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The Burdens of Employing California Workers Continue to Grow

California’s Fair Pay Act was recently amended to prohibit paying employees of different genders, races, or ethnicities who do substantially similar work (i.e., work requiring equal skill, effort, and responsibility performed under similar working conditions) differently unless the disparity in pay is justified by a bona fide reason. The amendment specifies that differences between prior salaries is not a legitimate reason.

California has also increased the protections available to immigration status. It extended the definition of criminal extortion to include threats related to an employee’s immigration status as retaliation for complaints about working conditions or wage and hour disputes.

Certain California cities have also expanded their wage and hour rules, with many local ordinances having their own minimum wage and paid sick leave rules that carry steep penalties and may apply to any employee who spends at least two hours per week in the relevant city.

The Transportation Brief®

A quarterly newsletter of legal news for the clients and friends of Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary

News from Scopelitis is intended as a report to our clients and friends on developments affecting the transportation industry. The published material does not constitute an exhaustive legal study and should not be regarded or relied upon as individual legal advice or opinion.

The Burdens of Employing California Workers Continue to Grow

California’s Fair Pay Act was recently amended to prohibit paying employees of different genders, races, or ethnicities who do substantially similar work (i.e., work requiring equal skill, effort, and responsibility performed under similar working conditions) differently unless the disparity in pay is justified by a bona fide reason. The amendment specifies that differences between prior salaries is not a legitimate reason.

California has also increased the protections available to immigration status. It extended the definition of criminal extortion to include threats related to an employee’s immigration status as retaliation for complaints about working conditions or wage and hour disputes.

Certain California cities have also expanded their wage and hour rules, with many local ordinances having their own minimum wage and paid sick leave rules that carry steep penalties and may apply to any employee who spends at least two hours per week in the relevant city.

News from Scopelitis is intended as a report to our clients and friends on developments affecting the transportation industry. The published material does not constitute an exhaustive legal study and should not be regarded or relied upon as individual legal advice or opinion.