A new law took effect earlier this year which aims to make no fault evictions more difficult on landlords. Many California landlords are still reeling from the pandemic-era restrictions on evictions and rent moratoriums. Well, California’s legislature has placed further restrictions on landlords. California landlords need to be aware of the new no fault eviction notice rules and the requirement for relocation assistance.
Read MoreBack in April of 2024, the Federal Trade Commission voted to adopt a ban on noncompete agreements, stating that such a ban was justified because noncompete agreements are an “unfair method of competition.” Texas filed suit in federal court challenging the ban, arguing that the FTC lacks authority to issue such a ban. The court agreed and in August of 2024 blocked enforcement of the ban nationwide. Since that time, on October of 2024, the FTC filed an appeal. Although an appeal is pending, employers can technically continue to enforce existing noncompete agreements against workers.
Read MoreCalifornia's new law, which takes effect in 2025, requires landlords to pay to change the lock on all exterior doors (or reimburse the tenant who paid to change the lock out of his or her own pocket), which can (in some cases) cost hundreds of dollars. In addition, landlords must change the locks even in cases where the tenant does not provide a police report or court order. This is because the list of acceptable proof has expanded to even include mere “statements” from a “qualified” third party such as domestic violence counselors, human trafficking caseworkers, sexual assault counselors, and health practitioners (social workers, surgeons, psychiatrists, psychologists). A police report is not required, nor is a court order required.
Read MoreThe new rule, which took effect on July 1, 2024, requires that any salaried workers who earn less than $43,888 (or $844 per week) are entitled to overtime pay for any hours worked beyond 40 hours per week. Under the new rule, the threshold will increase for the first time on January 1, 2025 and will be scheduled to increase every three years thereafter. On January 1, 2025, any salaried employers who earn less than $58,656 a year (or $1,128 per week) will be entitled to overtime pay. In creating a higher threshold, the Department of Labor estimates that approximately $4 Million previously exempt workers will be eligible for overtime pay.
Read MoreIf you think California has been making it harder and harder for employers to operate in the state, you may have one more draconian law to deal with soon. California is proposing a new law which gives employees the right to disconnect from all communications from their employer during their non-working hours. The only exception where an employer can contact employees during their non-working hours is during an emergency or an immediate scheduling issue. If you run a business, you know that many unforeseen events and many questions arise during the course of a business day - some of which can be solved with one simple phone call or text. This potential new law does not create clear boundaries. Instead, it creates many more questions that have been left unanswered. It also fails to take into account the practical way in which businesses are run, how issues are resolved, and the situations in which employees have a chance to even work overtime hours.
Read MoreCalifornia’s mandatory $20 minimum wage for fast food workers is already changing the way fast food chains operate. Business owners could have predicted the immediate outcome of California’s infamous $20 fast food minimum wage: rapidly rising prices of fast food and the mass layoff of fast food workers was no surprise. The fallout in the California fast food industry has begun and we are only seeing inklings of the fast food industry’s future. For fast food restaurants and their owners, the simultaneous increase in the 1) worker’s hourly rate, 2) manager’s salary, 3) price of menu items, and 4) price in groceries can be a difficult (if not fatal) balancing act.
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