Avoid Liability While Throwing Amazing Holiday Office Parties
Parties can be a minefield of potential liability for companies of all sizes, particularly if there is alcohol involved and the party is not well conceptualized ahead of time.
No – I’m NOT Having a Bad Hair Day! CA Dress Code Policy
If you are enacting a dress code policy in California, you can’t deny someone a promotion, refuse to hire someone, discipline someone or discriminate in any other manner against someone, just because of their hair style. Braids, locks, Bantu knots, twists, and other similar hair styles and textures, are traits historically associated with race, and therefore cannot be a basis for employment decisions.
Minimum Wage Changes – Are You Ready?
-- Updated December, 2019 -- A hike in minimum wage doesn’t only impact companies with minimum wage employees. The new rate may impact what you pay your exempt level employees as well. California employees who are exempt from overtime, are required to be paid no less than twice the weekly minimum wage amount.
Major CA Upset In Independent Contractor Rules
We’ve all heard of them, companies that have few, or no employees at all – they only use independent contractors. The thinking goes: 1) it’s cheaper by far, no employment taxes, and 2) no employer liability – you can’t get sued for harassment, discrimination etc. Sounds good – so what’s the problem?
Meet Vicky Brown of Idomeneo Enterprises in West Hollywood
One of the best things about what we do is our client’s get far more HR rigor than they could with a one person, or sometimes a one-half person, HR department. And, they don’t have to sacrifice the connection (dare I say, partnership) that happens with one person focused on your company.
Ban The Box Laws
Both California’s statewide law, and LA’s Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO), are in response to the Ban the Box movement that has been sweeping across the country. The movement seeks to expand employment opportunities for those who may have a prior criminal conviction.
Salary History – Just Say No
Age old questions when you are sitting across from a candidate. You don’t want to pay more than is required, and the candidate wants to be paid as much salary as possible. Neither side wants to leave money on the table. California has now put some guidelines around your access to a candidate’s salary history – you don’t have any.
But Wait – I Only Have 3 Employees!
Yes there are minimums – but the numbers might surprise you. General rule of thumb: an employer of one is the same as an employer of many. Yes, there are minimums for a number of labor laws – but the numbers might surprise you. Here are some of the big ticket items.
Imputed Income? Wait….What?!
Imputed income is an animal of the IRS. Our tax friends needed a way of determining how to tax a service or benefit that employers provide for employees. Some services/benefits are considered exempt from taxes (such as the company paid portion of medical insurance premiums)
Summer Internships
Internships are a wonderful thing – they give an inquiring young mind the opportunity to experience a working environment, and they give the company access to fresh talent. But beware – if your internships are unpaid, you are limited in how, and under what circumstances, you use that talent.