Description
California has the toughest and most costly employment laws in the nation. In this publication, Attorney Richard J. Simmons of the law firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, addresses the numerous workplace statutes that burden California employers. It examines the far-reaching network of new rules that touch upon such diverse subjects as wage-hour reform, employment discrimination, time off, leaves of absence, mass layoffs, plant closings, background checks, lactation accommodation, and paid family leave. It also reviews the devastating impact of these new laws on California businesses and employment.
The publication provides a year-by-year analysis of the bills signed into law by Governor Davis since 1999 and evaluates their individual and combined effect. It reproduces and explains many of the bills that are of greatest significance to California employers. Among the subjects discussed in the publication are the following:
- Over 150 Workplace Reforms Enacted
- Overregulation Of California Businesses
- Year-By-Year Analysis Of Legislation
- Remedied For Undocumented Workers
- Employment Discrimination Rules
- Time Off Rules
- Paid Family Leave Law
- AB 60 Changes
- Workplace Communication Rules
- Identity Theft Bills
- The “Sue Your Boss” Law
- Payroll Laws
- Cal-Cobra Changes
- Wage-Hour Reforms
- Layoffs And Plant Closings
- Background Check Reforms
- Pro-Union Measures
- Whistleblower Legislation
- Selected Bills
- Sexual Harassment Bills
Table Of Contents
SECTION 1 OVERVIEW OF CALIFORNIA LAWS
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 THE BIAS FAVORING OVERREGULATING EMPLOYERS
1.3 SCOPE OF PUBLICATION
1.4 A YEAR-BY-YEAR SUMMARY
1.5 LIMITATIONS AND CAUTIONARY NOTE
1.6 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
SECTION 2 2004 LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
2.1 WAGE AND HOUR LAWS
2.2 RIGHTS TO TIME OFF, LEAVES OF ABSENCE, AND BENEFITS
2.3 EMPLOYEE INSURANCE LEGISLATION
2.4 EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION AND ANTI-RETALIATION LAWS
2.5 DOMESTIC PARTNER REFORMS
2.6 MISCELLANEOUS LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
2.7 SELECTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2003
SECTION 3 2003 LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
3.1 WAGE AND HOUR LAWS
3.2 RIGHTS TO TIME OFF, LEAVES OF ABSENCE, AND BENEFITS
3.3 EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION AND ANTI-RETALIATION LAWS
3.4 LAYOFF AND PLANT CLOSING REFORMS
3.5 MISCELLANEOUS LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
3.6 SELECTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2002
SECTION 4 2002 LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
4.1 WAGE AND HOUR LAWS
4.2 EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LAWS
4.3 MISCELLANEOUS LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
4.4 SELECTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2001
SECTION 5 2001 LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
5.1 WAGE AND HOUR LAWS
5.2 RIGHTS TO TIME OFF, LEAVES OF ABSENCE, AND BENEFITS
5.3 EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LAWS
5.4 SELECTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2000
SECTION 6 2000 LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
6.1 WAGE AND HOUR LAWS
6.2 RIGHTS TO TIME OFF, LEAVES OF ABSENCE, AND BENEFITS
6.3 EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LAWS
6.4 MISCELLANEOUS LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
6.5 SELECTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 1999
APPENDIX A SELECTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2003
APPENDIX B SELECTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2002
APPENDIX C SELECTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2001
APPENDIX D SELECTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2000
APPENDIX E SELECTED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 1999
About The Author
Richard J. Simmons is a Partner in the law firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Los Angeles. He represents employers in various employment law matters involving litigation throughout the country and general advice regarding state and federal wage and hour laws, employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, employee discipline and termination, employee benefits, affirmative action, union representation proceedings, and arbitrations. Mr. Simmons received his B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts, where he was a Commonwealth Scholar and graduated in the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. He received his J.D. from Berkeley Law at the University of California at Berkeley where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Industrial Relations Law Journal, now the Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law.
Mr. Simmons argued the only case before the California Supreme Court that produced a victory for employers and business in 2018. He was recently recognized as the Labor and Employment Attorney of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal and was inducted into the Employment Lawyers Hall of Fame. He has lectured nationally on wage and hour, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, and other employment and labor relations matters. He is a member of the National Advisory Board to the Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law, published by Berkeley Law at the University of California at Berkeley. He was also appointed by the California Industrial Welfare Commission as a member of three Minimum Wage Boards for the State of California.
