California Employment Law

The Complete Survival Guide to Doing Business in California

Over 1200 pages. More than 40 essential forms on CD, plus legal updates between editions with purchase. Written by a California attorney with nearly 25 years of experience advising employers on the topics covered in this book, this is the most practical, comprehensive guide to California employment law on the market today. An essential reference on California labor laws for human resources and payroll departments, in-house counsel, business owners, and anyone managing personnel. The book includes:

• Legal updates between editions free with purchase (use website access code located in the “How to Use This Book” section)
• Detailed examples illustrating how legal concepts are applied in the real world
• “Best practices” used by California employers for handling complex legal issues
• Extensive compliance and audit checklists
• Comprehensive comparisons of California law with federal law and the laws of other states
• An extensive table of contents to help you quickly locate major topic areas
• A comprehensive index for locating specific topics
• Endnotes to help you locate original sources such as statutes, regulations and cases for further research

Book chapters provide comprehensive coverage of the following:

Forms and Templates (See Forms CD)

Job Applications • Offer Letters • Background Checks • Leaves • Attestation Forms (Meal Periods/Rest Breaks/Hours Worked) • Independent Contractor Agreements • Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) • Invention Assignment Agreements • Meal Period Waivers • Arbitration Agreements • WARN Notices • Severance Agreements • Leave Forms

The Employment Relationship (Chapter 1)

Joint Employment • Independent Contractor Relationships • California Labor Laws • Common Contractor Misclassification Mistakes • Advantages and Risks of Using Independent Contractors • Employment Tests For Application of California Payroll Tax Laws • Employment Tests for Application of Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits • Employment Tests for Application Wage & Hour, Workers’ Compensation, and Discrimination Laws • Volunteers, Interns, and Other Common Relationships

Recruitment and Hiring (Chapter 2)

Job Applications • Job Interviews • Background Checks • Job References • Applicant Testing • Internet Recruitment • Social Media • Prohibited Pre-Employment Questions • I-9’s • Medical Examinations • Drug and Alcohol Testing • Trade Secret Protection • Arbitration Agreements • Independent Contractors • California Minimum Wage

Discrimination and Harassment (Chapter 3)

Investigations • Corrective Action • Mandatory Management Training • Required Policies/Pamphlets • Disparate Treatment • Disparate Impact • Hostile Work Environment • Quid Pro Quo • Recordkeeping • Postings

Disability Accommodation (Chapter 4)

California’s Definition of “Disability” • California Disability Law • Duty to Reasonably Accommodate • Types of Accommodation • Interactive Process • Medical Marijuana • Overlap with California Leave and Workers’ Compensation Laws • Impact of ADA Amendments • State Disability Insurance (SDI) • Workers’ Compensation California

Time Off From Work – Leaves of Absence (Chapter 5)

Sick Leave • Vacation • PTO • Pregnancy • Disability/Workers’ Compensation • California Unemployment • California Family Rights Act (CFRA) • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) • Drug and Alcohol Treatment • Voting • Jury Duty • Service as Witness • Military Duty • Children’s School Activities • Domestic Violence • Sexual Assault • Felony Victims • Organ/ Bone Marrow Donation • Paid Family Leave

Wages, Hours, and Working Conditions (Chapter 6)

Meal and Rest Periods • Payment of Wages • California Overtime Law • California Minimum Wage • California Labor Code • Wage Deductions • California Labor Law • Payroll Cards • Electronic Deposit • Wage Statements • Bonuses • Commissions • Hours Worked • Timekeeping Systems • California Department of Labor • California Labor Board • Overtime Exemptions • Alternative Workweek Schedules • Tips • Expense Reimbursement • Final Wage Payments • Personnel File Inspection/Copying • Recordkeeping • Postings

Termination and Discipline (Chapter 7)

Wrongful Termination California • California’s At-Will Rule • Termination “Checklists” • “High Risk” Terminations • Minimizing Termination Risk • Performance Evaluations • Termination Letters • Termination Meetings • Reductions in Force • Sale of a Business • California WARN Act • Severance Agreements • Cal-COBRA • California Unemployment • California Employment Development Department (EDD)