Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Noncompete Agreements Aren’t Just Unenforceable: They’ll Soon be Illegal
It has long been the law in California, that noncompete agreements are not enforceable. That means that employees are free to work where they want, when they want, when their current employment ends, no matter how it ends. The limited exceptions are in the sales of businesses, where a buyer can require a seller… Read More »
Minimum Wage and Sick Leave Increases are Coming for California Workers
In California, if you are a worker in certain specific industries, you may be due for a pay raise. That’s because the state has passed a significant increase in minimum wage—one of the first times that such a raise is industry-specific, as opposed to being applicable to all workers. The Increases are Coming California… Read More »
Federal Updates for 2024: IRS Mileage Rate, OSHA Reporting, and Federal Contractor Minimum Wages
The following federal law changes take effect on January 1, 2024. IRS MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT RATEThe IRS standard mileage rate will be 67 cents per mile driven for business purposes (up from 65.5 cents in 2023). This rate also applies to electric and hybrid vehicles. Use of this rate is optional, though it’s widely accepted as… Read More »
California Employment Law Updates for January 1
The following employment laws take effect January 1, 2024. CANNABIS PROTECTIONS IN EMPLOYMENTEmployers with five or more employees will be prohibited from discriminating against an applicant or employee for using cannabis off-duty and away from the workplace. This includes discriminating based on a drug test that finds non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites in their system. Non-psychoactive… Read More »
How Much Meal and Rest Breaks do California Employees Get?
Most employers won’t outright steal from you. But that doesn’t mean they won’t try to cheat you. One way that many employers try to cheat employees, is by shorting them of their legally required meal and rest breaks. If an employer has an employee who is working 8 hours, and the employer is supposed… Read More »
Understanding California’s Equal Pay Act
You probably already know that we thankfully live in a day and age when women must get paid the same as their male counterparts in the workplace. What you may not know is that there are not only federal, but also California state laws that protect this right—and give you the right to bring… Read More »
Watch for These Documents That Your Employer May Make You Sign
When companies ask you to sign an employment agreement, that employment agreement may have a number of provisions that go beyond just your employment with the company. You may see a number of provisions, covenants, terms, and paragraphs, that seemingly address important things. Here is a short rundown of some of the more common… Read More »
Wrongful Termination, Discrimination and Harassment: What Are the Damages?
Discrimination harassment, hostile work environment or retaliation: We’ve often talked about how to spot when these types of employment discrimination are happening, and about what your employer can, and cannot legally do. But what about damages? If you are the target of discrimination, wrongful firing or retaliatory action at work, and your employer is… Read More »
The Equal Pay Act’s “Factor Other Than Sex” Exception: What Does it Mean?
The Federal Equal Pay Act (EPA) says that women must be paid the same amount as men assuming they do the same or similar work. There are a few exceptions to this, allowing employers to pay women differently (less than) men. Those exceptions include differences in pay based on any seniority, merit, quality of… Read More »
Pregnant Workers are About to get More Protections
Although it has been illegal to discriminate against pregnant workers in the workplace for some time now, a new, broader law, providing more protections for pregnant employees was recently passed by congress. It’s called the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and it now requires that employers provide accommodations for employees who are pregnant or… Read More »