A recent California Court of Appeal decision, Hearn v. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (2025) 108 Cal.App.5th 301, offers valuable guidance for employers and third-party investigators involved in drafting workplace investigation reports. The case ...
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Updates
July: Mid-Year Updates
New CRD Notice Now Available: “Survivors of Violence and Family Members of Victims Right to Leave and Accommodations”
As of July 1, 2025, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) published a new mandatory workplace notice in compliance with ...
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Jury Awards $4 Million for Secondhand Sexual Harassment
Appellate court finds harassment need only alter working conditions as to ‘make it more difficult to do the job’
Most California employers understand that under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) they are required to promptly investigate ...
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Beware: An Employer’s Conduct when Presenting an Employee with an Arbitration Agreement May Render It Unenforceable
Arbitration agreements, particularly those containing a class action waiver, are a powerful tool for employers seeking to efficiently manage employment disputes. A recent California appellate court ruling, Velarde v. Monroe Operations, LLC, ...
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Avoiding Age Discrimination Claims in California: Key Takeaways from the CRD’s New Guidance
In May 2025, the California Civil Rights Department (“CRD” ) released its latest “Fact Sheet on Protections Against Age Discrimination” (“Fact Sheet”) under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”). With age-related claims on the rise, ...
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California Employers May Now Enforce Prospective Meal Period Waiver Agreements
A recent appellate decision provides a victory for California employers that seek to limit wage and hour liability. The Court in La Kimba Bradsbery, et al. v. Vicar Operating, Inc. recently ruled that revocable, prospective meal period waivers for ...
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Responding to Personnel File Record Requests — Avoid Oversharing!
Labor Code Section 1198.5 provides that current and former employees (or a representative) have the right to inspect and receive a copy of their personnel file and records that relate to the employee’s performance or to any grievance concerning the ...
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Employers Should Be Cautious Before Relying on a Claim of “Undue Hardship” to Deny an Employee’s Request for Accommodation
California employers are required to engage in an interactive process and reasonably accommodate the known disabilities of employees and applicants to permit them to perform the essential functions of a position. However, employers are not required ...
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