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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.

The Dog Days of Summer are upon us and with them comes another concern for California’s employers: Heat Illness Prevention. California was the first state in the nation to put protections in place when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger enacted heat-illness prevention laws in 2005 and since then other states have followed suit.

The Cal/OSHA Standards Board adopted new changes to the COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”), which go into effect immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State and significantly impact California workplaces.

With all of the bills the California Legislature passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, plus numerous agency regulations and guidance, it’s difficult to stay up to date on employment laws. Join us at our Mid Year Labor Law Update for a complete rundown. Here’s a taste of what you need to know about: 

There has been a lot of confusion among employers regarding what is happening on June 15, California’s “re-opening” date. Here’s what we know now. California will be moving away from the colored tier systems regulating business activities, but will remain in a State of Emergency. 

Employers with CEA Ultimate and Premier Memberships often hear our HR Directors refer to “bank hours.” Each anniversary year, your company receives a fresh bank of hours, and any unused hours expire. Use your available hours on valuable CEA services to lighten your load and use those prepaid consultation hours. 

Onboarding isn’t just another fancy word for new hire orientations, onboarding programs will take your training and orientation program to the next level! Unlike a traditional new hire orientation program, which just involved signing paperwork and reading the employee handbook, onboarding is a systematic process that extends well beyond the first day of employment.

Health Insurance is a world filled with words and acronyms that can seem almost foreign to employers and employees alike. Things like PPO, HMO, HSA, HDHP, etc. can be enough to make your head spin. Without a solid understanding of the terms it is nearly impossible to understand how your benefits truly work. When an employee understands how their benefits work, and all the terms associated with their coverage, there are no surprises after enrollment. 

This week, we focus untangling some of the confusing and contradictory requirements recently announced in the HR world. Never fear! Your CEA team is on the case and tracking these issues. Continue reading for an update on several recent and contradictory employment policies. Be sure to follow our blog and sign up for our newsletter as there will be more to the story on each of these issues.  

At home and at work safety supplies and toilet paper suddenly became incredibly important in 2020. Even before the pandemic OEM Supply King has been on a mission to keep families, employees, customers, and the community at large safe and clean. Since the onset of the pandemic they’ve undergone explosive growth as one of the few trusted suppliers of essential PPE materials and sanitizing products. 

As California counties move into less restrictive tiers and vaccinations become more widely available, more businesses are resuming their onsite operations. A common scenario for onsite employers is that an employer will find out an employee is asymptomatic after they have already reported to work. If the employer sends the employee home, are they owed reporting time pay? 

While employers are gearing up for summer staffing that includes minors and interns; times aren’t as easy for kids looking for a summer job. Employers now face strict State and Federal laws pertaining to hiring minors and interns. Many laws limit both the industries and also the wage and hour considerations for these two groups.

The quote "Hire Slow & Fire Fast" has a whole new meaning. If you employ individuals in the hotel, private clubs, event centers, airport hospitality, airport service, or building services (janitorial, building maintenance, or security services), you must consider any of your laid-off employees—as a priority for rehire—effective immediately. 

A recent Supreme Court ruling has recently placed the burden of ensuring the proper recording of meal breaks on employer's shoulders. Now is the time for employers to conduct a payroll audit to ensure they are in compliance.

Whenever an employee's past performance issues go undocumented, there is concern that the company may appear retaliatory if they terminate someone immediately after they request a protected leave. How should this situation be handled? 

Just three years after the #MeToo Movement, Governor Cuomo is under fire as multiple accusers have come forward with complaints of sexual harassment. Cuomo has denied all allegations and apologized for making "people feel uncomfortable." This begs the question: after the #MeToo Movement, is workplace harassment the "exception" or "status quo?" And, as HR professionals, how should we respond?