As of October 1, 2025, we are in federal government shutdown. During previous government shutdowns, government agencies and departments issued| Government Contractor Compliance & Regulatory Update
Ever wonder whether two connected businesses, like a restaurant and private club sharing a kitchen and managers, can dodge overtime by claiming they’re separate companies? The U.S. Department of Labor just answered that question loud and clear. TL;DR: When two entities share ownership, management, operations, and other common elements, and jointly employ the same worker […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
If you’ve been clam-oring for clarity on whether front-of-house oyster shuckers can share in the tip pool, the U.S. Department of Labor just served up a pearl of wisdom. TL;DR: The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued a new opinion letter (FLSA2025-03) confirming that front-of-house oyster shuckers who interact with customers and enhance the dining […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
Determining your company strategy and choosing the ideal location are just two of the many considerations that come with starting a new business. Employment| ELH / HR4Sight
At the National Employment Lawyers Association/New York conference on September 12, 2025, Michal Shinnar presented key strategies for effectively leveraging expert witnesses to quantify and present…| JGL Law
Remote work has become significantly more prevalent in recent years. What began as a necessity during the pandemic has evolved into a mainstream practice, with many organizations embracing hybrid or fully remote workforces to attract and retain talent. However, this trend also creates uncertainty for employers around wage-and-hour compliance, such as tracking hours worked and...... Continue Reading| Employment Law Worldview
Social media influencers are everywhere – TikTok, Instagram, even LinkedIn – and employers are taking notice. And it’s not just professional content| Employment Law Worldview
After the 2024 Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) reform, the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) published frequently asked questions (FAQs), including information on who can... The post New Flow Charts Added in PAGA FAQs Update first appeared on HRWatchdog.| HRWatchdog
A CalChamber-led coalition of business groups, including local chambers of commerce, has stopped a Cost Driver bill that would have exposed employers to a new 30 percent penalty... The post Stopped: New Employer Penalty, Burdensome Changes to Claims Process first appeared on HRWatchdog.| HRWatchdog
When employees rack up overtime without approval, it doesn’t make them look dedicated – it makes them insubordinate. And as one nurse at a VA hospital just learned, that can sink an age discrimination claim. TL;DR: The Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for a VA hospital where a nurse repeatedly worked overtime without preapproval despite […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
It’s one of the few government programs that rewards employers for doing the right thing before getting sued. TL;DR: The U.S. Department of Labor has relaunched the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program. PAID allows employers to voluntarily disclose and correct federal wage violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)—and now, certain FMLA violations […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
One of our employees is continually short on their cash drawer. Can we deduct the shortage from the employee’s tips if the employee agrees to the deduction?| CalChamber Alert
Where have I been? I took a short break from July 4 through July 14 to spend some time offline on vacation with my family. Thanks for your patience—and I promise this one was worth the wait. The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) became law on July 4—and with it, major new tax and reporting […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
If the Department of Labor comes knocking about unpaid wages, here’s some welcome news: as of June 27, 2025, it can no longer demand liquidated damages—unless it sues you. TL;DR: In Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2025-3, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Wage and Hour Division (WHD) can no longer seek liquidated damages […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
Paying employees a flat weekly salary doesn’t make them exempt from overtime. One employer just learned that lesson the expensive way—after misclassifying dozens of workers. TL;DR: A Houston plumbing contractor paid 31 service technicians and apprentice helpers a salary and didn’t pay them overtime. But those workers didn’t qualify as exempt under the Fair […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
On Monday, June 2, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the relaunch and expansion of its opinion letter program. This move reinstates a valuable compliance tool for employers, ...| The Employer Handbook Blog
A recent DOL enforcement action shows how routine rounding practices can spiral into serious legal exposure. This post breaks down one employer’s nearly $600,000 mistake—and explains what the FLSA really permits when it comes to rounding work time. TL;DR: A construction contractor just had to pay nearly $600,000 in back wages and damages after the […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
This isn’t just a cromulent decision—it’s a reminder that attorneys’ fees can’t be used to shoehorn a small state wage claim into federal court. TL;DR: A federal judge in Pennsylvania kicked a wage-and-hour case back to state court after finding that the employer couldn’t show more than $75,000 was at stake. The plaintiff’s actual damages […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
Fired Over $15. Or Was It the HR Complaints? A laundromat worker reimbursed herself $15 from the register for a taxi fare—something she claimed was standard practice with a receipt. Three days later, she was fired. But because she had just complained about racial harassment, disability discrimination, and unpaid wages, the timing raised red flags. […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
You’d expect a company to listen when its Chief People Officer—especially one with nearly three decades of labor and employment law experience—raises concerns about compliance. Instead, this employer—a law firm—reassigned her shortly thereafter and fired her within the week of returning from bereavement leave. A jury just awarded her $3.27 million for retaliation. TL;DR: A […]| The Employer Handbook Blog
For the second time in seven years, a federal court in Texas has struck down a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) rule aimed at expanding the scope of| Law and the Workplace
Wage theft is an unfortunate reality for many workers in California. In 2023, there were 1,508,209 minimum wage violations, with workers across major metropolitan areas losing up to $4,900 annually due to these violations. Whether unpaid overtime, missing wages, or incorrect classifications that lead to underpayment, wage violations can leave you struggling to recover what| Manukyan Law Firm - Glendale Employment Law Attorney | Manukyan Law Firm
In its September 11, 2024 opinion in Mayfield v. Department of Labor, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that the U.S.| Law and the Workplace
CalChamber’s PAGA Wage and Hour Compliance Toolkit is now available for immediate download, offering businesses critical support to comply with the latest Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) reform measures.| CalChamber Alert
On July 1, 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2288 and Senate Bill 92 significantly reforming California’s Private Attorney| Employment Law Worldview
We would like to make our information technology (IT) manager an exempt employee. May we use the computer professional exemption for this purpose?| CalChamber Alert
