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Defend My Biz Defend My Biz protects and defends California Employers and business owners from employee and labor related issues. Lawyers fighting for Employer Rights

08/15/2026

캘리포니아 고용주가 가장 흔히 직면하는 노동 관련 소송에는 어떤 것들이 있을까요?

이 영상에서는 노동법 전문 고용주 측 변호사 John Fagerholm이 기업이 가장 자주 접하는 법적 청구와 소송이 시작되기 전에 고용주가 위험을 줄이기 위해 취할 수 있는 실질적인 조치를 설명합니다.

주요 내용:

보복 관련 청구
임금 및 근로시간 관련 법규 위반
PAGA 소송
차별 및 괴롭힘 관련 청구
부당해고
FMLA 및 CFRA 휴가 규정 위반
문서화 모범 사례
캘리포니아 고용주를 위한 인사(HR) 규정 준수 전략

많은 노동 관련 소송은 고의적인 위법 행위에서 시작되지 않습니다. 반복되는 규정 준수 실수, 일관되지 않은 문서 기록, 급여 처리 오류 또는 직원의 불만을 부적절하게 처리하는 과정에서 발생하는 경우가 많습니다.

08/14/2026

¿Cuáles son las demandas laborales más comunes que enfrentan los empleadores de California?

En este video, el abogado defensor en derecho laboral John Fagerholm explica las reclamaciones legales que las empresas enfrentan con mayor frecuencia y las medidas prácticas que los empleadores pueden tomar para reducir el riesgo antes de que comience un litigio.

Temas tratados:

Reclamaciones por represalias
Infracciones de las leyes de salarios y horarios laborales
Demandas bajo PAGA
Reclamaciones por discriminación y acoso
Despido injustificado
Infracciones relacionadas con las licencias FMLA y CFRA
Mejores prácticas de documentación
Estrategias de cumplimiento de RR. HH. para empleadores de California

Muchas demandas laborales no comienzan por una conducta indebida intencional. A menudo surgen de errores reiterados de cumplimiento, documentación inconsistente, errores de nómina o una gestión inadecuada de las quejas de los empleados.

08/13/2026

Mandatory service charges can create complicated compliance issues for California restaurants, hospitality businesses, and other employers.

Voluntary tips belong to employees. A mandatory service charge is generally treated differently, but the analysis may not end simply because the business labels a fee a “service charge.”

As discussed in the video, California's O'Grady decision highlights the importance of what a reasonable customer understood the charge to represent.

Businesses should review several issues:

• Is the service charge clearly disclosed before ordering?
• Does the description provided to customers match how the money is actually used?
• Does a local ordinance impose additional requirements?
• Is any portion distributed to hourly employees?
• If employees receive distributions, are those payments being properly considered when calculating overtime?

Local rules can be especially important for businesses operating in cities such as Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Berkeley, or Oakland.

The practical takeaway: audit the entire service-charge system—not just the wording on the receipt.

Your menu disclosures, accounting practices, employee distributions, and payroll calculations should be consistent.

08/12/2026

A wage-and-hour claim generally alleges that an employer violated California requirements involving employee compensation, hours, breaks, or related working conditions.

Common allegations include:

• Unpaid overtime
• Missed meal and rest breaks
• Off-the-clock work
• Wage statement errors
• Late final paychecks
• Employee misclassification

What surprises many employers is how quickly a relatively small wage dispute can become a significant financial problem.

Potential exposure may include unpaid wages, premium pay, wage statement penalties, waiting-time penalties, attorney fees, and potential PAGA exposure.

Claims may proceed through California's Labor Commissioner's Office or through civil litigation, depending on the circumstances.

If a claim arrives, don't ignore it. Preserve relevant payroll records, timecards, wage statements, schedules, job descriptions, and communications. Then work with experienced employment counsel to evaluate the allegations, available defenses, and actual potential exposure.

Strong recordkeeping and proactive compliance can make a significant difference before, and after, a wage-and-hour dispute begins.

08/11/2026

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) is one of the most important employment laws California businesses need to understand.

FEHA governs workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation and can apply to employers with as few as five employees. Its protections can also extend beyond current employees to applicants and other categories of workers.

For employers, FEHA compliance should begin well before a complaint is filed.

Important preventive measures include:

• Maintaining compliant written anti-harassment policies
• Providing required harassment-prevention training
• Posting required workplace notices
• Responding promptly to workplace complaints
• Properly managing disability accommodation requests through the interactive process
• Documenting employment decisions consistently

Hiring and interview practices also matter because potential liability can arise before an applicant ever becomes an employee.

The key takeaway: don't wait until a FEHA complaint lands on your desk to understand your obligations.

Proactive policies, manager training, documentation, and prompt complaint handling can help businesses reduce risk before workplace concerns become litigation.

