California’s enhanced pay data reporting requirement under SB 1162 for 100 or more employees or 100 or more workers hired through labor contractors is due May 10, 2023, for reporting year 2022. More information is found here.
New Minimum Wage Ordinance in San Mateo County, California
San Mateo County (the County) enacted a new minimum wage ordinance that took effect April 1, 2023. The County’s minimum wage is an hourly rate of $16.50. Beginning January 1, 2024, and each January thereafter there will be increases in the rate.
The new ordinance applies to the unincorporated areas of the County, but not the city of San Mateo or other cities within the County that have their own minimum wage ordinances.
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California Court of Appeal Opens New Pathway for Private Attorneys General Act Claims
Recently, a California court of appeal held that employees can pursue Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claims for violations of California’s Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (HWHF) (Labor Code § 245 et seq.) The HWHF generally requires employers provide eligible employees at least three paid sick days per year. Enforcement of this requirement is the responsibility of the labor commissioner and attorney general, and employers who do not comply may be subject to compensatory and liquid damages. They also may incur civil penalties under section 248.5. Section 248.5(e), which states “any person or entity enforcing this article on behalf of the public as provided for under applicable state law shall, upon prevailing, be entitled only to equitable, injunctive, or restitutionary relief . . . .” (emphasis added). The interpretation of the italicized language became the core of the dispute in this recent case.
California Civil Rights Department Updates FAQs on New California Pay Transparency Law
California’s Senate Bill 1162, a pay transparency law aimed at identifying pay disparities based on gender, ethnicity, and race, went into effect on January 1, 2023. Last week, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), the state agency tasked with enforcing California’s civil rights laws, updated their Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to reflect the resulting changes to the state’s pay data reporting requirements.
DIR Updates 2023 California Exemption Rates for Computer Software Employees and Licensed Physicians and Surgeons
Each year, the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) updates the minimum pay requirements for certain exempt professions. This October, the DIR updated the 2023 rates for computer software employees and licensed physicians and surgeons. The new rates will go into effect on January 1, 2023, and reflect the 7.6% increase in the California Consumer
Cal-OSHA Approves Revised COVID-19 Workplace Rules
On June 3, 2021, California’s Occupational Safety & Healthy Standards Board approved significant revisions to the initial COVID-19-related Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) originally implemented on November 19, 2020 (see Perkins Coie’s previous blog post here). The amended regulations can be found here and will likely become effective on June 15, 2021, pending review by