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As companies rethink their cultures and values, employees are reconsidering how they work, where they work, and why they work. Employers must take active retention efforts to keep existing employees and deploy targeted recruiting efforts to attract the best talent available in today’s market. Here are five of the top tips we’ve learned over the past two years to overcome recruiting roadblocks.

There have been recent COVID-19 workplace changes and California employers can expect more in 2022! First, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has issued a new “universal” mask mandate across the State, from December 15, 2021, through January 15, 2022. 

Can an employee handbook help you out in court? You bet! Your handbook can be your best protection against legal claims.

When will COVID-19 be in our rearview mirror? That’s the million-dollar question. From masks to vaccines, to variants and boosters, employers have learned to grapple with gray areas and novel questions every day. While the future of the pandemic remains uncertain, we do have some indication of where COVID workplace standards are heading in the immediate future.  

CEA is excited to announce that we are expanding our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion services and trainings, by partnering with our sister association in Oregon, Cascade Employers Association. 

Are your computer software employees salaried or hourly employees? If they aren’t earning at least $104,149.81 in 2022, you’d better make sure they are being paid by the hour. That’s right, California’s Department of Industrial Relations (DILR) has announced that the salary level for the computer software employee exemption will increase to $50 per hour on Jan. 1, 2022.

Do you have to pay your employees if your business is closed for a holiday? And other questions we're asked a lot.

A day after OSHA published its mandate-or-test Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) applying to employers with 100 or more employees, discussed here, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay blocking the ETS from taking effect nationwide (at least for now). The federal court cited potential “grave statutory and constitutional issues,” questioning whether OSHA had the authority to issue the mandate in the first place. Note that the decision is not yet final – the court will engage in further review of the case.  

Many private employers have been waiting for updated guidelines regarding the federal vaccine mandate that President Biden announced in September, and it is finally here! If your company has 100 or more employees, it’s time to get ready for some big workplace changes and policy revisions. OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) is officially published, so let’s review some of the highlights. NOTE: A federal appeals court issued a temporary stay on enforcing this rule on November 6th (you can read more about the update here). It is unclear what will happen next but covered employers are advised to prepare to comply with the ETS. In addition, we expect CalOSHA to update its ETS for the new year - never a dull moment in California! 

When new 2022 employment law postings come out in January, employers will be able to email some of the required postings to remote workers, specifically those required by the California Labor Code. Unfortunately, employers must still mail hardcopies of certain notices to workers who are 100% remote. 

Some good news for California employers: there are far less employment-related bills than in years past. This is in large part because legislators were limited in the number of bills they could pass this year due to COVID-19 limitations. Also, this year’s stack of bills is arguably lighter due to attention placed on the Governor’s recall.

Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (i.e., “COVID sick leave” or “SPSL”) requirements expired on September 30, 2021. This law covered California employers with 26 or more employees, and required employers to provide up to 80 hours of paid leave time for 2021, for COVID-related reasons preventing an employee from working or teleworking, such as illness, exposure, vaccination and side effects, and caring for others with COVID issues.

As more employers mandate the COVID-19 vaccine, or are subject to vaccine mandates (such as health care workers) in California, some employees are attempting to skirt these mandates by requesting accommodations. Learn about how to handle religious accommodations for the COVID-19 vaccine. 

The thought of sorting through rate increases, plan changes, and various strategies might be enough to make you want to put the entire renewal process off to the side, but we’re here to share some good news. When you work with an experienced broker, they quickly and efficiently remove the stress and walk you through the entire renewal process. Having a broker that is organized, timely, proactive and knowledgeable is vital to a successful renewal, whether it is during fourth quarter or any other time of the year.

CEA is here to bring you peace of mind by helping with your business’ compliance needs. Take our quick HR Self-Audit Quiz to easily find HR compliance issues you may need to address in your organization. You’ll be quizzed on regulations and issues like your Employee Handbook, employment laws, trainings and more.

On September 9, 2021, the Biden administration announced a new plan to combat the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the United States. A critical component of that plan calls on the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to develop and implement a new emergency temporary standard (ETS) to require employers with more than 100 employees to require that their employees are either fully vaccinated or subject to COVID-19 testing at least once per week.

