Blog

President Biden signed into law the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act. The Act does what it says: even if an employee signs a pre-dispute arbitration agreement, the employer cannot force the employee to participate in arbitration when their claim relates to sexual harassment or sexual assault. 

Women’s History Month provides an opportunity each March to honor the generations of trailblazing women and girls who have built our Nation, shaped our progress, and strengthened our character as a people. Standing on the shoulders of the heroines who came before them, women and girls continue to carry forward the mission of ensuring our daughters have the same opportunities as our sons.

This year’s theme is "Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope." This theme is a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and also a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.

On March 1, 2022, Governor Newsom issued an executive order aligning the Cal/OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) with the February 28, 2022 California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidance allowing all Californians, regardless of vaccination status, to remove their mask indoors, subject to some exceptions. 

Did you know that as a CEA Member you have a complimentary unlimited pass to attend CEA University? CEA University has a content “campus” portal as well as a training on-demand learning management system which INCLUDES required Sexual Harassment Prevention training for both your employees and managers. CEA University is powered by Zywave which offers over 100 different trainings that you, as your company’s administrator, can assign to an unlimited number of your employees, at no additional charge.  While harassment prevention is by far the most utilized training in the University, we wanted to highlight the other top 5 trainings that our members are enjoying.

Chances are you have a few employees who receive commission as a part of their compensation package. However, chances are you may not realize that California employers with commissioned employees are required to have a written commission agreement with those same employees. If you have employees who receive commission, here's what you need to include in a commission agreement.

This year's Black History Month theme is "Black Health and Wellness," focusing attention to how American healthcare has often underserved the African American community. As the COVID-19 pandemic has recently shown, a widespread disparity of access to quality healthcare negatively impacts outcomes for Blacks and other minorities. Black History Month is also a recognition of the contributions Black Americans have made to this nation’s culture and progress. As employers, we can add to the experience of Black History Month by creating meaningful programming for our employees. Here are a few ideas.

If you are an employer with 26 or more employees, then get ready to comply with California’s 2022 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (“2022 SPSL”) requirements, under SB 114. The law is effective on February 19, 2022 and retroactive. Although “2022 SPSL” is similar to California’s expired 2021 version (SB 95), there are some notable differences. 

Our newest Ethics training focuses specifically on HR Professionals and the critical role they play in managing ethics in the workplace. Effective January 1, 2021, HR Professionals with HRCI designations must fulfill one ethics class or credit during their three-year recertification cycle. HRCI requires that you choose a training that is at least 1 hour in length and directly focused on ethics. This course meets the requirement.

Many employers, due to various factors in recent times, have started considering starting wage levels at a living wage rather than minimum wage. A living wage is the amount an individual or family would need to make to avoid living in poverty. Paying a living wage versus minimum wage can be a big shift for many organizations.

On January 13, 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued a stay preventing OSHA from enforcing the vaccine/weekly testing mandate on employers with 100 or more employees. The Court did, however, uphold the mandate on healthcare workers whose institutions receive Medicare/Medi-cal payments. So, we can close the chapter on that, right? Not so fast.

On January 17, 2022, our nation will recognize and honor the life and birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It has been 53 years since we last heard him speak the night of April 3, 1968, at the Mason Temple (Church of God in Christ Headquarters) in Memphis, Tennessee. In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I will continuously work this year to continue to spread his message and make his dream a reality. Will you join me?

It may be a New Year, but it seems like Déjà Vu as uncertainty remains for California employers who seek clarity on COVID-19 guidance. On December 30, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced new guidance on COVID-19 isolation and quarantine periods based on vaccination status.

If enhancing your leadership skills is on your New Year’s resolution list, CEA is here to help. Our six-week Leadership Excellence And Development (L.E.A.D.) Certification begins on January 19.   

The IRS standard mileage rate is a benchmark that companies can use to pay tax-free reimbursements to employees when they use their own vehicles for business purposes (i.e. running to the bank, picking up supplies from Costco, visiting a client, etc.).

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.