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Not necessarily. It’s up to you to decide how many hours employees need to work in a week to be considered full-time. While we generally recommend that you abide by the standards you've set previously so that you’re enforcing your policies consistently, you could also change those policies (and notify employees) in light of current business conditions. For instance, if you previously defined full-time as 40 hours per week, but you've cut the hours of most full-time employees

Yes, you can require an exempt employee to work weekends and not pay them extra, assuming they are properly classified this way. It’s pretty standard for exempt employees to be asked to work late or put in additional time on occasion, and in most cases, there is no expectation of extra pay. Although there are some exceptions, exempt employees are generally entitled to their full salary regardless of how many hours they work during the week—in other words, taking a long lunch,

If you receive an anonymous complaint, it is important to remain calm and review the complaint objectively regardless of how egregious the accusations may seem. Although the complaint was received anonymously, the company still has an obligation to take action, if necessary, to ensure that employees are provided a workplace that is safe and free from harassing or discriminatory conduct. We recommend investigating the complaint to the extent possible given the information rece

Do we need to investigate safety violations even if no one has made an official complaint? Yes, I recommend you investigate the matter and take appropriate enforcement or disciplinary action. As an employer, you have an obligation under the OSHA general duty clause to provide a workplace free from hazards. Under the circumstances, this may mean requiring that employees wear face coverings in the workplace and complete additional cleaning and disinfecting protocols to prevent

No, termination always comes with some risk, even when the employment is at-will. While at-will employment allows either you or the employee to terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause, it doesn’t allow you to terminate employment for an unlawful reason which includes termination based on the fact that the employee exercised a legal right (like taking family leave or sick leave) or belongs to a protected class (e.g.,

They can be, yes. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an individual with a disability is a person who: Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; Has a record of such an impairment; or Is regarded as having such an impairment The ADA prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job applicati

There’s no law against it, but some employees may feel that announcing their birthday violates their privacy. While it’s great that you want to recognize your employees and celebrate with them, I recommend not announcing an employee’s birthday without first getting their permission. In the case of announcements on public social media, I would get a signed acknowledgment that the employee has given you permission to share their birthday and that their doing so is completely vo

Set expectations around respectful behavior

In most circumstances, employers shouldn’t ask about an employee’s symptoms, as that could be construed as a disability-related inquiry. Under the circumstances, however, and in line with an employer’s responsibility to provide a safe workplace, our HR Pros recommend asking specifically about the symptoms of COVID-19 and making it clear that this is the extent of the information you’re looking for. Here’s a suggested communication: “Thank you for staying home while sick. In t

While the scale of the Coronavirus outbreak seems daunting, it’s important to remember that we’ve seen similar global pandemics over the past two decades, most notably SARS and swine flu. As with each previous global outbreak, calmness and preparation can help minimize the impact. Read here for the full blog from our Gusto partner. Why Zap your payroll with Gusto? We'd love to share with you the added benefits!

New minimum wage in the city of Alameda effective July 1, 2019

An employer will owe up to three years of back taxes on the misclassifed employee's wages, in addition to fines and interest. And more..

As you are likely aware, California law on determining employee/independent contractor status changed significantly with the adoption of the “ABC test” in Dynamex by the California Supreme Court last year. This test has been applied retroactively by multiple state and federal courts since then. The California Labor Commissioner recently issued an opinion letter setting forth the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement’s position that the ABC test also applies to obligations

Returning from FMLA

You can limit political speech and associated conduct that are not work-related—provided you don’t infringe on protected rights or laws

A July 2018 decision of the California Supreme Court, Troester v. Starbucks, significantly increased employers’ responsibility to ensure tha

Do you have employees complaining that one your managers is regularly abrasive and rude, yelling at employees and sometimes insulting them?

California state law regarding employee pay is changing in 2018. Here are several things you need to be aware of … The minimum wage has been increased... Beginning January 1, 2018, California’s minimum wage is going up. Employers with 25 or fewer employees must pay their workers at least $10.50 per hour Employers with 26 or more employees must pay their workers at least $11 per hour Additionally some localities have passed their own ordinances that set the local minimum wage

Governor Jerry Brown recently signed a few bills effecting employers. Here is a list of bills all California employers should be watching:

How should you respond if you suspect that an employee is stealing?