As many of you may recall, I started off my last piece on this issue in November 2025 by asking ChatGPT to answer the question – how is AI impacting the workplace? I didn’t ask it that same question today, but I suspect it would give me a similar but slightly different answer. That’s because…
July 1 Minimum Wage Increases on the Horizon
As most California employers now know, California does not have just one minimum wage. Depending on your location and your industry, minimum wage can vary greatly in our lovely golden state. Some of these minimum wages increase in January, when the state minimum wage hikes. Others, like Los Angeles, Los Angeles County (unincorporated!), and other…
The Importance of Transparency in the Workplace
Transparency is one of three words I consider key in the world of employment. The other two are “respect” and “documentation.” Notice I don’t include “fairness.” Being fair is inherently subjective. Fairness varies on your perspective, and your definition will differ greatly from that of your employees, or your kids, for that matter. Who hasn’t…
Revisiting the Dangers of Using Independent Contractors in California
Once again, I awoke to an article in Law360 about a California caregiver placement business, and its owners, facing over $4.4 million in citations from the state Labor Commissioner for misclassifying 144 caregivers as independent contractors. Last year, I wrote about the California Labor Commissioner citing the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC and three janitorial contractors…
After All These Years – Why Are We STILL Talking About Sexual Harassment?
I intended to visit the age-old topic of sexual harassment anyway, because I recently saw that a California winery just agreed to pay $1.5M to end an EEOC led sexual harassment case. But then, the Congressman who may well have been California’s leading candidate for Governor got hit with massive sexual harassment and assault allegations,…
State of Play in PAGA and Class Action Litigation
Last Monday, the Labor & Employment Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association held its annual Symposium, and I was honored to speak on the panel entitled “State of Play in PAGA and Class Action Litigation.” The Symposium was an all-day event, comprising numerous panels addressing key issues in employment litigation in 2026. I…
The Controversy Surrounding Workplace Surveillance Software
I was perusing social media this morning (while it was still dark out), and I happened on an article discussing “Bossware.” The term is being applied to workplace surveillance software, which is software that tracks employee keystrokes, monitors internet usage, and even takes random screenshots throughout the day. This software isn’t new, but it’s gained…
Hire With Care
I have had a spate of client cases and situations involving relatively new employees causing drama. In many of those circumstances, looking back, those employees should never have been hired. They were wrong for the job, had insufficient experience, were dishonest in the interview process, or all the above. Had the employer paid attention to…
Be Prepared for Possible ICE Visits Seeking Immigration Related Documents
Last week, one of my larger restaurant clients received an unannounced visit from two plain-clothed agents identifying themselves as working with ICE. They had proper identification and business cards. They were unarmed. They attempted to demand that the restaurant turn over all the I-9s IMMEDIATELY. But that is NOT the law. Pursuant to federal law,…
Compensating For Employees Using Cell Phones
I have touched on this issue before, but I notice there is still confusion about the issue of employees using their cell phones for work purposes. So, let’s break this down and eliminate any misunderstanding. There is a growing trend of employers using workplace apps to communicate with their employees. I got sense of this…