California’s 2023-2024 legislative session just concluded, and California employers will want to be aware of the following new employment laws that take effect January 1, 2025, unless otherwise noted:
Social Compliance Audits. Effective January 1, 2025, AB 3234 adds sections 1250-1251 to the Labor Code and requires employers to post on their internet website
After issuing a narrow party-specific, preliminary injunction against enforcement of the non-compete rule in July, the same Texas court issued broader, permanent relief in a ruling issued today in Ryan, LLC v. FTC. Specifically, the court ruled (in granting a motion for summary judgment brought by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others) that the
As many large employers in California have experienced, it is all too common to have separate employees file duplicative PAGA actions in separate courts covering the same alleged claims on behalf of the same group of employees. PAGA, of course, refers to the Private Attorneys General Act—a unique California law that allows an employee to
As we previously reported, in April of this year, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued a final rule regarding non-compete agreements. The FTC’s rule operates as an almost complete ban on such agreements. Unless enjoined by a court, the rule is scheduled to take effect on September 4, 2024. Since April, several lawsuits have been
Last year, California enacted a law (SB 525) raising the minimum wage for many healthcare workers to as much as $25 per hour. The minimum wage hikes were scheduled to take effect June 1, 2024. However, California has a huge budget deficit, which makes compliance with the increased wages a challenge for the state. Because
California’s Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”) was passed in 2007 and has operated primarily as a means to provide massive revenue to the state and to Plaintiffs’ attorneys. Over the past decade or so, the statute has been the predominant vehicle for shakedown lawsuits against employers. Virtually every year, certain business-minded legislators introduce bills to
On April 23, 2024, the federal Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued its final rule on the salary threshold for the executive, administrative, and professional exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The rule provides for increases in minimum salary required for these types of employees to qualify as exempt from overtime pay requirements under federal
On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued a final rule regarding non-compete agreements. The FTC’s rule operates as an almost complete ban on such agreements. Unless enjoined by a court, the rule will become effective 120 days after its publication in the federal register.
In short, the rule prohibits agreements that directly
Last fall, California enacted a new law (SB 553/Labor Code 6401.9) requiring almost all employers to implement a workplace violence prevention plan. Employers are required to have a plan in place by July 1, 2024. Cal/OSHA recently published guidance on the requirements as well as a model plan template that employers may use as a
Many employers use arbitration agreements with their employees as a means of providing a more streamlined process than court actions for resolution of disputes. Companies using these agreements with California employees need to be aware of a unique California law that allows an employee to move their claims into court if an employer does not