. Next week the National Labor Relations Board will hear the case of a […]
In what could be the first case under California’s new law barring discipline for off-duty conduct, a former employee of the Los Angeles Police Relief Association says she was fired after disclosing her plans to marry a prison inmate. Cipriana Ortiz claims that when she informed the association that she was engaged to a prisoner, […]
A court has rejected a bid by labor groups to block the Industrial Welfare Commission’s recent changes to California’s overtime laws, set to take effect January 1. Unless overturned by a higher court, this latest development clears the way for overtime to be required only after 40 hours in a week rather than after eight […]
Under California wage and hour law, computer software professionals can qualify for overtime exemption if they meet certain duties requirements and are paid a specified hourly rate, set annually based on inflation rates by the state Department of Industrial Relations. On Jan. 1, 2007, the minimum hourly rate for exempt computer software professionals will be […]
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal has decided to review its ruling last year upholding mandatory arbitration of bias claims. The case involves secretary Donald Lagatree, whose job offer at the law firm of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps was revoked when he refused to sign a binding arbitration agreement. A three-judge panel sided […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is seeking comments on its recently released regulations for poultry processing facilities. The regulations include an overview of injuries common to this industry, ways to develop and implement safety strategies, and examples and tools available to improve ergonomic practices. Comments are due by Aug. 4, 2003.