Stay Ahead of the Curve
Our blog provides up-to-date insights and legal analysis to ensure your business stays informed about key developments, such as:
Increases in Local Minimum Wages and IRS Mileage Rate Coming July 1, 2022
Local Minimum Wages
Employers checking to make sure they pay minimum wage can’t just rely on complying with California minimum wage standards. As we reminded you on December 8, 2021, many local jurisdictions have enacted their own minimum wage rules.
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VACCINE REQUIREMENTS AFFECTING LOS ANGELES BUSINESSES
Summary
Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles, and the City of West Hollywood all recently passed measures requiring certain businesses to limit admission to persons who are vaccinated against COVID-19. The measures are not all the same. Below we summarize the main requirements.
9th Circuit Decision on Arbitration Agreements
9th Circuit Decision Makes It Harder for California Employers to Require Employees to Sign Arbitration Agreements as a Condition of Employment
Effective, January 1, 2020, the California legislature had passed a bill, AB 51, making it unlawful for employers to require newly hired employees to sign arbitration agreements as a condition of employment, meaning that it was not a voluntary choice. Business groups promptly sued to invalidate AB 51. Last year, a federal district judge issued a preliminary injunction barring the state from enforcing the statute, finding that it was pre-empted by the Federal Arbitration Act.
OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard for Employers with 100+ Employees
On November 4, 2021, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a new COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) covering private sector employers with 100+ employees that requires such employers to ensure their workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing. The ETS’s effective date is November 5, 2021. The ETS is already subject to extensive litigation. On November 6, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a temporary stay of the ETS. While the future of the ETS remains uncertain due to pending legal challenges, it may take weeks of planning for employers to comply with the ETS’s deadlines, so prudent employers should continue preparing for the ETS as if it is going to take effect while litigation continues.
