Week@Work

Every Monday, we release a short, practical briefing on what California employers need to know this week. Enjoy it on us!

Episode 38

November 9, 2026

Week@Work updates California employers on the most important legal news from the prior week. At the national level, we examine how the midterm elections could reshape workplace legislation/regulation and a $22 million settlement involving alleged discriminatory employment practices by a federal contractor. In California, the state Supreme Court considers the future of PAGA arbitration, a costly wage-and-hour settlement highlights the price of missed breaks, an appeals court upholds the dismissal of harassment and retaliation claims against a nonprofit, and Delta Air Lines faces a lawsuit alleging unpaid work by flight attendants. And our bizarre case of the week features a financial adviser who impersonated a federal labor official to drum up business—only to find himself facing a very different retirement plan.

Past Episodes

Previous episodes are available in the EmployersLawyer Library, which is accessible to all clients.

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.

Episode 1

February 16, 2026

This episode highlights how off-duty conduct and social media activity are increasingly driving real employment decisions—making clear that employers need thoughtful, well-defined policies in place. 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 36

October 26, 2026

Week@Work updates California employers on the most important legal news from the prior week. At the national level, we examine Instacart’s decision to pay $5 million to settle charges of anti-American employment practices. In California, a San Francisco jury rejected a high-profile harassment suit, the state’s pregnancy rules are changing, two more employers pay millions for misclassifying employees as independent contractors, and Amazon has been sued over its employee confidentiality agreement. And our bizarre case of the week raises the question of whether intercourse is required for workplace sexual misconduct.

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