Senate Bill 616, which was signed into law by Governor Newsom this month, amends existing law regarding paid sick leave to California employees. 

The Essentials:

Beginning January 1, 2024 –

• The number of paid sick days per year will be increased to 40 hours or 5 days, whichever is greater (increased from 24 hours or 3 days).
• Employers may cap an employee’s use of paid sick leave to 40 hours or 5 days in each year of employment, calendar year, or 12-month period (increased from 24 hours or 3 days).
• Employers may cap paid sick leave carryover accrual at 80 hours or 10 days, whichever is greater ...

After years of debate, and a looming referendum, a compromise between labor and business representatives has resulted in a final law regulating the fast-food industry. On September 28, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (“AB”) 1228 into law. AB 1228 is a compromise version of the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act, a law that initially became effective on January 1, 2023, but them became the subject of a referendum which halted enforcement.  Now that AB 1228 has been enacted, the referendum on the Fast Food Accountability and Standards ...

You may have heard the half-serious joke that California acts as its own independent country.  One example of this is California’s strong disfavor of non-compete agreements, which stands in contrast with the rest of the country which permits these agreements to varying degrees.

California has leaned further into its famed independence with the passage of Senate Bill 699, which will go into effect on January 1, 2024.  SB 699 seeks to strengthen California’s existing ban against non-compete agreements set forth in Business and Professions Code section 16600 which simply states ...

Q: I am a receiver for a corporation, in a case arising out of fraud allegations. I have asserted claims against various insiders. They are willing to settle with me for a significant sum, but only if the court bars investors, customers and vendors from suing them. Can the court issue such a bar order?

A: Maybe. It will depend on the types of claims the third parties possess. The issue of third party releases is a hot topic in bankruptcy. It recently arose in the infamous Purdue Pharma bankruptcy, where the Saclker family agreed to pay $4.55 billion, but only if they were released from any third ...