News about Keller Grover, and current events in whistleblower & employment law

California’s new gig worker law tried to help people — particularly Uber and Lyft drivers — who received few protections and no benefits because they were classified as independent contractors instead of employees. Now, state legislators are trying to improve A.B. 5 — which took effect Jan. 1 — to make allowances for other types of workers who rely on their independent status to make a living.  In June, the Assembly voted unanimously to advance bills that would exempt from A.B. 5 creative … [Read more...]

We’ve written a fair bit here about your privacy protections in California; a new item intended for the November ballot could advance those cutting-edge protections even further. Californians for Consumer Privacy — the same group that backed the 2018 privacy legislation — has submitted more than 900,000 signatures to support putting the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) in front of voters. While an official announcement has yet to come out of the California Secretary of State’s office, … [Read more...]

The coronavirus pandemic has created a quagmire of tough decisions for today’s workers, and the landscape is about to shift again. Now, as states tentatively reopen their economies — California’s phased plan began May 8 (some localities were later) — both employers and employees have to figure out this new normal on the fly. But in the midst of the uncertainty, we can’t let companies take advantage of latitude they may be afforded. In some places, workers already are paying the price. … [Read more...]

As the novel coronavirus pushes governments and businesses to extraordinary protection measures, seemingly overnight, a new victim may be emerging: privacy.  Such a concern may seem superfluous amid a pandemic that has claimed tens of thousands of U.S. lives, sickened more than half a million, and turned a booming economy on its head. But ignoring reasonable limits — and the potential ramifications — could sacrifice privacy rights in a way some say poses many risks. Smartphones, health … [Read more...]

Law-breaking employers paid more than $88 million in penalties last year under a progressive California law that guards workplace rights, a new report finds. That’s up dramatically from $30.3 million in 2018. The Private Attorneys General Act lets workers sue on behalf of the State of California to recover civil penalties on behalf of the State and affected workers for labor violations. This legal option is available regardless of whether an employee has signed a forced arbitration agreement … [Read more...]