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Jennifer Barrera took over as president and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce on October 1, 2021. She has been part of the CalChamber team since 2010 and stepped into the top position after serving as CalChamber executive vice president, overseeing the development and implementation of policy and strategy for the organization, as well as representing the CalChamber on legal reform issues. Barrera is well-known for her success rate with the CalChamber’s annual list of job killer legislation, efforts to reform the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and leadership working with employers on critical issues, including most recently those arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, she advises the business compliance activities of the CalChamber on interpreting changes in employment law. Barrera earned a B.A. in English from California State University, Bakersfield, and a J.D. with high honors from California Western School of Law. See full bio

Senate Committee to Consider Job Killer Leave Mandate

A leave mandate job killer bill opposed by the California Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to be considered next week by a Senate committee. SB...

Criminal History Regulations: CalChamber Seeks Rejection

The California Chamber of Commerce is asking the state Office of Administrative Law (OAL) to reject proposed regulations that create confusion regarding when employers...

Arbitration Can Benefit Both Parties in a Dispute

The history of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) and numerous U.S. Supreme Court decisions interpreting the act’s broad scope and strength set the stage...

Job Killer Bills Hurt Arbitration, Expand Avenues for Employment Litigation

Four bills the California Chamber of Commerce has identified as job killers early in the new legislative session hamper employers’ ability to manage their...

CalChamber Participates in Equal Pay Task Force Meeting at Capitol

California Chamber of Commerce Policy Advocate Jennifer Barrera joined other members of the California Pay Equity Task Force recently to discuss how to implement...

Signed Bills Help Business on Tax, Accessibility Issues

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. recently signed two California Chamber of Commerce-supported bills that improve fairness in the tax law administration process, and a...

Amended Leave Mandate Is Attack on Small Business

The California Chamber of Commerce is urging small business owners to contact their legislators and the Governor to express strong opposition to SB 654...

Leave Mandate Job Killer Revived in Legislature

A California Chamber of Commerce-opposed job killer leave mandate that will significantly harm small employers in California with as few as 10 employees has...

Multiple Protected Leaves in California Impose Significant Cumulative Burden

California has numerous labor and employment regulations that far exceed those mandated at the federal level. A clear example of this is California’s multiple...

Double-Pay Holiday Bill Awaits Action by Senate

A California Chamber of Commerce-opposed bill that unfairly targets two classifications of employers, increases their costs, and creates a competitive disadvantage by forcing them...

Senate to Consider Expanding Authority for Labor Commissioner Investigations

Legislation expanding the authority of the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to investigate and cite an employer for alleged retaliation, even without an employee...

Assembly to Consider Proposal Interfering with Contract Enforcement

A California Chamber of Commerce-opposed bill that interferes with the enforcement of contracts is awaiting action by the Assembly. SB 1241 (Wieckowski; D-Fremont) undermines judicial...

Governor Signs CalChamber-Backed Bill

A California Chamber of Commerce-supported bill that clarifies the employees for whom an employer must track hours worked and record those hours on an...

CalChamber, Business Opposition Stops Job Killer

A California Chamber of Commerce-opposed job killer bill that exposed businesses to costly litigation when goods are “substantially similar,” yet priced differently, was pulled...

Assembly Committee Delays Vote on Job Killer Bill

The Assembly Judiciary Committee this week delayed voting on a job killer bill that if passed, will expose businesses to costly litigation when goods...

CalChamber Opposition Helps Stop Job Killer Leave Mandate

A job killer bill that would have overwhelmed small businesses with administering a new protected leave of absence and subjected them to threats of...

Committee Rejects Flexible Workweek Bill

A California Chamber of Commerce-supported job creator bill providing employers with the flexibility to accommodate employees’ needs was rejected by the Senate Labor and...