White Papers

  • Dave’s Desk: Win Some Lose Some

      WIN SOME LOSE SOME Happy New Years . . . and Happy New Laws.  Starting with the good news, employers should be advised that the regulation promulgated by the Federal Department of Labor which would have required employers to increase the salary level for exempt status employees December 1, 2016, has been blocked by a federal judge in Texas. 

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  • Dave’s Desk: Weed at Work

    THE ISSUE  Recently, California passed Proposition 64 which legalized the use of marijuana for recreational purposes.  It is now legal for an individual to possess 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana.  However, the legalization failed to address the issue of marijuana usage at work (or before work) where the employee may be impaired by the substance

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  • Dave’s Desk: Recap of What to Expect in 2017

    Over the past six months several new bills have passed the legislature or been enacted by the Federal Government which will impact employers in the state of California. SALARY FOR EXEMPT EMPLOYEES First, employers are reminded that the new Federal salary level for exempt status employees goes into effect December 1, 2016 and requires that individuals who may otherwise qualify

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  • Dave’s Desk: New OSHA Regulations Hit Employers

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued new regulations regarding drug testing, inactive programs and accident reporting.  These became effective August 10, 2016 for all employers.  The main thrust of these regulations is that employers may no longer automatically require drug testing following an accident in the workplace; incentive programs are now considered an “adverse action” and unlawful and

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  • Dave’s Desk: Check with Counsel

    Many Employers operate day-to-day without recourse to legal counsel for employment and labor matters.  Most do so without incident or problem.  However, those who have found themselves in litigation often lament that they wish they had talked to an attorney beforehand because the “whole mess” could have been avoided.  Access to employment counsel is easy to obtain and generally reasonable

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