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 34

October 5, 2026

Week@Work updates California employers on the most important legal news from the prior week. At the national level, we examine several new EEOC filed lawsuits on behalf of employees across the country allegedly discriminated against because of their religious belief. In California, Governor Newsom has signed new laws expanding employees’ bereavement leave rights and creating new harassment training topics, while the Ninth Circuit has reinstated a lawsuit contending that DEI training created a hostile work environment for white workers. And our bizarre case proves that sometimes the biggest workplace battle is simply where to park the car.

Episode 37

November 2, 2026

Week@Work updates California employers on the most important legal news from the prior week. At the national level, we examine the EEOC changing course on criminal convictions but doubling down on religious bias claims involving Jewish workers. In California, a new state law gets shelved, courts continue to examine arbitration agreements, and a state legislator gets sued by a former staffer for whistleblower retaliation. And our bizarre case of the week raises the question of whether smiling should be part of a performance improvement plan – and a legitimate basis for terminating an employee.

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