Coverage has been breathless regarding AB 375, titled the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018. Its history is dramatic; it went through the legislative process in only a few days in order to head off an onerous ballot initiative. The topic is similarly intense; over the last few years, data privacy and security events have dominated the news from business to politics. How will the new law affect dealerships?

A few weeks ago, a California Labor Commissioner investigation found Cheesecake Factory restaurants in Southern California liable for over $4 million in unpaid minimum wages, overtime, and meal and rest break violations, among other derivative wage and hour violations. However, these alleged violations were not committed against Cheesecake Factory’s own employees, nor were they committed directly by the Cheesecake Factory. The underpaid individuals were janitorial employees of a subcontractor used by the national cleaning firm contracted by Cheesecake Factory.

The Fair Employment and Housing Council’s new regulations regarding national origin discrimination have taken effect on July 1, 2018. The regulations augment the existing Fair Employment and Housing Act regulations with clarification on numerous concepts, including the definition of “national origin” and issues related to language, height/weight characteristics, immigration status, and more.

With the temperatures soaring, employers should take a refresher on their obligations to employees, especially those who work outdoors. Cal-OSHA has specific heat illness regulations in place that require training, employee monitoring, provision of facilities/supplies and supervisorial action.

"As Scali Rasmussen expands from its roots as a boutique automotive law firm to a diverse and more broadly focused litigation firm, there is no greater testament to the strength of our team and our reputation than when you can bring aboard someone like Jeffrey," said firm Founder and Partner Christian Scali.

The long-awaited decision in Janus v. AFSCME was the second within a month in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against unions, and both decisions will put employers in a strong position at the bargaining table. But if employers appear too eager to exploit the moment, they risk facing a backlash.

With deep regret, Scali Rasmussen gives its condolences to the McKenna family. Mike McKenna was a dear friend, valued colleague and pioneer for California and Hawaii dealers. Mike leaves a legacy of dealerships and he will be greatly missed. Services will be held this Friday June 22, 2018 at 9 a.m. in Kailua, Hawaii at St. Anthony’s Church.

Dealerships are considered “public accommodations” under the Americans with Disabilities Act and therefore are required to make reasonable modifications to allow disabled individuals the ability to access dealership facilities and services. This is not news if you’ve hired ADA consultants or dealt with an ADA lawsuit. However, while accommodations such as ramps, parking spaces and lowered retail counters may seem obvious (and call us if they do not!), new case law should put you on notice of another kind of accommodation customers may ask you to make: installing hand controls to allow disabled customers to test-drive a vehicle.

We all know the importance of tracking and compensating non-exempt employees for all time that they spend working. When an employee must travel for work, is ALL time spent on the road compensable? Here are the basics as pertains to non-exempt employees.

Although the California hourly minimum wage does not increase again until the beginning of next year, there are a number of local minimum wage adjustments effective July 1, 2018 that cover employees who perform work within those areas.