{"id":6611,"date":"2016-01-15T02:05:29","date_gmt":"2016-01-15T02:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youngwooldridge.com\/?p=6611"},"modified":"2016-01-15T02:05:29","modified_gmt":"2016-01-15T02:05:29","slug":"2016update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/","title":{"rendered":"Employment Law | 2016 Legislative Update – Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Employment Law<\/a> |\u00a0The\u00a0beginning of a new year is an important time for business<\/a> owners and employers. With each new year comes new laws and changes to existing employment-related requirements\u00a0that can affect whether or not\u00a0your business is\u00a0in\u00a0compliance with California state law. Carefully prepared by attorneys Jerry W. Pearson<\/a> and Jefferson X. Eberhardt<\/a>, this two-part 2016 Employment Law\u00a0Legislative\u00a0Update addresses new and amended labor laws that could dramatically impact your business in the new year.\u00a0Part One will address legislative\u00a0updates\u00a0including to changes to piece-rate compensation,\u00a0prohibitions to gender-based pay differentials and modifications to wage garnishment restrictions. Part Two<\/a> of\u00a0the update will outline the cases that dramatically changed California’s legal landscape in 2015.<\/p>\n

Unless specified, the following list of new legislation goes went into effect on January 1, 2016.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE<\/span><\/h2>\n

Paid Sick Leave Law Is Amended<\/h3>\n

The amendments to the law include a clarification as to who is a covered worker; alternative accrual and payment methods; and a grandfather clause protecting employers that already provided paid sick leave prior to January 1, 2015 (AB 304).<\/p>\n

E-Verify Use Is Restricted<\/h3>\n

This law expands the definition of an \u201cunlawful employment practice\u201d to prohibit an employer or any other person or entity from using the E-Verify system at a time or in a manner not required by a specified federal law or not authorized by a federal agency memorandum of understanding to check the employment authorization status of an existing employee or an applicant who has not received an offer of employment, except as required by federal law or as a condition of receiving federal funds. The law also requires an employer that uses the E-Verify system to provide to the affected employee any notification issued by the Social Security Administration or the United States Department of Homeland Security containing information specific to the employee\u2019s E-Verify case or any tentative non-confirmation notice. There is a\u00a0$10,000 penalty for each violation (AB 622).<\/p>\n

Grocery Workers Protections Clarified<\/h3>\n

This law amends newly enacted AB 359 to provide that \u201cgrocery establishment\u201d as defined in the new protections for grocery workers affected by a change in control does not include an establishment that has ceased operations for six months or more (AB 897).<\/p>\n

Labor Commissioner\u2019s Enforcement Capabilities Expanded<\/h3>\n

This law authorizes the Labor Commissioner to investigate and enforce local overtime and minimum wage laws and to issue citations and penalties for violations, except when the local entity has already cited the employer for the same violation. The law also authorizes the Labor Commissioner to issue citations and penalties to employers that violate the expense reimbursement provisions of Labor Code Section 2802 (SB 970).<\/p>\n

PAGA Cure Period Provided<\/h3>\n

This law, which became effective immediately, amends the Private Attorneys General Act (\u201cPAGA\u201d) to provide an employer with the right to cure a violation of the requirement that an employer provides its employees with the inclusive dates of the pay period and the name and address of the employer before an employee may bring a civil action under PAGA. An employer can utilize this cure provision only once in a 12-month period. The law also provides a cure\u00a0period to an employer that has not received notice of such a wage statement violation (AB 1506).<\/p>\n

Retaliation Against Family Members Of Whistleblowers Prohibited<\/h3>\n

This law prohibits employers from retaliating against an employee who is a family member of an employee who has or is perceived to have engaged in protected conduct or made a protected complaint (such as whistleblowing). Additionally, the law excludes certain entities, such as certain household goods carriers, from the imposition of joint liability on client employers for all workers supplied by a labor contractor (AB 1509).<\/p>\n

Piece-Rate Compensation Requirements Changed<\/h3>\n

This law requires employers to pay piece-rate employees for rest and recovery periods and \u201cother nonproductive time\u201d at or above specified minimum hourly rates, separately from any piece-rate compensation. It also defines \u201cother nonproductive time\u201d as time under the employer\u2019s control, exclusive of rest and recovery periods, that is not directly related to the activity being compensated on a piece-rate basis. Additionally, employers must specify the following on a piece-rate employee\u2019s itemized wage statement: the total hours of compensable rest and recovery periods, the rate of compensation paid for those periods, and the gross\u00a0 wages paid for those periods during the pay period (AB 1513).<\/p>\n

