Labor Law Corner
Reducing an Exempt Employee’s Salary? Proceed with Extreme Caution
We have an employee who is classified as an exempt administrative employee and is paid $70,000 a year. He wants to work four days...
Personal Cell Phone Use for Work: How to Figure Reimbursement Rate
Our employees use their personal cell phones at work — hourly employees use an app on their phones to clock in and out and...
‘Furry’ Query Shows Advisability of Formalized Dress Code Definitions
One of our employees is a “furry” and has asked to come in to the office dressed as a furry. Do we have to...
Lengthy Restroom Use? Reasonable Accommodation May Be Needed
We have an employee who spends a considerable amount of time every day using the restroom. After she comes back from the restroom, she...
Best Ways to Handle Co-Worker Concerns about Transgender Employee
I recently hired a transgender employee. Some employees have told me that using pronouns which don’t align with someone’s biological sex goes against their...
‘Misconduct’ Not Automatic Cause for Denying Unemployment Benefits
We terminated an employee, and she has filed a claim for unemployment benefits. We want to fight her claim because she was fired for...
Daily Overtime Premium Pay Depends on Workday Definition
Last week my company (which operates 24 hours a day) had several employees call out sick at the last minute. As a result, we...
What to Do When Pre-Job Test Shows Rehab Prescription Drug Use
We made a conditional offer of employment to an applicant subject to a pre-employment drug test. His test came back positive for Suboxone. He...
Victims’ Leave Law Creates New Obligations, Expands Others
I am updating our employee handbook and I am confused about the changes to California’s victims’ leave law — what’s new for 2025?
Although victim’s...
Factors to Consider When Employee Asks to Extend Family Leave
We have more than one employee who have requested extensions of their family leave (for various reasons). Do we have to grant these extensions,...
