Client Alerts

2023

Labor and Employment

• What Public Employers Should Know About Liability for Employee Work-From-Home ExpensesNovember 6, 2023By Kelsie E. Russell, Associate A recent California Court of Appeal case (Krug v. Board of Trustees of the California State University) has implications for public agencies regarding employee reimbursement for work-from-home expenses. Even though Labor Code Section 2802 does not explicitly or implicitly ... read more
• Governor Newsom Guarantees California Employees Additional Paid Sick Leave DaysOctober 4, 2023Governor Newsom signs legislation expanding paid sick days for workers. From 3 to 5 days annually, effective January 1, 2024. Read this article to learn more about this latest development and how it impacts both employees and employers. ... read more
• PAGA Standing and Arbitration: What California Employers Need to Know Now That the California Supreme Court Has SpokenJuly 20, 2023 On July 17, 2023, the California Supreme Court issued its decision in Adolph v. Uber Technologies, Inc. With this decision California employers need to understand that plaintiffs do not lose standing when individual California Private Attorneys General Act ("PAGA") claims are sent to arbitration and the PAGA claims of the other class members are likely to be stayed, rather than ... read more
• Recent Developments Since the Viking River Cruises Decision: 5 Key Things California Employers Need To KnowJuly 11, 2023The legal landscape for California employers has shifted rapidly since the recent U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Viking River Cruises v. Moriana. Here are 5 recent developments California employers need to know: PAGA Waivers: The Viking River Cruises decision was seen as a victory for California employers seeking to enforce PAGA waivers through arbitration agreements. The Supreme Court ... read more
• Ninth Circuit Blocks California’s AB 51, Reopening the Door for Mandatory Employment ArbitrationMarch 20, 2023Mandatory Arbitration is Alive and Well A big win for California employers was announced February 15, 2023, when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America v. Bonta found that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) preempts California legislature’s attempt to prohibit employers from requiring employees to arbitrate employment ... read more
• The California Employer’s Guide to New 2023 LawsJanuary 20, 2023As we have seen in just the past few weeks of the new year, laws are rapidly changing for employers. Following our Employment Law Update webinars provided to Private Sector and Non-Profit Employers, and Public Entity Employers, our ... read more
• Key Takeaways from the Newly Released Guidance Regarding Pay Transparency in CaliforniaJanuary 11, 2023As we previously reported, California employers have new wage transparency requirements that began January 1, 2023. The signing of read more

Land Use

• State Adopts Expansive CEQA Infrastructure Streamlining PlanAugust 7, 2023On July 10, Governor Newsom signed five California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reform bills (SB 145, 146, 147, 149 & 150) as part of an infrastructure streamlining plan that the Governor’s office has called the “the state’s most ambitious permitting and project review reforms in a half-century.” Another component of this plan was Executive Order (EO) N-8-23 issued by Governor ... read more
• Sackett v. EPA: What Lies Ahead for Water Regulation and Wetland Protection?June 22, 2023On May 25, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit’s decision in the Sackett v. EPA case in favor of the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and instead held that the Clean Water Act (“CWA”) only protects wetlands which are indistinguishable from waters of the United States. In a unanimous decision, the Court rejected the significant nexus test previously ... read more
• Meyers Nave Secures Victory for City of Oakland as Court of Appeal Upholds EIR for A’s Baseball Stadium ProjectApril 5, 2023In a lengthy published decision, the Court of Appeal upheld the City of Oakland’s environmental impact report (EIR) for the proposed Oakland A’s MLB stadium and mixed use project, rejecting numerous challenges and affirming the trial court’s decision in full. Meyers Nave represented the City of Oakland in the ... read more
• 5 Things Water Utilities Should Know About the EPA’s Recent Proposal Establishing Legal Limits for Certain PFAS Substances in Drinking WaterMarch 28, 2023On March 14, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) to establish legally enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for six PFAS substances (the “Proposed Regulation”). The EPA will hold a webinar about the PFAS NDPWR for water utilities on March 29 to provide information regarding the Proposed ... read more

Housing

• California’s Density Bonus Law – 2023 UpdateJanuary 18, 2023California’s Density Bonus Law provides housing developers with tools to encourage the development of much needed affordable and senior housing. The California Legislature has continued to refine the Density Bonus Law over the past year, with new legislation taking effect on January 1 of this year that provides additional flexibility to developers in meeting the requirements for a density ... read more