Week@Work

COMPLIMENTARY WEEKLY UPDATE

Week@Work

Every Monday, a short, practical briefing on what California employers need to know this week. No charge, no signup, no email required.

Episode 32

September 21, 2026

Week@Work updates California employers on the most important legal news from the prior week. At the national level, we examine the EEOC’s new push encouraging workers to bring claims of anti-American discrimination and an NLRB ruling ordering the reinstatement of a tech employee fired after raising workplace concerns. In California, the Ninth Circuit upholds an $8 million verdict for employees denied religious accommodations, Drybar managers bring a new misclassification lawsuit, and a former employee on Shrinking alleges sexual misconduct, wage violations and retaliation. And our bizarre case of the week involves an IRS manager whose falling-out with her goddaughter triggered an investigation that uncovered considerably more than a family feud.

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Episode 7

March 30, 2026

This episode highlights a $5 million jury verdict against BMW, a major wage and hour settlement tied to regular rate miscalculations, and increased federal scrutiny on religious accommodations, all developments California employers need to know. It also underscores that the biggest risks remain familiar but costly, misclassification, wage and hour violations, and retaliation, where small compliance gaps continue to fuel significant litigation exposure.

Episode 6

March 23, 2026

This episode highlights the intensifying scrutiny of DEI programs, including the proposed expansion of the FEHA to include menopause and a major wage and hour class action against Walmart. It also highlights how emerging workplace issues, from employee monitoring to evolving technologies, are creating new challenges for employers navigating compliance.

Episode 5

March 16, 2026

This episode highlights how everyday employment practices—from compensation policies to confidentiality provisions and complaint handling—are facing increasing scrutiny under both federal and California law. The takeaway is consistent: even routine decisions can create outsized risk when policies are misaligned with legal requirements or applied inconsistently.

Episode 3

March 2, 2026

This episode highlights how shifting federal guidance—especially around independent contractor classification and DEI oversight—is colliding with California’s stricter standards, creating real complexity for employers operating in both spaces. At the same time, new lawsuits reinforce familiar exposure points—accommodations, retaliation, and off-duty conduct—where breakdowns in process and response continue to drive risk.

Episode 4

March 9, 2026

This episode highlights enforcement actions intensifying across both federal and California fronts—from joint employer standards and organizing rights to headline-grabbing misclassification and retaliation verdicts. The consistent takeaway: whether it’s classification, workplace policies, or how employers respond to complaints, the risk isn’t theoretical — missteps are turning into real, and often costly, litigation.

Episode 2

February 23, 2026

This episode highlights the growing scrutiny of workplace conduct and policies—from EEOC enforcement trends and high-profile discrimination claims to ongoing federal legislative efforts to strengthen harassment protections. It also underscores key California risks, including wage-and-hour exposure for pre- and post-shift work, emerging AI-related legislation, and recent lawsuits reinforcing the importance of proper pay practices, investigations, and supervisor training.

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