How to Comply With State Employment Regulations

📍ONE HIRE IN CALIFORNIA??? Know the Rules Before You Hire. California isn’t just another state—it’s one of the most highly regulated employment environments in the country. If you have even one employee in CA, here’s what you need to stay on top of: 🔸 Meal & Rest Breaks – Strictly enforced. Missed breaks? That’s an extra hour of pay per day. 🔸 Minimum Wage – Higher than federal and increases annually based on employer size and location. 🔸 Pay Transparency – Must include pay ranges in job postings and submit Pay Data Reports annually (due May 8, 2025). 🔸 Independent Contractor Rules – AB 5 uses a strict “ABC Test.” Most workers must be W-2s. 🔸 Leave Laws – Includes state-mandated Paid Sick Leave, CFRA, and more—even for small employers. 🔸 Harassment Training – Mandatory for all employers with 5+ employees (1 hour for staff, 2 hours for supervisors, every 2 years). 🔸 Final Pay Rules – Employees must receive final pay immediately upon termination—no exceptions. 🔸 Non-Compete Ban – Broad non-competes are unenforceable, and CA is cracking down on illegal clauses. 📌 Bottom line: One employee in California means full compliance with California law. No exceptions. I help companies navigate CA employment regulations and reduce risk while maintaining growth. I have experience with employees in California and the employment laws. If you need help aligning your practices with state law, let’s connect. 📩 DM me for a compliance check or onboarding toolkit tailored to California. #CaliforniaCompliance #EmploymentLaw #HRStrategy #FractionalCHRO #PeopleOperations #Stage3Leadership #WorkforceRisk

Want 38.8 million reasons to care about Wage & Hour laws? In a significant legal ruling, a federal court in Pennsylvania ordered the operators of 15 senior care facilities to pay $38.8 million in overtime back wages and damages to 6,000 current and former employees. This case, one of the largest wage-recovery judgments in the nation, highlights the serious consequences of violating the Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Act. The ruling followed an investigation by the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division which uncovered several violations, including: 💲 Failing to Pay for All Hours Worked 💲 Incorrect Overtime Calculations 💲 Misclassifying Employees as Salaried, Exempt 💲 Inaccurate Record-Keeping Here are five tips I've got for you so your organization can avoid the costly consequences of wage violations: 1. First and foremost, never be "willful" about paying your employees less than they have legally earned.  Companies who make honest mistakes but cooperate fully with the DOL to rectify any underpayments will still be ordered to pay back employees, but the damages will be way less severe than this multi-million dollar judgment. 2.  Stay Informed on Labor Laws: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) – which is the complex, multi-part law that applies to paying employees accurately – is a necessary piece of HR that all business owners should be familiar with. 3.  Conduct Regular Audits: Periodically review your payroll practices to ensure compliance with the FLSA and other relevant regulations. Audits can help identify and correct potential issues before they lead to legal trouble. 4.  Train Management and HR Staff: Ensure that your managers and anyone handling the Human Resources function for your organization are well-trained in labor law compliance. This includes understanding how to properly classify employees and calculate overtime pay. 5.  Implement Accurate Record-Keeping: Maintain precise records of hours worked, wages paid, and any other compensation. Accurate documentation is essential in demonstrating compliance during any investigation.   If you’ve got any doubts about your labor law compliance and want to run something by me so you don't make a mistake, just DM me! This is one of my favorite HR compliance topics.  #hrcompliance #management #humanresources #departmentoflabor #wageandhour

Paid leave laws change faster than your inbox fills up. And HR is left to figure it out. ⤷ Each state has different rules. ⤷ Each company has its own policies. And when you throw in #FMLA , #PTO , sick leave, and disability? It’s a compliance headache waiting to happen. If you’re managing this in-house, here’s how to make it easier: ✅ 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘄𝘀 • Paid leave laws are constantly changing. • What applies in one state won’t in another. • Track compliance or subscribe to HR legal updates. ✅ 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 • Employees mix up FMLA, PFL, and sick leave all the time. • Make your leave policies crystal clear in your handbook. • Define what’s covered, what’s not, and how requests should be submitted. ✅ 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 • Manually tracking leave is a disaster waiting to happen. • Track time off, approvals, and balances in #HRIS or #Excel. • Automation prevents payroll errors and compliance risks. ✅ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 • Even well-meaning managers can break leave laws. • Train managers on what they can and can't ask EEs. • A quick training can prevent legal trouble. ✅ 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 If your workforce is spread across multiple states, outsourcing might be your best bet. Third-party vendors specialize in #compliance  so you don’t have to stress over it. HR pros, what’s the biggest paid leave challenge you’ve faced? Drop your thoughts below! ♻️ I appreciate 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 repost. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Visit my profile and join my newsletter for weekly tips to elevate your career! Stephanie Adams, SPHR #Adamshr #Hrprofessionals #humanresources #HR #hrcommunity Adams HR Consulting