On September 30, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 553 into law, creating a new layer to California employers’ existing injury and illness prevention programs (IIPP). Under SB 553, employers are required to implement a workplace violence prevention plan (WVPP) no later than July 1, 2024, to provide training to employees regarding the WVPP and to keep records of workplace violence incidents. As of January 1, 2025, the law also expands employers’ and employee representatives’ rights to obtain restraining orders on behalf of employees affected by threats of workplace violence.
On January 18, 2024, in a highly anticipated and unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of California barred striking a claim under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) on trial manageability grounds alone, instead authorizing due process defenses to PAGA claims (Estrada v. Royalty Carpet Mills, Inc.). The decision also commented approvingly on representative testimonies, surveys and statistical analyses. As a result of the decision, employers now face a new challenge of marshalling such evidence to their defenses and challenging the misuse of such evidence on due process grounds in future PAGA litigation.
The rules and regulations on workplace and employee speech, interpretation and enforcement are rapidly changing. Companies must carefully factor legal and business implications into their strategy to reach the desired outcomes for their customers, workforce and brand.
In this Law360 article, Michael Sheehan, Michelle Strowhiro and Alexander Randolph examine important considerations for companies as they navigate the complexities of workplace and employee speech.
A recent National Labor Relations Board decision will likely expose a broader range of workplace rules to regulator enforcement. According to this HR Dive article, introducing even ordinary workplace rules during unionization could draw new scrutiny. However, as Christopher Foster and Marjorie C. Soto Garcia explain, there are steps employers can take to mitigate risk.
Corporate transactions and investments involving union issues require concrete analysis of risk, contingencies and game plans. In a January 31, 2024, webinar, McDermott’s Labor and Employee Benefits Groups will focus on practical steps and strategies to successfully navigate and evaluate key considerations for transactions involving unionized businesses.
Discussion topics include:
Union notice and bargaining triggers
Successorship, neutrality and organizing issues
Multiemployer pension, withdrawal and other benefits considerations
Following a dynamic 2023 coupled with a continually evolving legal landscape, employers may feel that they are left with more questions than answers. During a recent webinar, McDermott’s employment team took a dive into the most pertinent legal updates of 2023 and shed light on uncertainties to prepare employers for the year ahead. The discussion covered new laws taking effect in 2024, explored key developments impacting the workforce and advised on what employers can expect heading into the new year.
How can HR professionals elevate their game to attract talent and spearhead innovative strategies?
In this ManageHR article, Elizabeth Vassolo, McDermott’s Global Head of Employment Brand, shares her perspective on emerging HR trends, highlights a game-changing project and offers actionable advice.
The National Labor Relations Board has changed its joint-employer rule, making it easier for entities doing business with each other to be deemed joint employers. The new rule goes further than any earlier joint-employer standard in two ways: (1) by making clear that indirect (or even unexercised) control is sufficient to prove joint-employer status, and (2) by dropping the requirement that there be enough control to permit meaningful collective bargaining. Businesses need to begin preparing for the new rule by mapping each business relationship for potential joint-employment exposure.
As of December 31, 2023, all employees physically working in Chicago for at least two hours in a two-week period will earn both one hour of paid leave and one hour of paid sick leave for every 35 hours worked, pursuant to an ordinance passed by the Chicago City Council on November 9, 2023. The new ordinance expands the current ordinance, which requires employers to provide only paid sick leave to employees.
While California healthcare workers will see their pay increase over the next several years thanks to a new state law, industry analysts say more must be done to address healthcare workforce shortages. In this Bloomberg Law article, Michelle Strowhiro offers insight into the pressures facing healthcare providers.
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