December 2021 Every fan of TV legal dramas has heard the phrase “attorney-client privilege.” Tune in to almost any episode of Law & Order and odds are good that you will hear someone asserting “attorney client privilege” or discussing the implications of “the privilege” for their investigation or case. It is easy to dismiss attorney-client [...]
October 2020 It’s the time of year that we try to update you on the new laws affecting employers in the State of California. The legislative session has completed and the Governor has now either signed or vetoed all the bills sent to his desk. Below is an attempted summary of key bills for employees [...]
July 2020 Working from home used to be a flexible option provided to employees by some employers, but was definitely not a mandate. With the current coronavirus pandemic, a shift has been made that makes remote working not only an option, but in some cases, a requirement. As businesses reopen, employers and employees are [...]
March 2020 Following up on our recent client alerts about SARS-Cov-2 disaster relief for small businesses, one of the brightest spots for small businesses in the latest (third if you're keeping score) federal stimulus package, which was enacted March 27 as the 'CARES Act," are emergency Small Business Administration 7(a) loans. These "payroll protection [...]
March 2020 With the rapid spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus around the globe, even companies outside of the impacted areas have been forced to prepare for the worst. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed hundreds of cases across the United States, including here in California. Public health officials have suggested [...]
February 2020 On September 18, 2019 Governor Newsom signed AB-5, codifying the now-infamous Dynamex decision as law. This new law radically changes the legal test for who is an employee (rather than an independent contractor) under California law. While the law has gotten a lot of press in the context of the so-called “gig” [...]
September 2019 “PAGA” is the acronym for California’s fifteen-year-old Private Attorneys General Act. This Act allows an individual, on behalf of himself and other employees, to recover civil penalties for alleged Labor Code violations. It added new civil penalties for all such violations, even if certain Labor Code provisions did not previously authorize civil penalties. [...]
June, 2019 When starting a business, it’s easy for owners to make legal mistakes that can prove costly down the road. Avoiding these missteps will keep your new venture on the path to prosperity. Over-complicating the Formation. Don’t try to structure your business to accommodate every future contingency. Instead, design the business to address [...]