2014 New Employment Laws

The California legislature was busy again this year, passing many new employment related laws. Here is a list of several new laws that may affect your business:
1. Military or veteran status is now a class protected from discrimination under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.

2. Volunteer firefighters, reserve peace officers and emergency rescue personnel in California will be entitled to temporary leaves of absence.

3. Employees who are victims of stalking are now protected from discrimination and retaliation.

4. Domestic workers in California, such as housekeepers, childcare providers and care givers, employed by private individuals, must be paid overtime.

5. Employers must provide employees a “recovery period” or cooling off time to prevent heat illness. Failing to provide this break could lead to a one hour penalty for each rest period not provided.

6. Employees making claims of sexual harassment no longer need to demonstrate that the sexual harassment was motivated by sexual desire.

7. Employers will not be able to recover attorneys’ fees in wage cases unless they show that the claim was brought in bad faith.

8. California’s hourly minimum wage rate will increase by one dollar, changing minimum wage to $9.00 an hour starting July 1, 2014.

9. Paid Family Leave wage replacement benefits will be expanded to include benefits for time taken off to care for a seriously ill grandparent, grandchild, sibling or parent. This starts July 1, 2014.

If you would like to know more about these new 2014 employment laws and other employment issues, feel free to contact De Castro & Morrow, LLP.