Exalt Resources

Three job killer bills are under consideration in the California Legislature that could have far-reaching ramifications for most or all businesses in California. Listen to the podcast or read the transcript at: https://hrwatchdog.calchamber.com/2022/04/important-hr-bills-to-watch-this-year/

Important HR Bills to Watch This Year - HRWatchdog Employment law expert Matthew Roberts and policy advocate Ashley Hoffman discuss three job killer bills under consideration in the California Legislature.

A new initiative from Jobs for the Future (JFF) intends to prepare businesses to help people with criminal records more easily re-enter the workforce. Expanding fair-chance hiring programs and advocating for policy changes to remove obstacles to employment will help people with criminal backgrounds gain the skills and credentials needed for employment.

Companies with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion could benefit from hiring people with criminal records. Learn more about the initiative and how to get involved in this article: https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/Pages/New-Initiative-Helps-People-with-Criminal-Records-Secure-Jobs.aspx

New Initiative Helps People with Criminal Records Secure Jobs The national nonprofit Jobs for the Future has launched a new initiative that aims to mobilize companies to help people with criminal records re-enter the workforce and secure meaningful employment.

Employees dealing with depression and anxiety/stress can file for a leave of absence under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and/or the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) depending on the circumstances. Find out the details in this report: https://hrwatchdog.calchamber.com/2022/04/mental-stress-leave-time-with-employer-among-eligibility-factors/

Mental Stress Leave: Time with Employer Among Eligibility Factors - HRWatchdog Can employees file for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or CFRA for depression, anxiety and mental stress claims?

Be aware of these upcoming pay data reporting deadlines:

-April 1st - Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) pay data report deadline
-May 17th - EEOC’s 2021 EEO-1 Component 1 Report deadline

If you need assistance filing, please contact us.
Details available at: https://hrwatchdog.calchamber.com/2022/02/pay-data-reporting-deadlines-resources/

Pay Data Reporting Deadlines, Resources - HRWatchdog The Department of Fair Employment and Housing has updated its pay data reporting guidance for this year and set the report deadline for April 1, 2022.

Pre-existing gender inequalities have been amplified during the pandemic, which makes it all the more important to support each other in the workplace now. Learn 4 ways you can encourage and speak up for one another and lobby for change that helps women succeed:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2022/01/25/supporting-fellow-women-in-the-workplace/?sh=4303f00de012

Council Post: Supporting Fellow Women In The Workplace You can show up for your fellow female colleagues starting today — no marching required.

California lawmakers approved to restore COVID-19 paid sick leave this week. The new leave program will be retroactive to Jan. 1 and extend through Sept. 30. While employers will not receive a tax credit for the extended leave program, other tax relief will be provided. For more details visit: https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/01/california-paid-sick-leave-deal/

What's in the California paid sick leave deal for workers and businesses? Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders agree to restore California paid sick leave for COVID-19. Here's what you need to know.

Greater pay transparency is shown to help reduce both gender and racial-ethnic pay gaps, yet 11% of employees surveyed would rather run naked through the office than tell their coworkers how much they make!

In California, there are certain laws employers should remember. One, potential employers cannot ask applicants about their salary history nor rely on salary history information to help determine what salary to offer an applicant. Two, employers cannot pay any of their employees less than employees of the opposite s*x or of another race or ethnicity for “substantially similar work". Three, California requires employers with 100 or more employees to submit a pay data report on an annual basis. And fourth, employers should avoid any policy prohibiting employees from sharing their own compensation rates with each other.

While California employers have flexibility about how transparent they want to be regarding pay, the laws aimed at increasing pay equity and transparency are non-negotiable.

https://hrwatchdog.calchamber.com/2022/01/pay-transparent-or-not-either-way-remember-californias-legal-requirements/

Pay Transparent or Not? Either Way, Remember California’s Legal Requirements! - HRWatchdog Pay transparency continues to be a hot-button issue in CA with confusion around what employers can and can't do as far as pay transparency.

OSHA has withdrawn the vaccination and testing Emergency Temporary Standards and Cal/OSHA has updated its Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) FAQ page... again. Get the latest from : https://hrwatchdog.calchamber.com/2022/01/federal-osha-withdraws-mandatory-vax-or-test-rule-cal-osha-updates-covid-19-ets-guidance/

Federal OSHA Withdraws Mandatory Vax-or-Test Rule, Cal/OSHA Updates COVID-19 ETS Guidance - HRWatchdog This week brought not just one, but two developments of COVID-19-related news for employers to keep up with. Here's a rundown of each Cal/OSHA update.

We hope you are ready for the holiday season, we sure are!

Our office will be closed:

• Friday December 24th in observance of the Christmas holiday and reopen on Tuesday December 28th; and
• Friday December 31st in observance of the New Year and reopen on Monday, January 3rd

Merry Christmas from our team to yours!

You may not think harassment happens in your workplace because you’re not getting many reports about it. But recent surveys found that...
44% of full-time employees reported having experienced harassment in their workplace,
34% said they had left a job in the past because of unresolved harassment issues, and
54% say that their reported issue was fully resolved.

Harassment is widespread but many employees don’t speak up about it. Unless you want to be the next headline, do the right thing by your employees and ensure that your work environment is a healthy place where people want to go each day. Take these five steps to take to address harassment at your organization.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2021/11/12/unsure-how-to-address-workplace-harassment-five-steps-to-start/?sh=35762f154c42

Council Post: Unsure How To Address Workplace Harassment? Five Steps To Start Harassment is pervasive and highly impacts retention, but only some workplaces are taking action on harassment reports — and that’s not good enough.