In a significant decision for California labor law, the Fifth Appellate District Court of Appeal has ruled that workers can pursue “headless” claims under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) solely on behalf of other aggrieved employees, even after dismissing
California Public Safety Labor Blog
The California Public Safety Labor Blog, published by Mastagni Law, focuses on legal issues affecting public safety employees in California, including police officers, firefighters, and other peace officers. The blog covers topics such as labor relations, collective bargaining, employment rights under the Public Safety Officers Bill of Rights and Firefighters Bill of Rights, workers' compensation claims, pension and retirement law, and civil rights litigation involving public safety personnel. It also addresses legislative developments impacting public safety labor law, court decisions affecting employee protections, and practical guidance for unions and individual employees navigating complex labor and employment regulations in the public safety sector.
Latest from California Public Safety Labor Blog - Page 7
PERB Issues Significant Ruling Protecting the Bargaining Process and the Right to Unionize
By Mastagni Law
On February 21, 2024, the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) issued an important decision in Teamsters Local 542 v. El Centro Regional Medical Center (PERB Decision No. 2890-M), finding that El Centro Regional Medical Center (ECRMC) violated the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act…
PERB Strengthens Employee Discovery Rights in Disciplinary Appeals
By Mastagni Law
To successfully appeal a disciplinary action, access to all relevant or exculpatory information is often critical. Skelly materials are often inadequate, as the disclosures pertain to the employer’s investigation and materials the employer relied upon to sustain the charges, not…
PERB Upholds the Bargaining Rights Over Telework & Return to Office Policies
By Mastagni Law
On May 8, 2025, the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) issued an important and timely decision in Professional Engineers in California Government v. State of California (Department of Transportation) (Case No. LA-CE-771-S), affirming that public sector employers must meet and…
Murphy v. City of Petaluma: No Duty to Assess When Medical Aid is Refused
By Mastagni Law
Supreme Court Holds Officer’s Pre-Shooting Conduct Relevant but Not Determinative in Use-of-Force Cases, Consistent with California’s Totality Framework
By Mastagni Law
In a unanimous ruling on May 15, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court revived a
civil rights lawsuit against Houston-area traffic officer Roberto Felix Jr.,
who fatally shot 24-year-old Ashtian Barnes during a 2016 traffic stop. The
Court overturned the…
AB 2561: New Amendments to the MMBA Bring Transparency to the Public Sector Vacancy Crisis
By Mastagni Law
AB
2561, signed into law in September 2024, amends the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act
(MMBA) to address the persistent public sector vacancy crisis in California
while significantly enhancing the role of public sector unions in…
When Agency Heads Must Speak Up: PERB’s New Video Notice Remedy
By Mastagni Law
If you’re a public safety employee in California, you know
your job comes with high stakes and unique workplace challenges. You also have
rights under state labor laws, enforced by the Public Employment Relations
Board (PERB). In two recent cases…
The President Signs the "Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens" Executive Order
By Mastagni Law
President Donald J. Trump, signed an Executive Order dated
April 28, 2025, titled “Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Law
Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens.” The order
focuses on empowering state and local law enforcement by providing legal
protections,…
Recent PERB Decision Shows Us Why You Shouldn’t Waive Your Right to a Skelly Hearing
By Mastagni Law