The holidays are around the corner and although COVID-19 remains unpredictable, many Californians are taking time off, whether that be long-distance travel to visit family or short-term staycations. Managing time off in California can become complicated but it doesn’t have to be with well written policies and consistent application. Now is a good time to review these unique California rules against your policies and procedures.

We are excited to present our First Annual Fall Scramble Golf Tournament on October 29, 2021 at the beautiful Ancil Hoffman Golf Course in Carmichael, CA. Early Bird Pricing has been extended through September 15, so register now and save!

Mark your calendars for an inspiring and empowering 2021 HR Leadership Virtual Conference from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17!

This year’s theme is “Make Work Human” and you’ll hear from three keynote speakers with diverse experiences and perspectives on how to thrive, lead, and put human connections first in this new pandemic work world. CEA is proud to be a part of the nationwide network of Employer Associations hosting this 2021 HR Leadership Conference.

COVID-19 issues impacting the workplace have been ever-changing over the past 18 months. On a state and local level, vaccine mandates are popping up for certain businesses and customers. You may be wondering whether you can or should mandate the vaccine, the limitations on vaccine mandates, and what to expect going forward. 

In our blog post a few months ago, amidst allegations swirling against New York Governor Cuomo, we posed the question: Is Cuomo the exception or status quo for workplace sexual harassment? An official report by the New York Attorney General found that Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women and then retaliated against a former employee who complained. Following the findings, President Joe Biden called on Cuomo to resign. On August 10, Cuomo announced he will resign. 

As the wildfires rage in Northern California, we continue to see the destruction of many homes and communities. Once an immediate crisis has passed, people are left holding a lot of emotions. Survivors have rebuilding to do and are now expected to adapt to a “new normal” both at home and at work. Throw in COVID and things are getting strained for many. How should an employer handle employee workplace issues, such as time off and requests for leaves of absence in a way that supports their workers and allows them to run their business efficiently?

Now that employees have had a taste of working from home, many employers are calling to ask us how to get their employees back into the office. While you can require onsite work, if you allowed your employees to work from home through the pandemic and productivity didn’t suffer, you may risk losing some great talent by not being more flexible.

We are excited to present our first annual Fall Scramble Golf Tournament! We are thrilled to be "Teeing Up" the opportunity to meet, mingle, and get outdoors to for a fun, fall Golf Scramble at the beautiful Ancil Hoffman Golf Course in Carmichael on Friday, October 29, 2021. Save the date and reserve your spot for a safe, outdoor activity in October. 

Summer smells aren’t always so pleasant. With the summer heat upon us in California, it’s a good time to review offensive odors in the workplace. Heat brings sweat and sweat can sometimes result in bad body odor. Unwanted smells can also come from smokers, perfumes, or from other sources. Its an embarrassing topic, but one managers can’t ignore and must treat seriously. Fortunately, this is not uncharted territory for CEA and we have some tips for you.

Whenever an employer fails to provide an hourly, non-exempt employee with a sufficient meal, rest, or heat recovery period (i.e., too short, delayed or skipped all together) they owe that employee “premium pay” on the next paycheck. Specifically, Labor Code section 226.7(c) requires the employer to pay the employee “one additional hour of pay at the employee’s regular rate of compensation for each workday that the meal or rest or recovery period is not provided.”

Cal/OSHA, the state agency that oversees workplace safety and health, has increasingly enforced and levied fines with respect to COVID-19 issues in the workplace. By April 2021, those fines amounted to roughly $4.6 million for approximately 200 workplaces. You don’t want to be caught unprepared should a Cal/OSHA representative make a surprise visit to your business. See if you pass the test - can you successfully check off these five tips below? 

We realize it’s only July but we wanted to give you a sneak peek on all of the fun coming your way next month. Our valued members are the reason that the California Employers Association was formed back in 1940! As a “thank you” for your ongoing support over the past 80 plus years, we dedicate every August to YOU! We’ve set aside an entire month to show you our appreciation with free webinars, great prizes and more!

It’s that time again. Many California businesses are now seeing minimum wage increases twice each year. Employers should take note that many local jurisdictions in the state require minimum wage rates that are higher than the statewide minimum wage.