Happy Valentine’s Day, and welcome to the latest edition of the Corporate Law Report. You know what to do: Watch the video overview above and, for any topics that interest you, go deeper with the legal analysis and commentary below>> Latest Need-to-Know… H-1Bs for FY 2014 – Fowler White Boggs P.A. Petitioners File Opening Brief… Read more »
Earlier this month, the California Supreme Court handed down a ruling that gives online retailers plenty to sing about. The background, from Anthony Schoenberg and Stephanie Skaff of law firm Farella Braun + Martel: “Attempting to strike a balance between the competing concerns of privacy and fraud protection, the California Supreme Court ruled yesterday that… Read more »
“The Fair Employment and Housing Commission (FEHC) recently issued revised regulations that govern pregnancy disability leave (PDL) in California. The new regulations take effect December 30, 2012, and include changes that will affect employers’ pregnancy leave of absence policies. California employers with five or more employees are covered by PDL.” (Wilson Sonsini) California employers take… Read more »
Here’s a cautionary tale for any company connecting with customers and clients on mobile devices. During one of the year’s busiest travel seasons, when a change of plans can cost travelers upwards of $150, Delta Airlines was just hit with a lawsuit for NOT changing a thing. (Oh, the irony.) Earlier this year, California Attorney… Read more »
In late October, employer See’s Candy Shops was handed a sweet victory by the California Court of Appeals in a ruling that validates the company’s practice of rounding employee time entries to the nearest tenth of an hour. From Laura Reathaford of law firm Proskauer: “The Court of Appeal rejected Silva’s contentions and held that… Read more »
Allen Matkins’ Eileen Nottoli on why businesses that sell consumer products in California need to be aware of – and act on – the state’s new Safer Consumer Product regulations. [Link: New Consumer Product Regulations: Manufacturers, Importers and Retailers Need to Prepare] For your reference, a JD Supra roundup of commentary on a range of… Read more »
On July 27, 2012, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control proposed sweeping new rules for the regulation of chemicals in consumer products in the state. The rules, known as the “Safer Consumer Products” regulations, will impose significant new burdens on companies that sell products in the Golden State, writes Amy Westervelt in Forbes: “The… Read more »
On July 24, 2012, a California Court of Appeals ruled in Gillette Company v. Franchise Tax Board that Gillette – and any other California corporate taxpayer with multistate operations – is entitled to calculate its income tax based on methods set forth in the Multistate Tax Compact adopted by the state in 1974. First, the… Read more »
On June 4, 2012, a California appellate court ruled in Iskanian v. CLS Transport to uphold an employment contract containing a class-action waiver. Drawing on the recent US Supreme Court decision in Concepcion, the California Court of Appeals determined that Arshavir Iskanian must abide by the terms of the arbitration agreement he signed while working… Read more »
For your reference, a roundup of legal advisories on issues of relevance to companies doing business in the state of California: Calif. Assembly OKs Bill To Shield Workers’ Facebook Logins (Mintz Levin – Employment, Labor & Benefits) “A landmark bill that aims to protect California employees and prospective workers from being asked by a company… Read more »
First Brinker, now Kirby? The California Supreme Court recently gave employers in the state what could amount to another break on meal and rest break disputes. In Kirby v. Immoos Fire Protection, the Court held that attorney’s fees may not be awarded under the California Labor Code to a party that prevails on a claim… Read more »
The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, which requires certain companies doing business in the state of California to report on their efforts to eliminate slavery and human trafficking from their supply chains, went into effect on January 1, 2012. The law requires retailers and manufacturers with more than $100 million in annual gross receipts… Read more »
On February 22, California Attorney General Kamala Harris announced a privacy agreement concerning mobile software applications with the six largest mobile application platform providers — Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Hewlett-Packard and Research In Motion. This agreement effectively creates regulatory standards for implementing privacy policies within the mobile software application industry.” (California Attorney General and Mobile… Read more »
Law firm Barger & Wolen reports on California Assembly Bill 2160, legislation designed to block California insurers from making investments in entities that do business with Iran, defined as “indirect investments:” “… Assembly Bill 2160 … would prohibit California domestic insurers from treating indirect Iran-related investments (as defined in the bill) as admitted assets. The… Read more »
For your reference, a roundup of recent commentary on legal developments in The Golden State: On consumer privacy… California Attorney General and Mobile Platform Providers Agree to Require Mobile Software Application Developers to Implement Privacy Policies (Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP) “On February 22, California Attorney General Kamala Harris announced a privacy agreement concerning mobile… Read more »
