Overview of the New Parent Leave Act

With the turning of the calendar to 2018, a host of new laws in California, and employment law is no exception.  This post explains how mid-size businesses must pay attention to an expanded law mandating unpaid leave for new parents. The New Parent Leave Act (SB 63) amends Government Code section 12945.6.  Under this Act,…

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Using Patents to Establish Brand

Small businesses and especially startups are often well aware of what a patent can accomplish for their businesses; provide a legal monopoly for their inventions for a period of time.  And yet, the effects of a patent can go beyond protection of an invention and can include helping establish a strong brand for the business,…

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Employers Have a Strong New Weapon To Protect Against Theft of Their Trade Secrets —If They Know How to Qualify For It

Fact–the theft of trade secrets, much of it cyber-theft, annually costs American businesses approximately $320 billion, with over 75% of trade secret lawsuits over the last two decades being brought against employees.  To aid employers, Congress in May passed the Defend Trade Secrets Act (the “Act”).  The Act adds a federal cause of action against…

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Properly Classifying Exempt Employees

Employers, start 2018 with a resolution you can keep.  By ensuring you know who your exempt and nonexempt employees are, you can avoid one less headache in this new year. Employers who have or want to have exempt employees must be careful to ensure these employees meet various state and federal exemption requirements.  California has…

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Update on Who Gets the Dog in the Divorce

Last year, I wrote about who gets the family pet in divorces in California.  Apparently, the topic was also important to lawmakers in Illinois.  They passed a bill that would allow the courts in Illinois to make determinations of who gets the family pet based on the well-being of the animal.  Below is the language…

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Brands, Beware Too Much Influence Over Your Influencers

In an article for Law360, Paul I. Menes, Co-Head of the Entertainment and Media Practice at Adli Law Group, analyzes the possible effect of the recent California Supreme Court decision in Dynamex Operations West Inc. vs. The Superior Court of Los Angeles County can have on brands that use social influencers.  Dynamex, which will apply to all…

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Don’t Turn A Blind Eye. You Can Get Sued If The Disabled Can’t Access Your Website

Almost every business has a website to market their information, goods or services.  But, there’s one type of marketing you don’t want your site to accomplish—getting you sued. Websites have become a hotbed of litigation brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).  Generally speaking, websites need to be as accessible to individuals with disabilities…

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Deduction Denied – The Two-Way Effect of a New Tax Provision for Payments Related to Sexual Harassment and Sexual Abuse

The year 2017 saw a significant amount of attention paid to allegations of sexual harassment in the workplace, and the recently passed U.S. tax bill attempts to address some of those issues.  But the bill itself is not without controversy.  One provision in the bill, for example, will make sexual harassment settlements non-deductible for employers…

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