By: Ric C. Ottaiano

With 2012 rapidly approaching, many recently-enacted laws with the potential to significantly affect employers will soon be going into effect.  Between now and the end of 2011, the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog will provide a series of posts designed to inform employers about what these laws mean for their businesses, as well as give practical tips regarding what every California employer needs to know to remain in compliance and avoid penalties or litigation.  Please be advised that all articles and post entries on this website are offered for educational purposes and a general understanding of the law only, and do not create an attorney-client relationship with Lynberg & Watkins. 

Over the next four weeks, the LW Employment Law Blog will address each of the employment-related laws going into effect in 2012, including:

PART 1:

-AB 22—Restricting employers’ ability to use consumer credit reports during the hiring process.  To read the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog post regarding what your business needs to do to comply with these changes, click here, or scroll down.

-AB 1236—Prohibiting city and/or local governments from requiring businesses to check job applicants’ citizenship status through E-Verify prior to hiring.  To read the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog post about how this law may affect your business, click here, or scroll down.

PART 2:

-SB 459—Imposing new penalties for misclassifying employees as independent contractors.  To read the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog post regarding what your business needs to misclassifying workers, click here, or scroll down.

-AB 469—The “Wage Theft Protection Act,” requiring employers to give newly hired non-exempt employees written notice regarding wages and certain pay practices.  To read the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog post regarding what your business needs to do to comply with these changes, click here, or scroll down.

-AB 1396—Requiring all employers doing business in the State of California to enter into written agreements with all California employees paid under commission agreements.  To read the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog post about how this law may affect your business, click here, or scroll down.

PART 3:

-AB 592—Prohibiting employers from interfering with protected family/medical leave.  To read the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog post about how this law may affect your business, click here, or scroll down.

-SB 299—Requiring employers to maintain group health benefits for employees on pregnancy disability leave.  To read the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog post regarding what your business needs to do to comply with these changes, click here, or scroll down.

-SB 1304—Requiring employers to allow paid leave for employees participating in bone marrow transplants or other organ donation.  To read the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog post about how this law may affect your business, click here, or scroll down.

PART 4:

-AB 887/SB 559—Codifying the prohibition against discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression, and prohibiting discrimination based on genetic information.   To read the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog post about how this law may affect your business, click here, or scroll down.

Subscribe to the Lynberg & Watkins Employment Law Blog to receive automatic updates, or check back frequently to receive vital information about each of these laws going into effect in 2012, and learn about what changes these laws will require to both your hiring practices and day-to-day operations.