08/08/2026

직장 내 괴롭힘 신고는 단순한 인사(HR) 문제가 아니라 법적 문제입니다.

신고를 접수한 후 최초 72시간 동안 취하는 조치는, 해당 사안이 나중에 **캘리포니아 공정고용주택법(FEHA)**에 따른 청구나 소송으로 이어질 경우 회사의 방어 능력에 큰 영향을 미칠 수 있습니다.

이번 영상에서는 다음 내용을 다룹니다.

✅ 직장 내 괴롭힘 신고 후 캘리포니아 법이 요구하는 사항
✅ 최초 72시간이 중요한 이유
✅ 신고 내용을 올바르게 문서화하는 방법
✅ 언제 관련 직원들을 분리해야 하는지
✅ 신속하고 공정하며 중립적인 조사를 수행하는 방법
✅ 법적 책임을 증가시키는 고용주의 흔한 실수
✅ 문서화와 일관성이 왜 중요한지

08/07/2026

Una denuncia de acoso laboral no es solo un asunto de Recursos Humanos; también es un asunto legal.

Las medidas que tome durante las primeras 72 horas pueden afectar significativamente su capacidad para defender a su empresa si el caso posteriormente se convierte en una reclamación o demanda bajo la Ley de Igualdad en el Empleo y la Vivienda de California (FEHA).

En este video explicamos:

✅ Lo que exige la ley de California después de una denuncia de acoso laboral
✅ Por qué las primeras 72 horas son tan importantes
✅ Cómo documentar correctamente una denuncia
✅ Cuándo es apropiado separar a los empleados involucrados
✅ Cómo realizar una investigación rápida, imparcial y adecuada
✅ Errores comunes de los empleadores que aumentan la responsabilidad legal
✅ Por qué la documentación y la consistencia son fundamentales

08/07/2026

📢 What Is the U.S. Department of Labor, and When Does It Investigate California Employers?

California employers don't only have state wage-and-hour enforcement to consider. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) enforces federal labor laws, and its Wage and Hour Division investigates issues involving overtime, minimum wage, employee classification, recordkeeping, and other federal wage-and-hour requirements.

Many investigations begin with an employee complaint, but that's not the only potential trigger. The DOL may also conduct industry-wide investigations, follow up on prior violations, receive referrals from other agencies, or investigate retaliation complaints.

During an investigation, employers may encounter:

• An agency notice or unannounced visit
• An opening conference
• Review of payroll and timekeeping records
• Private employee interviews
• A closing conference discussing the findings

If violations are found, employers may face back wages, civil penalties, compliance requirements, and potentially litigation.

The key takeaway for employers is preparation. Accurate records, regular wage-and-hour audits, supervisor training, and early involvement of experienced counsel can make a significant difference when an investigation begins.

08/06/2026

🚨 FLSA vs. California Employment Law: Why Employers Need to Understand Both
Many California employers assume that complying with state law is enough.
But employers are generally subject to both the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and California wage-and-hour laws.
When the rules conflict, employers generally need to follow the law that provides greater protection to employees.

Some key differences include:
📌 Overtime • Federal: Generally after 40 hours in a workweek • California: After 8 hours in a workday, with additional double-time rules in certain situations
📌 Employee Classification An employee who qualifies as exempt under federal law may not qualify as exempt under California law.
📌 Payroll Settings Payroll systems configured only for federal overtime rules may fail to calculate California daily overtime correctly.

The best way to reduce risk is to:
✔ Audit employee classifications
✔ Review overtime calculations
✔ Verify payroll system settings
✔ Ensure your policies comply with California requirements—not just federal standards

A compliance review today is far less expensive than defending a wage-and-hour claim later.

08/04/2026

📢 What Is the DLSE? A California Employer's Guide

The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), commonly known as the California Labor Commissioner's Office, enforces many of California's wage-and-hour laws.

A DLSE claim may involve allegations such as:

• Unpaid wages
• Overtime violations
• Missed meal and rest breaks
• Final paycheck issues
• Wage statement violations
• Expense reimbursement claims
• Worker misclassification

The process generally includes:

• Filing of the employee's claim
• Notice of Claim to the employer
• Settlement conference
• Berman hearing if the dispute remains unresolved
• Potential appeal to Superior Court

These claims can involve more than unpaid wages. Depending on the circumstances, employers may also face waiting-time penalties, wage statement penalties, break premiums, interest, and other potential exposure.

If your business receives a DLSE Notice of Claim:

✔ Preserve all relevant records
✔ Identify the time period at issue
✔ Review payroll and personnel documentation
✔ Evaluate potential exposure
✔ Consult experienced employer-side employment counsel as early as possible

Strong documentation remains one of the most valuable tools when responding to wage-and-hour claims.

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