http://www.employeradvice.com California Employer Advisor en-us web@employeradvice.com http://www.employeradvice.com/public/5253.cfm The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has revised its "EEO is the Law" workplace poster. All employers are required by federal law to post the current version of t http://www.employeradvice.com/public/5236.cfm You have strong reason to suspect that an employee has engaged in serious misconduct, such as theft or sexual harassment. But you don't want to fire the employee based solely on suspicion. So instead, http://www.employeradvice.com/public/5218.cfm This month, the real news is about what employment-related bills Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't sign. The most notable bill struck down by the Governor is S.B. 242, which woul http://www.employeradvice.com/public/5216.cfm A California court recently ruled that an employer's failure to accommodate an employee's disability on one single day, even though the employee had been appropriately accommodated for months before t http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5215.cfm Use this policy if you intend to implement a reduced-hour workweek for employees to avoid laying employees off or in response to company financial difficulties. Provide a copy of the policy to employees before reducing any hours or wages in order to notify them of the basis for the hours reduction and offer an understanding of why their wages will also be reduced http://www.employeradvice.com/public/5200.cfm Many California employers are surprised to learn that they must give all departing employees notice of their right to seek unemployment benefits—even if it's a termination for good cause, a http://www.employeradvice.com/public/5199.cfm The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has officially dropped the controversial "no-match" rule, which required employers to fire workers if there was a discrepancy between a worker's Social Securit http://www.employeradvice.com/public/5179.cfm In response to the published results of a recent survey of low-wage workers in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced that the Department of Labor (DOL) will http://www.employeradvice.com/public/5178.cfm Most employees today don't punch a time clock; they generally work a set schedule, such as 9 am to 5 pm. Because these employees work a regular schedule, many employers don't bother to trac http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5141.cfm This is a sample basic severance agreement that is designed to comply with both California and federal law, including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Older Workers Benefits Protection Act (OWBPA)

http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5133.cfm The fourth-annual California Employment Law Update conference is coming up early next month, from Nov. 4-6 in San Francisco. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to get all http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5132.cfm The state Labor Commissioner has just published an opinion letter stating that, consistent with federal policy, California law does not prohibit employers from reducing an exempt employee's salary in connection with a bona fide reduction http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5130.cfm Employment discrimination claims based on religion have been steadily increasing in recent years, according to annual statistics collected by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In 2008, religion bias claims handled by the EEOC rose 20 percent http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5129.cfm Severance agreements are a great way to protect your company against lawsuits brought by former employees, whether they're leaving because of a layoff, termination, or resignation. However, special rules apply to severance agreements presented to employees age 40 or over http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5128.cfm In 2005, the California Supreme Court ruled that under California law, individual owners, officers and managers cannot be held personally liable for unpaid wages owed to employees. Unfortunately, a recent ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals--which covers California--makes clear that the same isn't true under federal law http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5127.cfm As if worrying about having to lay employees off wasn't enough, many employers today are also worrying that former employees, unhappy about being let go, will later sue claiming discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The good news is that there is a way for employers to protect themselves: the severance agreement http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5126.cfm Nobody likes Big Brother, and employees are generally not big fans of video surveillance in the workplace. Employee objections aside, however, the law has recognized that employers can have good reasons to monitor the workplace--such as to prevent harassment or bullying, to ensure the security of both employees and company property, and to generally discourage bad behaviorbusiness-related video monitoring of employees in public areas is lawful. http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5125.cfm Under the pressure of a prolonged recession, employers everywhere are looking for ways to cut labor costs--and although it's not a bad idea to seek the assistance of professional business consultants, one California employer's experience is a reminder that if a fix looks too good to be true, it probably is http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5124.cfm Because of a series of cases in the federal circuit appeals court last year, the rules regarding when both employers and employees owe Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) taxes on severance payments have been clarified http://www.employeradvice.com/members/5123.cfm A provision of state Senate Bill 156, currently being considered by the Legislature, that would have required insurers to contact injured workers to verify that the services billed were actually performed was stripped from the legislation in August