The temporary restraining ordered issued against implementation of Assembly Bill 5 was further extended at a hearing held on Jan. 13. The extension will remain in effect pending the court’s decision on whether to grant a preliminary injunction. We previously reported that a federal district court had issued a temporary restraining order against enforcement of […]
FELS Newsletter: January 2020
Mandatory Arbitration Agreements Still in Limbo
As we recently reported, on Dec. 29, just days before Assembly Bill 51 (which would prohibit pre-dispute arbitration agreements as a mandatory condition of employment) was to go into effect, a federal judge for the United States District Court of the Eastern District of California granted a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) to enjoin initial enforcement […]
Ready for the New Paraquat Label?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) paraquat dichloride, commonly referred to as “paraquat,” is one of the most widely used herbicides registered in the United States. Unfortunately, since 2000, there have been 17 deaths including 3 children, caused by the accidental ingestion of this effective herbicide. These cases have resulted from paraquat […]
U.S. Dept. of Labor Releases New Joint Employment Rule
On Jan. 12, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule to update the regulations interpreting joint employer status under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). These regulations had not been meaningfully updated in over 60 years. This new rule establishes a clearer test for determining joint employment under only the FLSA. The […]
Federal Judges Slow California Policy Overreach
Two California-based federal judges, in separate actions, enjoined actions of the California Legislature as over-reaches preempted by Federal law. On Jan. 16, Judge Robert Benitez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California issued a permanent injunction in a lawsuit brought by the California Trucking Association seeking to overturn AB 5 with […]
New IRS Form W-4 for 2020
On Dec. 5, the Internal Revenue Service released the final 2020 Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate. Newly hired employees must complete and submit this form to their employer. The form includes major revisions compared with the previous form, including new input elements for federal income tax withholding calculations, which might require significant reprogramming of payroll […]
