Harassment of any kind has no place in the workplace. Employers have a legal obligation to provide a work environment free from intimidation, insult, or ridicule based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This obligation is not only required by federal anti-discrimination laws, but it is also good business practice. Harassment can have...
The short-term rental industry is facing increasing scrutiny and regulation. The industry is booming, but is also facing increasing scrutiny and regulation. In some cases, governments are enacting bans on short-term rentals, while others are increasing penalties for breaking the rules. What does this mean for short-term rental operators? It means that operators need to...
Intellectual property (IP) assets are among the most valuable items companies have. Acquiring, licensing, and disposing of IP can be a very fraught process for many companies that are unfamiliar with the legal process. Many companies today do not fully appreciate the value of their IP, as IP can be even more valuable than physical...
Under California Labor Code § 2922, California is an at-will employment state with employment that has no specified term being terminated at the will of either party on notice to the other. Things change when an employer has a contract with an employee, however. Whether you are discussing an employment contract, a non-competition agreement, or...
Great supervisors are important to workplaces because they can often help elevate the performance of workers and help encourage workers to perform their jobs to the best of their abilities. It is important for business owners to understand that not all people have the necessary leadership skills to act as supervisors, so training is highly...
Commercial leases can be much more complicated than traditional lease agreements, and people will need to be aware of several important provisions relating to these kinds of documents. A commercial lease will typically be an agreement between a person or entity that is the tenant or lessee and a property owner who is the landlord...
Wrongful termination occurs when a person is fired or laid off for unlawful reasons such as discrimination, reporting California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) violations, whistleblower actions, contract violations, public policy violations, filing of workers’ compensation claims or reporting work injuries, California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) violations, taking leave, or filing...
Today, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued guidance explaining the application of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to automated systems that incorporate artificial intelligence in a range of HR-related uses. In doing so, the EEOC explained that without proper safeguards, employers might violate Title VII when they use AI...
The Judicial Branch of California notes that Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes help people resolve disputes without having to file lawsuits and deal with trials. Arbitration and mediation are perhaps the two most common kinds of ADR, and some people may sign contracts that involve mandatory binding arbitration or mediation that prohibits them from filing...