Meal Period Waiver Rules For Health Care Employees Clarified<\/h3>\n

This law clarifies that special meal period waiver rules for employees in the health care industry remain in force, despite the uncertainty caused by a recent court of appeal opinion (SB 327).<\/p>\n

Gender-Based \u201cFair Pay Act\u201d Enacted<\/h3>\n

This law amends Labor Code \u00a7 1197.5 (SB 358):<\/p>\n

Broader Prohibition of Gender Wage Differentials Enacted<\/h3>\n

Currently, Section 1197.5 prohibits an employer from paying an employee at wage rates less than the rates paid to employees of the opposite sex in the same establishment for equal work. The amendment revises this prohibition, instead prohibiting an employer from paying an employee at wage rates less than the rates paid to employees of the opposite sex for \u201csubstantially similar work.\u201d \u201cSubstantially similar work\u201d is determined by analyzing a composite of skill, effort, and responsibility, while considering whether the work is being\u00a0performed under similar working conditions. SB 358 does not require such \u201csubstantially similar work\u201d to be \u201cin the same establishment\u201d of the employer as previously required by Section 1197.5.<\/p>\n

Employer Required To Demonstrate Exemptions<\/h3>\n

Section 1197.5 automatically exempted certain gender wage differentials related to payments based on a seniority system, a merit system, quantity or quality of production, or any bona fide factor other than sex. SB 358 amends Section 1197.5 to require that an employer must affirmatively demonstrate that: (i) a wage differential is based on a seniority system, a merit system, quantity or quality of production, or any bona fide factor other than sex; (ii) each factor relied upon is applied reasonably; and (iii) these factors account for the entire wage differential.<\/p>\n

Anti-Retaliation Protections Introduced<\/h3>\n

SB 358 added a provision to Section 1197.5 that prohibits an employer from discharging, discriminating or retaliating against an employee by reason of any action taken by the employee to invoke or assist in any manner the enforcement of this legislation. This new provision authorizes an employee to disclose the employee\u2019s own wages, discuss the wages of others, inquire about another employee\u2019s wages, or aid or encourage other employees to exercise their rights under this legislation. If an employee is discharged, discriminated or retaliated against in the terms and conditions of his or her employment because the employee engaged in any such protected conduct, the employee may seek reinstatement and reimbursement for lost wages and work benefits caused by the acts of the employer as well as other appropriate equitable relief.<\/p>\n

Recordkeeping Duration Lengthened<\/h3>\n

SB 358 also increases the duration of recordkeeping requirements of wages, wage rates, job classifications, and other terms and conditions of employment from two years to three years.<\/p>\n

Wage Garnishment Restrictions Modified<\/h3>\n

This law reduces the prohibited amount of an employee\u2019s weekly earnings subject to levy under an earnings withholding order from exceeding the lesser of: (i) 25% of the employee\u2019s weekly earnings or (ii) 50% of the amount by which the employee\u2019s earnings for the week exceed 40 times the minimum wage (SB 501).<\/p>\n

School Activity And Sick Leave Protections Expanded<\/h3>\n

This law provides additional circumstances under which employees may take school activities leave. California school activities leave now includes the addressing of a child care provider emergency, a school emergency, finding, enrolling, and reenrolling a child in a school or with a child care provider. The pool of eligible employees is expanded to include employees who are stepparents, foster parents or stand in loco parentis to a child. The law also requires employers to permit employees to use sick leave for the purposes specified in the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 and prohibits an employer from denying or retaliating against such employee for using sick leave for such purposes (SB 579).<\/p>\n

Labor Commissioner Enforcement Authority Broadened, Liability For Managing Agents Expanded<\/h3>\n

This law expands the Labor Commissioner\u2019s authority with regard to the enforcement of\u00a0judgments. For example, the law authorizes the Labor Commissioner to issue a lien on an employer\u2019s property for amounts owed to an employee, such as unpaid wages, and other compensation, penalties, and interest. The law also provides that an owner, director, officer or managing agent of the employer may be held personally liable for violations of any provision regulating minimum wages or hours and days of work in any order of the Industrial Welfare Commission (SB 588).<\/p>\n

New Protected Classes Added To Unruh Civil Rights Act<\/h3>\n

This law expands the protections of the Unruh Civil Rights Act by prohibiting discrimination by business establishments based on citizenship, primary language, or immigration status (SB 600).<\/p>\n

\u00a0Click here to read part two of the 2016 Employment Law Update<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

