Paulina Chau
Subscribe to Paulina Chau's PostsPaulina focuses her practice on employment matters. Her employment practice encompasses single-plaintiff litigation, class action litigation and employment counseling. She defends employers in state and federal lawsuits alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation.Read Paulina Chau's full bio.
A Win for Employers: Ninth Circuit Holds That California AB 51 Prohibiting Mandatory Arbitration Is Pre-empted by the Federal Arbitration Act
By Maria C. Rodriguez, Laurie Baddon and Paulina Chau on Mar 28, 2023
Posted In Employment, Labor
On February 15, 2023, employers in California regained the ability to enforce mandatory arbitration as the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that Assembly Bill 51 (AB 51), which prohibited “forced arbitration” as a condition of employment, was pre-empted by the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). After years of litigation, the Ninth Circuit’s...
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Washington State’s Pay Transparency Law Takes Effect January 1, 2023
By Yesenia M. Gallegos, Michelle S. Strowhiro and Paulina Chau on Dec 8, 2022
Posted In Executive Compensation, Payroll and Fringe Benefits
Effective January 1, 2023, Washington employers must comply with SB 5761, commonly known as Washington’s Pay Transparency Law, signed by Governor Jay Inslee on March 30, 2022. SB 5761 amends Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunity Act (RCW 49.58) to require employers with 15 or more employees to include in each job posting the wage scale...
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California Supreme Court Clarifies Whether Missed-Break Premiums Are ‘Wages’ That Trigger Derivative Penalties
By Chris Braham, Yesenia M. Gallegos and Paulina Chau on Jun 29, 2022
Posted In Employment, Labor
On May 23, 2022, the California Supreme Court issued its decision in Naranjo v. Spectrum Sec. Servs. Inc. (Naranjo), holding that meal and rest break premiums (also known as extra pay or premium pay) constitute “wages” that: (1) must be accurately reported on employee wage statements pursuant to Labor Code section 226 and (2) must be...
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