THE EQUAL Employment Opportunity Commission has signaled that it plans to step up enforcement of workplace discrimination for all protected classes, particularly at firms that engage in “systemic” discrimination. Employee and job applicant discrimination complaints filed with the EEOC grew about 15% in 2022 from the...
A U.S. COURT of appeals has struck down a landmark California law that prohibits employers from requiring their workers to sign agreements to arbitrate any disputes arising from their employment. The ruling clears the way for employers to continue using arbitration agreements without risking criminal liability...
IN THE WANING days of 2022, Congress passed a bipartisan $1.7-trillion spending bill that includes legislation that expands rights for pregnant and nursing employees. The budget bill, which President Biden has signed into law, included the Pregnant Workers Fair Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections...
TREES PROVIDE shade and complement landscaping, but they can also cause major disputes with neighbors when they fall over. A tree may topple over if it is not properly maintained, it’s diseased or a storm knocks it down. When a tree falls over onto a neighbor’s...
CAL/OSHA IS in the process of updating its regulations on first aid kit requirements, an effort that’s stirred up controversy over some of the proposed elements. According to a report by the trade publication Cal-OSHA Reporter, one of the most controversial parts of the proposal is...
ONE OF THE biggest lawsuit threats businesses face is from their own employees. Any company with staff – be that one or 500 – can be sued, and even if the case never goes to court, it can create a significant burden for your business. While...
THERE IS a growing threat to companies that use online services to administer their employee benefits and payroll as cyber criminals increasingly exploit these cloud service platforms. The results of a hacker gaining access to the company’s payroll systems, sloshing with cash, as well as employees’...
BUSINESSES HAVE learned a painful lesson over the last three years. An emergency can shut them down with little or no warning. Revenue can evaporate overnight, leaving them grasping to somehow continue operating, cover their ongoing bills and pay employees so they won’t leave. Property insurance...
ASLEW OF new laws and regulations that will affect California businesses are taking effect for 2023. Last year was a busy one, with ground-breaking new laws on employee pay disclosures, a law prohibiting discrimination against cannabis-using employees and another expanding the circumstances when employees can...
A NEW REPORT found that one-third of companies who are hit with ransomware and pay the hackers to unlock their systems, are often likely to be targeted a second time. And after they pay, they are often faced with significant consequences, including system rebuilding costs, their...