Employment Attorneys in Pleasanton, CA Guide Business Owners
Seasoned employment lawyers serve companies in the Tri-Valley area
Anyone wishing to start a new business or relocate a business to California must be prepared to contend with some of the most extensive worker protection laws in the nation. These laws can add substantially to the cost of doing business. Compliance failures can expose the company to liability. Businesses wishing to thrive in the larger Tri-Valley area will benefit from trustworthy employment law guidance. Keeping abreast of state and federal employment law is the safest way to avoid expensive litigation, liability judgments and worker discontent. You can trust Pleasanton-based Garcia & Gurney, A Law Corporation, to provide reliable legal advice on any employment matter.
Advice on key federal employment law protections
The Fair Labor Standards Act sets the federal minimum wage and overtime pay at "time and a half." Other noteworthy federal laws include provisions for:
- Workplace safety — The Occupational Safety and Health Act created OSHA, the federal agency that sets workplace safety standards.
- Health coverage — The Employer Shared Responsibility Payment provision of the Affordable Care Act requires companies with 50 or more full-time workers to offer employees health insurance at a minimum amount.
- Discrimination — Title VII of the Civil Rights Act makes it illegal for businesses to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act further strengthens protections against wage discrimination versus women and minorities.
- Whistleblower protections — Various laws protect workers with inside information who report a company’s wrongdoing to appropriate authorities.
- Family Leave — The Family and Medical Leave Act requires companies of a certain minimum size to provide eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year in the wake of their child’s birth or adoption or in cases of serious personal or family member illness.
Our attorneys can inform your company management of its responsibilities under each pertinent law.
Trustworthy guidance on California employment law for businesses
In many cases, the California law goes beyond federal requirements in the areas of wage and hours rights, anti-discrimination rights, employee classification for purposes of overtime, workplace safety, leave policies, benefits and health insurance coverage; employment contracts, noncompete agreements, and nondisclosure agreements; wrongful termination protections and final payout requirements.
California law continues to evolve, with recent new laws impacting several areas. These include:
- Greater restrictions on noncompete clauses
- Increases to minimum wage ($16/hr.) and minimum exempt salary ($66,560)
- Increases to minimum wage for healthcare workers to $18 or $23 per hour
- $20 minimum wage for fast food restaurants
- Expanded paid sick leave to five days or 40 hours
- Unpaid leave of up to five days for reproductive loss, such as failed adoption, failed surrogacy, miscarriage, still birth or unsuccessful assisted reproduction
- Presumption of retaliation if an employee is disciplined or discharged within 90 days of filing a Labor Code complaint
- Protection of workers’ rights to off-duty cannabis use
- Requirement of businesses to establish a workplace violence prevention plan
With California employment laws frequently changing, you need knowledgeable advice to stay ahead. Our employment law attorneys formulate compliance practices for management and employees, which can be memorialized in a company’s employment handbook. If and when employment disputes arise, our attorneys can assess the situation, advise you on a prudent litigation strategy and pursue the best available outcome.
Contact our Pleasanton employment lawyers to protect your business
Garcia & Gurney, A Law Corporation advises businesses in Pleasanton, CA and throughout the Tri-Valley area on their obligations under state and federal employment law. For knowledgeable assistance with your employment law matters, call 925-468-0400 or contact us online.
