On Monday night, the California legislature passed Assembly Bill 2257 (AB2257), a clean-up bill to Assembly Bill 5 (AB5). Under AB 2257, musicians, fine artists, freelance writers, photographers, and translators would be among those getting exemptions from AB5 to continue working as independent contractors, rather than as employees. The bill is expected to be signed
Shutdown Averted – Lyft and Uber’s AB-5 Battle With California Heats Up
The fate of rideshare companies in California has taken several dramatic twists today following last week’s preliminary injunction enjoining Lyft and Uber from classifying their drivers as independent contractors.
The trial court’s injunction, issued on August 10th, served as a considerable defeat for Lyft and Uber in their attempt to avoid a revamped employee classification
Local Minimum Wages Ratchet Up on July 1
Effective 
July 1, the minimum wage jumps up yet again in localities throughout California. The minimum wage hikes come in the midst of a pandemic and one of the most difficult economic periods in decades when many employers are already struggling.
The July 1 increase will elevate the minimum wage to $15 per hour for
Newsom’s Executive Order Focuses On Protections for Food Service Workers
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that a massive component of California’s economy is and has been agriculture and food service, including farming, canning, processing, and of course, restaurants. Given the size and scope of these industries in and across California, on April 16, 2020, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-51-20, expanding employee protections for Food
Musicians Reach Deal on AB5 Exemption
Written by Sharon Shaoulian
California’s music industry finally came to an agreement with lawmakers on pending amendments to California’s Assembly Bill 5 (AB5). The amendments would provide relief to professionals in the music industry, including recording artists, musicians, composers, songwriters and vocalists, amending the prior language in AB5 that created hurdles for self-employed
Yes, Waiting in Line to Exit Through Security is Hours Worked
A recent ruling confirmed that the time an employee spends waiting in line for a security check is considered “hours worked” in California and must be paid. The California Supreme Court ruling applies even though the employees choose to bring in bags to work. Put another way, the employees could skip the line by not
AB-5 (The Law Eviscerating California Employers’ Ability to Hire Contractors) — Blog Post Updated January 4, 2020 is Still Alive and Well
If you were hoping that AB-5 (the CA statute codifying the ABC standard into widespread law) would be held invalid, enjoined, or would just fall off a cliff, it is time to face reality. AB-5 is alive and well, and effective January 1, 2020. That means any California employer who still relies on independent contractors
Service Charges vs. Gratuities and Why It Matters
Attention hospitality employers. Is that charge you add to a guest check a service charge (typically a set amount added to a guest check in lieu of a tip)? Or an automatic gratuity (such as a set amount for a party of 8 or more)? Or a true tip/gratuity (an actual discretionary amount left by
Top 10 List of California’s Newest Employment Laws
Our Labor & Employment team has been busy this fall! As loyal readers, your inboxes have been filled with our updates on all the changes to California employment laws. This legislative session ended on October 14th, so we thought it would be helpful to recap the changes you should have on your radars. These new
Preserving Your Franchise in the Face of AB-5 (Free Webinar)
How will AB-5 impact franchise relationships in California? What steps can franchisors take to best protect their interests in California in a post-Dynamex, post AB-5 landscape? These are some of the questions Tami McKnew and I will be answering in a Webinar on October 28, 2019. It’s free, and we hope you will join