California's Controversial and Unprecedented New Law Creates "Selective" Minimum Wage For Fast Food Workers and Council to Oversee Franchise Owners.

California has enacted a new law that creates a “selective” minimum wage by creating a minimum wage only for fast food workers. In the span of less than seven months, California fast food workers will receive a $4.50 per hour pay increase. In January of 2024, all other California employees working for minimum wage will receive a pay increase of a mere $0.50 per hour. Fast food employees are clearly receiving a windfall, and fast food employers will now be forced to deal with added rules, regulation, and oversight due to the creation of the fast food council.

Employers, Employment, RestaurantsKathleenNovember 7, 2023Fast Food Franchisor Responsibility Act, AB 1228, Fast Food Council, Fast food minimum wage, minimum wage, minimum wage increase, California minimum wage, $20 minimum wage, Panera, Boudin, employer, employees, Employee lawsuit

Update: Governor Vetoes SB 799 and Refuses to Pay Unemployment Benefits to (Employed) Workers Who Choose to Strike.

UPDATE: Governor Newsom recently vetoed California Senate Bill 799, which would have provided unemployment benefits to employees who were not laid off and, instead, were choosing to go on strike.

Employers, Employment, RestaurantsKathleenOctober 13, 2023Unemployment, Unemployment Fund, Unemployment taxes, Unemployment Insurance, Unemployment Benefits, employer records, employer, employees

California Forces Employers to Increase the Number of Mandatory Paid Sick Days From Three to Five Days.

California employers, beware! On October 4, 2023, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 616 into law which requires employers to increase the number of mandatory paid sick days from 3 to 5 days. This new law will go into effect on January 1, 2024.

Employers, Employment, RestaurantsKathleenOctober 12, 2023mandatory paid sick days, sick days, senate bill 616, employer, employment, employees, California employers, California employer requirements, California businesses, California employment records, Covid-19, California employer recordkeeping

California Proposes Unemployment Benefits for Illegal Immigrants.

California’s legislature hopes to expand unemployment benefits to illegal immigrants who are unemployed. If Senate Bill 227 passes, employers may be forced to pay higher taxes to cover the increase in unemployment benefits being paid out. The new bill increases the pool of “unemployment benefits” applicants, allows undocumented employees meet a lower threshold for obtaining “unemployment benefits, and actively ignores the propensity for fraud in these instances.

Employers, Employment, RestaurantsKathleenSeptember 29, 2023EDD, Excluded Workers Program, Senate Bill 227, Unemployment Benefits, Unemployment, Unemployment Insurance, Safety Net For All Workers Act, employer, Employment award, employees, Illegal Immigrant, Green card

Employers May be Forced to Pay Unemployment Benefits to the Employed (On Strike).

California employers may be forced to pay unemployment benefits to employees who are still employed but refuse to work because they are on strike. The California legislature is considering Senate Bill 799, which can have negative repercussions for various industries. First, it will give organized labor, an already powerful force in politics today, even more leverage and power. Second, it may cause more jobs to be left unfilled as many employees will be incentivized to strike. After all, they get paid during a strike, and they will (presumably) get paid MORE after a strike. Worst of all, the employers and employees who are not participating in the strikes are ultimately being forced to participate by paying increased taxes or receiving less in benefits.

Employers, Employment, RestaurantsKathleenSeptember 25, 2023Senate Bill 799, EDD, Unemployment, Unemployment taxes, Unemployment Fund, Unemployment Benefits, employment, employer, employees

California Employers May be Forced to Create and Implement Policies to Prevent ANY Violence in the Workplace From Stopping Shoplifters to Domestic Violence.

If Senate Bill 553 passes, employers may be required to create new policies, maintain more meticulous records, and be ready to conduct investigations in all incidents of workplace violence by July 1, 2024- in less than a year! In addition, failure to comply with these requirements means that the employer may be hit with expensive citations and civil penalties. The irony for California employers is obvious: the California Legislature is now asking employers to do what the California legislature and the governor could not do: prevent violence in places of business.

Employers, Employment, RestaurantsWilliam BaileySeptember 22, 2023senate bill 553, shoplifting, workplace violence, CAL/OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973, California employers, California businesses, employees

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