Employment Law Articles

Learn and discover the latest useful employment law articles for practical information, DIY, and ideas from a network of leading business and corporate lawyers.

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Emotional Duress: How to Avoid

Emotional duress is an extremely unpleasant emotional response from someone else's conduct or actions. You can sue for money damages for anguish, or humiliation. This is known as emotional harm or mental anguish.

California Termination Laws

In California, an employee's employment may be terminated at the will of either party. Employees who are terminated must be paid all wages due at the time of termination. 

Late Paycheck Penalty

When your paycheck is late, the employer has to pay a penalty of one day's pay for each day that the paycheck is late, up to a maximum of thirty days.

How To Calm Down Before An Interview

12 simple ways on to calm your nerves before and during an interview is to use relaxation techniques. Before an interview, imagine how you would ideally want to present yourself in the interview and then visualize yourself in the interview.

How to Include a Referral in Your Cover Letter?

Your cover letter should start with mentioning the referral's name because it instantly qualifies you. A referral cover letter helps you to define the mutual contact that has referred you for the job.

Best Job Options For Someone With A Criminal Record

This article identifies jobs for someone with a criminal record; examples are: delivery service, freelance designer, truck driver, chef, etc.

What are Weingarten Rights?

Weingarten rights guarantee an employee the right to Union representation during an investigatory interview by their employer.

What Is Job Rotation: Advantages And Disadvantages

Job rotation is the practice of moving employees between roles or positions in a company. Job rotation temporarily assigns employees to other roles to teach them new skills, learn about other functions within the team, and develop relationships across the business.

What is the meaning of Pay Rate?

Pay rate is the total money a worker receives during regular working hours, excluding overtime. In order words, pay rate, also called salary rate or compensation rate, is the wage amount paid to an employee per hour, per day, or per task completed.

How can part-time or temporary work help you explore career choices?

Part-time or temporary work offers a practical way to explore exploring and understanding what career you want. Temporary work or part time work gives you the opportunity to discover your strengths, preferences, and passions without the long-term commitment required by full-time work.

Understanding Incentive Pay: Definition, Types, and Benefits Explained

Learn how different forms of incentive pay, from bonuses to commission, can drive business success and enhance workforce engagement. Discover the key benefits and best practices of implementing incentive pay strategies in your organization, essential for attracting and retaining top talent.

What Happens When You Get Audited EDD

Gain clarity on the EDD audit process with our comprehensive guide, detailing what happens when you get audited by the Employment Development Department, including steps to prepare and respond effectively." "Navigate the complexities of an EDD audit smoothly with our expert insights, exploring the implications, documentation requirements, and key strategies to manage the auditing process efficiently and confidently.

What is FMLA Intermittent Leave of Absence?

An employee uses their 12 weeks of unpaid leave intermittently under FMLA Intermittent leave, taking it off and on, unlike continuous family medical leave or a reduced work schedule. FMLA leave can be taken intermittently by employees – in separate blocks of time for a single qualifying reason – or on a reduced leave schedule, which involves reducing the employee's usual weekly or daily work schedule, when it is medically necessary.

What Does Staffing Agency Mean?

A staffing agency recruits employees for businesses that are seeking to fill certain positions. A staffing agency is a company that provides employees to work in another company on a temporary or permanent basis. 

Character Reference Letter Sample and Tips

A character reference letter offers employers insight into an individual's qualities and character traits through the perspective of a third party.

Exploring the Evolution of Supreme Court Rulings on Arbitration Agreement

This article explores the complex landscape of Supreme Court rulings on arbitration, particularly focusing on cases since 1997. We delved into key decisions and their implications for employment law and policy statements, providing a detailed analysis of the evolving legal context.

California’s Ban on Mandatory Arbitration in Employment Overturned by Ninth Circuit Court

The Ninth Circuit's decision on AB 51 is pivotal for California employer class action defense attorneys, impacting arbitration agreement enforceability in employment. The ruling aligns state law with the Federal Arbitration Act, underscoring arbitration's role in employment disputes.

What is EEO-1 Reporting? Reporting Requirements, Deadlines, and Penalties

The EEO-1 Component 1 report is an annual mandatory data collection. It calls for all private sector employers of 100 or more employees and federal contractors of 50 or more eligible employees with specified criteria to submit workforce demographic data, inclusive of data by job category, sex and race or ethnicity, to the EEOC.

What is shift differential pay? How It Is Calculated, Who Can Qualify for It, and Its Advantages

Shift differential is an increase in pay rate for working undesirable hours such as nights, weekends, weekends, or holiday. Shift Differential Pay: How It Is Calculated, Who Can Qualify for It, and Its Advantages

8 Types of Work Shifts

Work shifts can be categorized into various types, including Day Shifts, typically covering standard daytime hours; Night (or Graveyard) Shifts, operating during late-night to early morning; Swing (or Afternoon) Shifts, spanning late afternoon to late evening;

What happens if employers get caught working under the table?

If an employer is caught paying employees "under the table" – that is, in cash without providing paystubs or deducting taxes – there can be serious legal and financial consequences such as back taxes, penalties for not reporting wages, criminal charges, labor law violations, and employee lawsuits.

What Is Unpaid Time Off and How To Create A Company Policy For It

Unpaid time off is time away from work an employee can take without pay. Employees can use unpaid time off for any reasons such as for illness, vacation, and personal reasons.

How To Calculate Net Pay

Net pay is calculated by subtracting all deductions, such as taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and any other voluntary or mandatory withholdings (like retirement contributions or health insurance premiums), from the employee's gross pay.

California New Employee Forms

California companies must provide newly hired employees with forms, including employee withholdings.

What Is Time and A Half?

Time and a half mean an increased rate of pay for overtime hours, over 8 hours per day or those that exceed the 40-hour work week.

How To Calculate Time And A Half

To calculate an employee's overtime rate of pay, multiply the time-and-a-half rate by the number of overtime hours the employee worked to find the overtime wages due.

Travel And Expense Policy Best Practices

A travel expense policy is a set of company guidelines that informs employees what travel expenses are reimbursed by the company.

Sample Character Reference Letter of Recommendation Template

A character letter of recommendation describes a person's aggregate of moral qualities, behavior, and personality by which a person is judged.

California PTO Laws

California does not require employers to provide their employees with paid time off (PTO). However, if an employer offers PTO, under California law, earned paid time off is considered wages.

What is a company’s handbook?

A company handbook is a manual that gives employees guidance on the company's policies, expectations, procedures, working conditions and behavioral expectations.