Just prior to the October 13, 2019 deadline to sign/veto bills from this year’s Legislative Session, Governor Gavin Newson signed several labor and employment law bills into law that will bring about significant changes for California public employers beginning next year.  Below are summaries on three of these new bills that will go into effect on January 1, 2020. Assembly Bill (“AB”) 9 – Increase of FEHA Statute of Limitations from One to Three Years. The California…

Most people are familiar with the regular 5-day, 40-hour workweek. Did you know there are alternatives to this “standard” schedule, including the popular 9/80 schedule?  Although this schedule can provide increased work-life balance and flexibility for your employees, it has some serious pitfalls that can be costly for your agency.  Read more about these common pitfalls when using 9/80 schedules and how to avoid them in the original blog post here.   Note: this…

I’ve had two life-changing blind dates in my life.  The first was in 1996 when I agreed to go out with a former classmate of a co-worker.   That leap of faith resulted in me walking down the aisle a year later and has led to annual celebrations of not just our wedding date but also that first, blind, date.  Maybe because that date worked out so well, I was very receptive to facilitating a blind…

This article was authored by Brian P. Walter and Lars T. Reed. Today, September 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced a final rule modifying the weekly salary and annual compensation threshold levels for white collar exemptions to FLSA overtime requirements. The final rule will become effective on January 1, 2020.  It is critical for public education employers to become familiar with the new regulations, among other reasons because misclassification of employees as being…

Today, September 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced a final rule modifying the weekly salary and annual compensation threshold levels for white collar exemptions to Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime requirements. The final rule will become effective on January 1, 2020.  It is critical for employers to become familiar with the new regulations, among other reasons because misclassification of employees as being exempt from FLSA overtime requirements is a costly mistake. Overview…

January 1, 2020 may bring a number of significant changes to California law for public employers.  Following the end of the Legislative Session on September 13, 2019, a number of proposed laws were passed by the Assembly and Senate and now await final approval by Governor Gavin Newson.  He has until October 13, 2019 to sign or veto these remaining bills.  The following are some of the ones we have been monitoring closely that can…

Yesterday, on September 18, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill No. 5 (AB 5) into law.  AB 5 codifies the “ABC” test for determining independent contractor status that the California Supreme Court adopted in its 2018 decision in Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court (2018) 4 Cal.5th 903.  AB 5 adds section 2750.3 to the Labor Code and will become effective on January 1, 2020. Here is what your agency needs to know…