Civil Attorneys Note new Employment Law Protects Outdoor Workers

Civil attorneys are taking note of a new California employment law, SB-435 Compensation: meal and rest or recovery periods. The new law amends Section 226.7 of the California Labor Code. The employment law requires recovery periods to be given to outdoor workers as necessary and if the employer fails to provide recovery periods the employer will be forced to pay the employee one additional hour of pay for each missed recovery period. Civil attorneys express that "recovery periods," which may also be referred to as rest periods, specifically addresses the needs of outdoor workers while working during hot weather.

Outdoor Workers most Affected by New Employment Law:

• Agricultural
• Construction
• Landscaping
• Oil and Gas Extraction
• Transportation (not those working in air-conditioned vehicles and not those loading and unloading). 

Civil attorneys speculate the new California employment law will raise litigation lawsuits and settlements. Especially, class-action cases against employers who do not make adequate adjustments or train supervisors to assimilate with new labor requirements. Civil attorneys know the new employment law is attempting to minimize cases of heat illness and deaths prompted by recent research.

Civil Attorneys advise California employers with outdoor workers on these Cal/OSHA rules:

• Provide training to supervisors, managers, and employees on recognizing symptoms of heat illness and how to prevent it, risk factors of heat illness, acclimatization, and importance of drinking water.
• Provide 1 quart fresh water per hour to each employee and encourage employees to drink it.
• Provide access to a shaded area within 2.5 minutes walking distance where employees can cool-down from the heat. 25% of the employees should be able to access shade without touching each other at all times.

If you are an employer and want to minimize your exposure to lawsuits, class-actions, and or California penalties, consult with a civil attorney. A California civil attorney with employment law expertise can review your employee manuals, documents, training materials, procedures and more to affirm your compliance with all state and federal labor laws and regulations. There are many new state and federal laws, including current labor, wage and hour laws that are made or constantly being amended. California legislators and courts expect employers to be in compliance at all times.

Don't risk yourself or your business to very costly and debilitating legal problems, call an experienced civil attorney now at 855-200-ATTY (855-200-2889).

The list and information above is not exhaustive, visit the complete guide for Employers by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health for more information on prevention of heat illness.

Attorneys Note New Labor Law Protects Illegal Immigrant Employees

California attorneys note a new labor law, SB-666 Employment:retaliation, that protects illegal  immigrant workers and family members. The labor law prohibits employers from making threats to an employee about reporting an employee's illegal status when the worker complains.  SB-666 also protects workers from an employer's retaliation, such as firing or discriminating against the employee, when the worker complains. SB-666 protects past, current and future employees alike.

The new labor law also prohibits attorneys from using immigration related threats to workers complaining or reporting on ill working conditions. The law seeks to end the threats made by attorneys representing employers to prevent illegal immigrant workers from testifying, giving a deposition, or voicing their rights. Attorneys may be disbarred, suspended or given other discipline for reporting or threatening to report the immigration status of a witness, including his/her family member, for voicing employment rights.

Making immigration related threats about an employee's family members by an employer or an attorney is also illegal.

Punishment for Employers Making Immigration Threats to Employees:

• Suspension or revocation of business or professional license
• Civil penalty of $10,000 per employee for each violation
• Pay unpaid wages for hours worked or not giving lawful meal and rest periods.
• Other fines and penalties may apply

California attorneys who work on employment cases and matters know that undocumented workers are the most vulnerable and the most subject to abuse by employers not following Federal and California laws regarding labor. Most undocumented workers typically work in low-wage jobs such as manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and service industries. LibertyBell Law Group's California civil attorneys regularly represent and win wage and hour cases for illegal immigrants, most of which are resolved quickly through a favorable settlement.

A 2010 UCLA study, ("Wage Theft and Workplace Violations in LA: The Failure of Employment and Labor Law for Low-Wage Workers"), found 76% of undocumented workers worked without pay and 85% did not receive overtime pay. Immigrant workers were also more likely to be killed or injured on the job.

If you are an illegal immigrant or undocumented worker and want to know your employee rights in California, click here. If you believe your employer is acting unlawfully, call us at 855-200-ATTY (855-200-2889) and speak to an attorney with expertise in employment matters in California.

If you are an employer and want to make sure your business is operating within the confines of California and Federal laws, need your employment manual reviewed, or need your operating procedures and policies reviewed or advised on, call our expert civil attorneys now at 855-200-ATTY (855-200-2889).