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A Primer on Employee Expense Reimbursements in California Posted on: March 08, 2022 In: Labor & Employment
In California, employers must reimburse their employees “for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties, or of his or her obedience to the directions of the employer." (Labor Code Section 2802.) Expense reimbursements can include use of personal cellphones, computers, vehicles, and more. The purpose of the law is to prevent employers from passing their operating expenses on to employees.
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california, employee reimbursements, wage and hour, human resources, payroll
Prevailing Wages: Who Needs to Pay Them & What Happens When They Don’t Posted on: February 14, 2022 In: Labor & Employment
Contractors and subcontractors working on certain federally and state-funded construction projects should ensure they follow federal and state prevailing wage laws when submitting bids and paying their employees. Failure to follow these laws can result in steep penalties for the employers.
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prevailing wages, wage and hour, payroll, compensation, contractors
Which States Are Paying More Money in 2022: An Overview of Minimum Wage Increases Across the Country Posted on: December 15, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
As 2021 begins to wind down, employees in many states can look forward to a raise in the new year as minimum wage rate increases take effect across the country in January 2022. This post lists the new minimum wage rates for those states, including information about tipped workers and tip credits.
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minimum wage, payroll, wage and hour, legislative alert, tipped employees, tip credit
Massachusetts Minimum Wage: Things Are Looking Up Posted on: August 31, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
On January 1, 2021, Massachusetts increased its minimum wage to $13.50 per hour (from $12.75 per hour). The Bay State will continue to raise this wage annually in steps ($0.75 per year) to reach a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour in January 2023. Of note, there are numerous circumstances in which different wages may be paid.
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massachusetts, minimum wage, wage and hour, premium pay, payroll
Wage Discrimination & Unequal Pay: Navigating Federal and California Laws Posted on: July 26, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
Although it has been over 50 years since the enactment of the federal Equal Pay Act, closing the wage gap between men and women remains a focal point for state and federal legislatures alike, with varying degrees of success. Measures such as the Paycheck Fairness Act have been repeatedly introduced to the United States Congress (and have failed to advance as recently as last month). In contrast, California has pushed ahead in recent years with sweeping changes to its own version of the Equal Pay Act.
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wage discrimination, equal pay, cepa, payroll, wage and hour, california
Colorado Supreme Court Holds Employees Cannot Forfeit Vacation Pay Offered By Employer Posted on: July 23, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
In the last year, Colorado has, not surprisingly, experienced a dramatic increase in employment-related laws, rules, and regulations. Most recently, in June 2021, the Colorado Supreme Court issued a long-awaited ruling in the Nieto v. Clark’s Market matter, which concerns the forfeiture of vacation pay under the Colorado Wage Claim Act (CWCA). The court held that employers cannot implement policies that require employees to forfeit vacation pay that’s already been earned, even if they contract otherwise.
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colorado, vacation pay, cwca, payroll, employee benefits
Returning Employees to the Office Post-Quarantine: Mileage & Commute Reimbursement Posted on: July 22, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
Now that the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated government quarantines are hopefully in the rearview mirror, employers are faced with a whole new set of questions as they transition a remote workforce back to the office, including whether (and how) employers need to reimburse workers for mileage, or pay for commute time for non-exempt employees who have been working from home but are now returning to the office on a part-time or full-time basis.
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Tags:
flsa, reimbursement, commuting, payroll, covid-19
Growing Nationwide Emphasis on Pay Transparency: What Employers Need to Know Posted on: July 20, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
Now, more than ever, employers are faced with a nationwide outcry for greater transparency around pay equity and pay transparency, both from employees and potential customers. The Biden Administration certainly echoes these sentiments, and has expressed a desire to pass new pay equity and transparency laws on the federal level. However, numerous states and local governments are not inclined to wait for the federal government to act and have instead begun to pass their own pay equity and transparency laws.
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pay transparency, payroll, equal pay, maryland, colorado, connecticut, california
2021 California Labor & Employment Law Update / 캘리포니아 노동법 2021년 업데이트 Posted on: June 29, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
2021 has been busy so far with the enactment of many labor laws and regulations. This post, available in both English and Korean, discusses California's new labor and employment laws as well as California's COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave.
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california, minimum wage, cfra, payroll, paid leave, covid-19, korean
It Pays to Be Penny-Wise When Paying Final Paychecks Posted on: March 29, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
A Georgia man made national news recently when his former employer paid his final paycheck with a wheelbarrow full of oil-soaked pennies. While most employers stick to more conventional methods of payment, such as checks or direct deposit, even the most careful employer can get tripped up when an employment relationship ends. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act does not require employers to pay final paychecks immediately. Therefore, the laws vary considerably across the country.
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payroll, final paycheck, flsa, wages
Recommendations for Navigating Personnel File & Payroll Record Requests Posted on: March 15, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
Plaintiffs’ attorneys often request an employee’s personnel file and payroll records to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their client’s case prior to filing a formal complaint. Often, they review the records to find additional violations, such as wage and hour violations. The California Labor Code provides employees the opportunity to request both their personnel file and their pay records. Failure to provide the requested documents timely can expose the employer to a penalty.
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california, records requests, human resources, personnel files, payroll, labor law
Paid Family Leave Is Coming to Colorado - It May Not Be Long Before It Comes to Your State Posted on: March 09, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
On November 3, 2020, Colorado passed the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act. The Act will bring about a series of changes that will roll out year to year. The first occurs on January 1, 2023, when each employer must remit a payroll tax to the fund to provide for the benefits. Benefits will become available to employees beginning January 1, 2024. The Act provides Colorado employees with some coverage not seen in the similar federal program known as the Family Medical Leave Act.
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colorado, paid leave, family leave, medical leave, fmla, payroll

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