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…
Workplace Know Your Rights Act Effective February 1, 2026 (SB 294)
There have been a few bills and new laws recently with this similar title, but this new law was purportedly in direct response to the recent uptick in ICE raids. And yet, California just has to be California, so there are some other topics tucked into this bill as well. The new law requires that…
Revisiting Attendance Issues – Leaves of Absence, Reasonable Accommodations, and Paid Sick Leave
Managing employee absences is one of the trickiest topics under the human resources umbrella. While we say in our employee handbook that regular attendance is an essential function of the job, the day-to-day task of handling employee absenteeism, and juggling the myriad of related legal issues, becomes a nuanced dance through a minefield. These machinations…
Minimum Wage Rises in California and Many Jurisdictions Within the State, Effective January 1, 2026
As has been our new year tradition in California now for a decade, the state minimum wage is increasing at the start of the year. The CALIFORNIA minimum wage effective January 1, 2026, is now $16.90. When the state minimum wage increases, so does the salary threshold for most exempt employees, which is now $70,304….
New Year’s Resolutions for 2026
Before we break for the year, I wanted to pass along a wee bit of wisdom I have gleaned from some of my cases in 2025. After all, that is in part why I do these Briefings – to share the lessons I learn from the cases and situations I handle. It feels like the…
The Impact of AI in the Workplace
I started this article by asking Chat GPT to analyze the impact of AI in the workplace. Here is what it created for me, in under a minute. 1. Skill Gaps & Workforce Reskilling AI is changing job requirements faster than many employees can adapt.HR challenge: 2. Ethical Use of AI in Hiring AI-powered recruiting…
New California Employment Laws for 2026
New Minimum Wage and Exempt Salary For 2026 The new statewide California minimum wage will be $16.90 as of January 1, 2026. Remember that if you are in a jurisdiction such as Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, or MANY other locals, your minimum wage will be HIGHER. I will do a complete location by…
Amazon Ruling Reminder to Pay for All Time Onboarding
On September 23, 2025, a California federal judge certified a class of Amazon workers alleging that they were not paid for time spent at new hire events. The judge also granted Amazon partial summary judgment on certain of the wage claims for unpaid time spent with I-9 forms, drug testing, and going through the background…
Definition of “Uniform” Tested with Starbucks’ New Lawsuit
Last week, Starbucks employees from California, Colorado, and Illinois launched legal actions claiming their employer refused to reimburse them for required shoes and clothing under the Starbucks newly published dress code. Workers complain that despite being paid only minimum wage, the coffee giant is requiring them to use their personal money to purchase…