The California Legislature is poised to dispense with a cost-effective and expedient method of resolving employment disputes.  Specifically, Assembly Bill 3080 seeks to prohibit any person or business from conditioning employment, or any employment-related benefit, on any applicant for employment or employee agreeing to the binding arbitration of disputes that involve any alleged violation of any provision of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.  The bill also includes a prohibition against arbitration agreements that would require an employee to opt out of ...

Assembly Bill 2613 seeks to expand the persons potentially liable to any “person acting on behalf of an employer.” More specifically, liability would attach when an employee is not paid sums owed when due under Labor Code sections 201.3, 204, 204b, 204.1, 204.11, 204.2, 205, and 205.5, and the failure to pay is not the result of “an isolated or unintentional payroll error due to a clerical or inadvertent mistake.” AB 2613 would amend Labor Code section 210 to require an employer or person acting on behalf of an employer to pay a penalty of $200 to each and every affected employee for ...

Q: I was appointed receiver in a health and safety case, brought by a city, over a rundown motel and an adjacent rundown office building. The owner of the property, who has been fighting the city, has now filed an action in federal court against the city alleging that the city has violated his constitutional rights and is asking the federal court to set aside the receivership order. Can a federal court do that?

A: The short answer is no. Federal courts, generally, have no power to invalidate or set aside state court orders. Federal courts also, generally, do not have power to review the ...

The U.S. Department of Labor recently issued updated Affordable Care Act model notice forms (OMB No.1210-0149).  The new forms contain an expiration date of 5/31/2020, and replace all earlier versions.  Employers must provide these notices, which inform employees whether the employer offers a health plan, to all new employees within 14 days of hire.

There are two versions of the model notice form: one is for employers who do offer a health plan to some or all employees, while the other is for employers who do not offer a health plan.  Both versions of the updated form can be found here.

Partner, Ervin Cohen & Jessup

The financial elder abuse and fraud cases playing out in court right now surrounding Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee trace back to state laws enacted many years ago like the California Elder Abuse Act, designed to protect those over 65. However, many lawyers remain unfamiliar with them.

Here are 11 pointers on the California Elder Abuse Act for practitioners who may encounter financial elder abuse — the most common and fastest growing form of elder abuse.

First: The act contains a unilateral attorney’s fee and costs provision. If an abused elder prevails ...