Seyfarth Releases 2014 Edition of Cal-Peculiarities, the Definitive Guide to California’s Evolving Employment Laws and Workplace Regulations

Seyfarth’s 15^th annual edition tracks the most significant updates on new legislation and judicial developments facing the Golden State in 2014

LOS ANGELES (March 31, 2014) — Seyfarth Shaw LLP has released the 15^th annual edition of Cal-Peculiarities: How California Employment Law is Different, the industry’s only annual guide that focuses exclusively on the country’s most populous state, which has cemented itself as a trend-setter in employment law.

Authored by Seyfarth’s California Workplace Solutions Group, this 294-page guide is the most comprehensive to date. It captures the latest legislative, judicial and regulatory developments which continue to make California the most uniquely challenging environment for private employers in the United States.

Led by Seyfarth co-editors-in-chief, David Kadue and Colleen Regan, Cal-Peculiarities celebrates its 15^th year in publication and is available again in a convenient eBook format, which can be requested here.

According to the guide, legislation codified in the California Labor and Government Codes, combined with expansive decisions from both state and federal judges, and increased enforcement activities and new interpretations by California administrative agencies, continue to expand employer obligations in the following areas:

“Bounty Hunter” or “Sue Your Boss” Lawsuits
Leaves
Employee Privacy - Protected Activities and Confidential Information
Litigation Issues
Age, Disability, Religious, Sex, and National Origin Discrimination
Harassment
Wage and Hour
Vacation
Employee Access to Information
Covenants Not to Compete
Workers Compensation
Independent Contractors

The 2014 edition of Cal-Peculiarities also addresses a number of noteworthy legislative changes and judicial developments, including:

Minimum Wage Increase: Set to rise to $9 in July and $10 in January 2016
Whistleblowing Made Easier: Employees now generally need not exhaust administrative remedies before suing under the Labor Code
Sexual Desire: Sexual harassment can include sexually harassing conduct that is not motivated by sexual desire
Recovery Periods: Protections for meal and rest breaks – and corresponding one-hour of pay remedies – now extend to “recovery periods” which allow an employee to cool down to avoid heat illness
Leave Stacked Upon Leave:A California appellate court held that an employee severely disabled by pregnancy could rely upon further disability leave under the FEHA after exhausting leave under the PDLL
Arbitration: Courts applying California law continue to find ways to deny enforcement to arbitration agreements.
Employer Liability for Unintentional Employee Torts:A California appellate court held that an employer could be liable for damage an employee caused on during her drive home from work, driving a personal vehicle she was required to use for business, despite the fact that the accident occurred while she was on a detour to buy yogurt and practice yoga.

There is also a section dedicated to a number of issues pending review before the California Supreme Court in 2014 which could further impact the state’s employment landscape.

Additional insights from the guide can also be found online at Seyfarth’s California Peculiarities Employment Law Blog, which chronicles the Cal-Peculiarities universe in real time for in-house attorneys, human resource professionals, business owners and managers.

About Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Seyfarth Shaw has more than 800 attorneys and provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of labor and employment, employee benefits, litigation, corporate and real estate. With offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Sacramento, San Francisco, Shanghai, Sydney and Washington, D.C., Seyfarth’s clients include over 300 of the Fortune 500 companies and reflect virtually every industry and segment of the economy. A recognized leader in delivering value and innovation for legal services, Seyfarth’s acclaimed SeyfarthLean® client service model has earned numerous accolades from a variety of highly respected third parties, including industry associations, consulting firms and media. For more information, please visit www.seyfarth.com.

Contact:

Brian Kiefer, Director of Public Relations
(312) 460-6401, bkiefer@seyfarth.com