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Hiring employees does not usually call to mind international trade compliance obligations. However, together U.S. export controls and anti-discrimination laws create a web that is overlooked or misunderstood by many types of employers of all sizes across many industries. Anti-discrimination laws prohibit unlawful citizenship status restrictions when hiring, and U.S. export controls prohibit disclosing controlled information to foreign nationals without authorization. Together, these law limit acceptable job descriptions and hiring practices.…
Continue Reading Export Control HR Pitfalls To Avoid When Hiring

In the aftermath of the Illinois Supreme Court’s Rosenbach decision, Illinois employers have faced a wave of class action litigation filed under the Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”). Employers hoping for relief from the statute’s private right of action must wait for another day (or another session) as Senate Bill 2134 (“SB 2134”) did not report out of committee by the March 28, 2019 deadline.…
Continue Reading The Potential For Stemming BIPA Suits Waits Another Day

Albert Einstein believed “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” The Ninth Circuit seems to agree. In Gilberg v. Cal. Check Cashing Stores, LLC, No. 17-16263, 2019 WL 347027 (Ninth Cir. Jan. 29, 2019), the Ninth Circuit held a single form combining nearly identical federal and state disclosures violates both federal and state laws. Employers who conduct pre-employment background checks must now provide applicants with two separate standalone forms: (1) disclosure and consent under Fair Credit Reporting Act; and (2) disclosure and consent under California’s Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (or other applicable state law). This decision applies to employees providing services in the Ninth Circuit (California, Arizona, Hawaii, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington).…
Continue Reading Complicating Simplicity: Ninth Circuit Requires Separate Stand-Alone Documents for Employment Background Checks

The legalization of recreational use of marijuana in several states, including California, has left many employment policies vague and confused. This article offers insights to questions every employer should be asking in light of legalization.

California’s Rollout of Legal Marijuana

California voters passed the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (“Prop 64”) on November 8, 2016, legalizing recreational marijuana use. However, the California Bureau of Cannabis Control only began accepting, processing, and issuing licenses to commercial marijuana dispensaries as of January 1, 2018. As of April 2018, the Bureau has granted over 5,000 licenses for a variety of commercial uses, including retail sales and distribution.…
Continue Reading It’s High Time to Update Your Marijuana Policies

As reported in our new laws for 2017 post, employers must give written notice to new employees (and to current employees upon request) explaining the rights of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. All California employers with at least 25 employees must be in compliance, effective July 1, 2017.…
Continue Reading Now in Effect: California Employers Must Provide New Hires with Written Notice of Victim Rights

The new year will bring along a variety of new obligations for California employers.  Although some of the new laws clarify existing law and provide helpful guidance, several impose additional requirements.  This update highlights key provisions of some of the more notable changes taking effect in 2017.  Links to the statutes and/or prior updates regarding the same are provided where applicable.…
Continue Reading California Employers – New Year, New Rules in 2017

Following the Los Angeles minimum wage ordinance that was enacted earlier this year, the City of Los Angeles has now enacted another ordinance that will significantly impact employers doing business within city limits.  On December 9, 2016, Mayor Garcetti signed into law the “Fair Chance” ordinance, which significantly limits the ability of Los Angeles employers to ask job applicants about criminal convictions.…
Continue Reading Los Angeles Enacts “Fair Chance” Ordinance Prohibiting Criminal History Inquiries Prior To Conditional Offers Of Employment

Effective March 7, 2017, employers who pay wages via direct deposit and/or payroll debit card will need to comply with more stringent requirements.  The New York State Department of Labor (the “NYSDOL”) recently issued final regulations governing the methods that New York employers may use to pay most “non-exempt” employees.  The regulations impose a number of new requirements on employers who remit wages via direct deposit and payroll debit card, including new notice and consent requirements that employers must comply with prior to utilizing such payment methods.…
Continue Reading New York State Department of Labor Issues Final Wage Regulations Imposing New Notice and Consent Requirements on Direct Deposit and Debit Card Wage Payments