As California employers head into another year of compliance planning, the Golden State legislature has not slowed down. From higher wage thresholds and expanded pay-equity rules to sweeping changes affecting
Continue Reading ’Tis the Season for California’s New Employment Laws: Employer Considerations for 2026
When employers offer new hires a sign-on bonus or existing employees a retention bonus, they typically structure the bonuses as an upfront payment subject to a conditional repayment obligation if
Continue Reading California Claws Back: New Limits on Stay-or-Pay Contracts Starting Jan. 1, 2026
On Sept. 29, 2025, California Gov. Newsom signed Senate Bill 53, the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act, into law.
Continue Reading California Expands Whistleblower Retaliation Protections for Employees in the AI Sector
On Sept. 12, 2025, the first California court issued an explicit “warning” to attorneys who use AI as part of their legal practice. In Sylvia Noland v. Land of the
Continue Reading California Court of Appeal Warns Against Attorney Misuse of Artificial Intelligence
Out in the cold, dark night rides the headless horseman, and he has a grievance. It is with his former employer who he thinks (with his head in hand) has treated his former colleagues poorly and violated the California Labor Code.
The California Supreme Court has issued its long-awaited opinion resolving the split in authority regarding whether Code of Civil Procedure sections 1281.97 and 1281.98 are preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act.
Continue Reading CA Supreme Court Says Not So Fast on Draconian Arbitration Invoice Payment Rules
California Labor Code section 1102.5 authorizes employees to recover attorneys’ fees if they bring a successful action. However, the employer may preclude an award of attorney’s fees to the employee by establishing the same-decision affirmative defense outlined in Labor Code section 1102.6.
Continue Reading Court of Appeals Decision May Offer Employers Relief for Attorneys’ Fees Under California Labor Code Section 1102.5
As employers around the globe are increasingly looking to leverage AI and AI-adjacent automation in their recruiting and personnel processes, California has stepped onto the scene. On June 27
Continue Reading Beyond Bias: California Sets a New Standard for Regulating AI in the Workplace
As we reported last year, the Alameda Superior Court in Rose v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., ordered the Labor Workforce Development Agency (LWDA)—you read that correctly, the state
Continue Reading UPDATE: LWDA Not Liable for Costs in PAGA Action
Predictive scheduling laws, also known as “Fair Workweek” laws, are gaining traction across the United States to protect hourly workers from erratic and last-minute shift changes. These laws typically require
Continue Reading Fair Workweeks: Navigating the Patchwork of Predictive Scheduling Laws