California Advice and Counsel

About this practice

California is one of the most challenging regulatory environments for employers in the country, due to the numerous laws governing employers. Our team of attorneys is focused on providing employers with tailored California advice and strategies. We deliver both legal and practical guidance to assist California employers in navigating what are frequently multi-disciplinary issues. As part of our legal services, we assist employers with understanding California rules including those pertaining to overtime, sexual harassment training, or leaves of absence (to name a few).

Discipline and Terminations

Litigation is expensive anywhere, but especially in California. Our team is available to discuss approaches for, and mitigating risks associated with, employee discipline and terminations. We also are a resource to review and offer advice on performance related documents, including performance improvement plans and employee warnings.

Disability, Leave and Health Management Advice

Working with our Disability, Leave and Health Management team, we provide advice regarding California specific leave and accommodation issues. With California’s unique body of leave laws employers grapple with a variety of leave and reasonable accommodation compliance issues. Our team is available to provide guidance and assistance with the following:

California’s Paid Sick Leave Law, including how provisions of the law interact with the multiple local ordinances across the state
Analysis and application of leave and reasonable accommodations, including how to navigate the interactive process
California tailored leave of absence forms and notices
Navigating the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) and Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) law while maintaining compliance with the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Compliance with multiple variations of leave laws including: domestic violence, kin care and school attendance leaves
Preparation of leave-related communications on behalf of Human Resources and Legal departments
Leave and disability-related policies and training

Wage and Hour Advice

Our Wage and Hour team has a deep understanding of California’s nuanced wage and hour laws, and together we work with employers to help them meet compliance objectives with the goal of avoiding future claims whenever possible. Our team is available to partner with you in the following areas:

California and state-specific annual minimum wage increases
Rules regarding timing of employee pay, including final pay
Timekeeping, overtime and meal and rest period compliance
Compensation plan reviews
Analysis of exemption classifications
Independent contractor classification reviews
Wage and hour policy-related reviews and training

Policy Reviews and Other Employee-Related Documents

Due to California’s requirements, many multi-state employers have either standalone handbooks or detailed handbook supplements for their California employees. From individual policies to entire handbooks, we offer policy reviews and guidance for employers that can be customized to your business. Our team also provides valuable insights in the review and preparation of any type of employment-related document or contract, including employee job descriptions, employment applications and arbitration agreements.