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AT-WILL POWER The Scope of an At-Will Employment Relationship

"[M]en must be left without interference ... to discharge or retain employees at will for good cause or for no cause, or even for bad cause without thereby being guilty of an unlawful act per se. It is a right which an employee may exercise in the same way, to the same extent, for the same cause or want of cause as the employer.Payne v. Western & Atlantic Railroad, 81 Tenn. 507 (1884).

RETIREMENT COMPLIANT CalSavers' Deadline Is 12/31/2025 For Smallest Employers

CalSavers' mandatory state-run Roth IRA program enables employee retirement savings through automatic payroll deductions. Employers face no fees or contribution requirements, while eligible employees can opt out or change their contributions at any time.

TERMINATING EMPLOYEES The Devil Dwells in Details

Company A has a low-performing employee, Worker 1, who is also rude and threatening and resists correction. Should Company A: (1) allow Worker 1 to continue to cause chaos to avoid a lawsuit if it terminates Worker 1; (2) try to get Worker 1 under control; or (3) terminate Worker 1 with an offer of severance in exchange for a release?

LABRADOR RECEIVER Bringing Assistive Animals to Work; Please Do Not Call Them Pets

Whileairlines are relatively coolonqualified emotional support animals, employers need only bend to the trend if federal or state disability discrimination laws are in play.

CAUTIONARY TALE EPISODE 99 LISTEN TO THE BLIND Using Screen Reader Technology to Accommodate Sightless Employees

Settling a lawsuitby theEqual Employment Opportunity Commission(EEOC), The Results Companies, LLC in Fort Lauderdale, has agreed to pay $250,000 for refusing to accommodate a blind new hire who asked for ascreen readerto enable her work as a telephone customer service agent. She had requested the company consult with her screen reader software publisher and her vocational counselor. The company fired her instead.

CAUTIONARY TALE EPISODE 98 RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IS NO VACATIONEEOC is Suing Marriott for Failure to Accommodate Saturday Sabbath

The federalEqual Employment Opportunity Commissionhassued two Marriott entitiesin Orlando,alleging discriminationfor requiring a Seventh-Day Adventist sales executive to work Saturdays, her Sabbath. The agency charges Marriott initially honored the employee's accommodation request but revoked it over her objection after a management change. The suit claims the employer also altered her work schedule in ways that negatively impacted sales and commissions, compelling her to resign.

DIGITAL DILIGENCE AI Hiring Tools Must Avoid Discrimination

California'sFair Employment and Housing Act(FEHA) protects employees against discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

CAUTIONARY TALE EPISODE 97 OLDER WORKERS ARE PEOPLE, TOOEEOC Settles Age Discrimination Claims Against Theatre Chain

The federalEqual Employment Opportunity Commission(EEOC) hasentered a consent decree in an age discrimination lawsuitagainst movie theatre chain, Allen Theatres, Inc. (Allen). Charges included forced retirement of a 30-year theatre manager because he was 73 years old, stopping health coverage when employees reached 65 years and Medicare eligibility, and paying less to employees over 65.

SALARY REDUCTIONS Exempt Employee Do's and Do Nots

For properly-classified "exempt" workers, California employers are not required to comply with certain labor laws, includingovertime pay, timekeeping, and provision ofmealandrestbreaks.