Labor Law Conference Recap

Recently I attended PASCO's 32nd Annual HR and Employment Law Conference.  There were 4 sessions and 2 keynote speakers.  As usual it was a great full day of learning, connecting with colleagues, and seeing what local vendors and service providers have to offer.

Here are a few highlights from the day. Sara Hamilton,  of  Hirschfeld, Kraemer, LLP gave us a great overview of Employment Law Trends.

Overview of Major Bills from 2015

• AB 2053, the "anti bullying bill" states that mandatory sexual harassment prevention training for supervisors must also include training related to abusive conduct.  Applies to employers with 50+ employees.  Supervisors must be trained within 6 months of being hired or promoted and every 2 years after that.
• AB 1443, states that harassment protection is also extended to unpaid interns.
• AB 1522, Health Workplace, Healthy Families Act.  Introduces mandatory paid sick leave.
• AB 1897, Increases employers liability for contracted workers.  Applies to CA employers wtih 25+ employees who use 6+ employees from a labor contractor.  This has prompted employers to more closely monitor the activities of the staffing firms they use.

EEOC Update

 Since 2012, the EEOC has shifted its litigation strategy to focus on fewer, higher-impact cases related to systemic discrimination.

 Having solid policies is very important and can avoid litigation.  Special areas to pay close attention to include pregnancy discrimination and religious discrimination.