It is important to note that every employment law situation is unique and this Employment Law Legislative Update is not a replacement for legal counsel. \u00a0If you have questions\u00a0on\u00a0how these changes may affect your business, contact the Employment Law Department<\/a> at Young Wooldridge, LLP<\/a>. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Photo Credit: Jeff’s Canon<\/a> via Flickr\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Employment Law |\u00a0The\u00a0beginning of a new year is an important time for business owners and employers. With each new year […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6623,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[843,844],"tags":[845,865],"class_list":["post-6611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-law","category-employment-law","tag-employment-law","tag-2016-employment-law-update"],"yoast_head":"\n2016 Employment Law Update | Young Wooldridge, LLP<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With each new year comes new laws and changes to existing employment law\u00a0that can\u00a0affect whether or not\u00a0your\u00a0business is\u00a0in\u00a0compliance with California state\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Employment Law | 2016 Legislative Update - Part 1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With each new year comes new laws and changes to existing employment law\u00a0that can\u00a0affect whether or not\u00a0your\u00a0business is\u00a0in\u00a0compliance with California state\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MMG Resources\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-01-15T02:05:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MediaBeast\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MediaBeast\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"MediaBeast\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/f1e4fbc14f15dffe99af02d0efb60287\"},\"headline\":\"Employment Law | 2016 Legislative Update – Part 1\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-01-15T02:05:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1515,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"keywords\":[\"employment law\",\"2016 employment law update\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Business Law\",\"Employment Law\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/\",\"name\":\"2016 Employment Law Update | Young Wooldridge, LLP\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-01-15T02:05:29+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/f1e4fbc14f15dffe99af02d0efb60287\"},\"description\":\"With each new year comes new laws and changes to existing employment law\u00a0that can\u00a0affect whether or not\u00a0your\u00a0business is\u00a0in\u00a0compliance with California state\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/2016update\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Employment Law | 2016 Legislative Update – Part 1\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/\",\"name\":\"MMG Resources\",\"description\":\"Company Portal\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/f1e4fbc14f15dffe99af02d0efb60287\",\"name\":\"MediaBeast\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"\\\/\\\/www.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/2f2d8caf201e84c7b1c6349c85ac5699?s=96&r=g&d=mm\",\"url\":\"\\\/\\\/www.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/2f2d8caf201e84c7b1c6349c85ac5699?s=96&r=g&d=mm\",\"contentUrl\":\"\\\/\\\/www.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/2f2d8caf201e84c7b1c6349c85ac5699?s=96&r=g&d=mm\",\"caption\":\"MediaBeast\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/themediabeast.com\\\/resources\\\/author\\\/mediabeast\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"2016 Employment Law Update | Young Wooldridge, LLP","description":"With each new year comes new laws and changes to existing employment law\u00a0that can\u00a0affect whether or not\u00a0your\u00a0business is\u00a0in\u00a0compliance with California state","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Employment Law | 2016 Legislative Update - Part 1","og_description":"With each new year comes new laws and changes to existing employment law\u00a0that can\u00a0affect whether or not\u00a0your\u00a0business is\u00a0in\u00a0compliance with California state","og_url":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/","og_site_name":"MMG Resources","article_published_time":"2016-01-15T02:05:29+00:00","author":"MediaBeast","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MediaBeast","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/"},"author":{"name":"MediaBeast","@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/#\/schema\/person\/f1e4fbc14f15dffe99af02d0efb60287"},"headline":"Employment Law | 2016 Legislative Update – Part 1","datePublished":"2016-01-15T02:05:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/"},"wordCount":1515,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"","keywords":["employment law","2016 employment law update"],"articleSection":["Business Law","Employment Law"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/","url":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/","name":"2016 Employment Law Update | Young Wooldridge, LLP","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"","datePublished":"2016-01-15T02:05:29+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/#\/schema\/person\/f1e4fbc14f15dffe99af02d0efb60287"},"description":"With each new year comes new laws and changes to existing employment law\u00a0that can\u00a0affect whether or not\u00a0your\u00a0business is\u00a0in\u00a0compliance with California state","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/#primaryimage","url":"","contentUrl":""},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/2016update\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Employment Law | 2016 Legislative Update – Part 1"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/#website","url":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/","name":"MMG Resources","description":"Company Portal","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/#\/schema\/person\/f1e4fbc14f15dffe99af02d0efb60287","name":"MediaBeast","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"\/\/www.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2f2d8caf201e84c7b1c6349c85ac5699?s=96&r=g&d=mm","url":"\/\/www.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2f2d8caf201e84c7b1c6349c85ac5699?s=96&r=g&d=mm","contentUrl":"\/\/www.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2f2d8caf201e84c7b1c6349c85ac5699?s=96&r=g&d=mm","caption":"MediaBeast"},"url":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/author\/mediabeast\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6611"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themediabeast.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}