SweeterHR Blog

Currently, California’s minimum wage law, passed in 2016, raises minimum wage in phases until it reaches $15/hr for all employers by 2023. The law states if inflation increases by more than 7%, then the state’s minimum wage will increase by 3.5%. The California Department of Finance determined inflation exceeded 7% this fiscal year, thus triggering […]

Attorneys are noticing an increase in failure to accommodate cases. What is “failure to accommodate”? It is the lack of appropriate action by an employer to assist an employee with a disability, by providing resources or alternatives, to reasonably perform their job. This can include mental health as well as physical limitations. Why now? Short […]

Recognizing the significant surge in gasoline prices, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) recently announced that as of July 1, 2022 it will make “a special adjustment” to its optional standard mileage rates. For the final six months of 2022, the special mileage rates will be: 62.5 cents per mile for business miles driven; 22 cents […]

COVID, COVID, COVID. We are all sick of hearing about it, but as it seems more and more likely that it is here to stay, we would like to turn your attention to a new tool released by the Center of Disease Control. A new quarantine and isolation calculator has been released by the CDC […]

On June 15, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its highly anticipated decision in Viking River Cruises v. Moriana , No 20-15173, holding that arbitration agreements apply to employee claims brought under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and that individualized PAGA claims may be compelled to arbitration! This is a nice outcome for employers! […]

Effective July 1, 2022, these localities will increase their minimum wage to these rates: Alameda: $15.75/hour; Berkeley: $16.99/hour; Emeryville: $17.68/hour; Fremont: $16.00; Los Angeles City: $16.04; Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas): $15.96/hour; Malibu: $15.96/hour; Milpitas: $16.40/hour; Pasadena: $16.11/hour; San Francisco: $16.99/hour; Santa Monica: $15.96/hour; and West Hollywood: $16.00/hour for 49 or fewer employees; $16.50/hour for […]

Employee relations can be stressful and tiring matters to handle, particularly for small businesses. When it comes down to it, tying to tackle all of the recruiting, hiring, training, compensation, and retention of employees can be a headache! That’s why many organizations choose to hire an HR consultant to help alleviate some of the pressure. […]

As we return to the new workplace “normal” post-COVID, more and more employees are transitioning back to some variation of in-person to work. Right now, it is estimated a whopping 60% of employees are engaging in some sort of hybrid schedule with at least one day involving in-person work. This has placed a spotlight on […]

Employee handbooks are a valuable resource and communication point between HR, the employer, and the employee. Handbooks provide information and guidance for new and existing employees in relation to the mission, values, benefits, policies and procedures of the organization. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, an employee handbook acts as a source of defense against […]

On April 16, 2021, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 93, which requires certain employers to rehire eligible employees who were previously laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To be eligible for recall, laid-off employees had to have been employed by the covered employer for six or more months in the […]