Updated Cal/OSHA confined spaces regulations for construction took effect Jan. 1, creating a standalone set of rules that separate construction requirements from general industry standards. The rules clarify procedures for entry permits, rescue operations and emergency medical response related to permit-required confined spaces. The changes were adopted by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards […]
One of the biggest risks commercial property owners face is a visitor suffering an injury on their property. One slip and fall can start a cascade of events, starting with a premises liability lawsuit seeking financial compensation. Your defense, as a property owner would be proving that you lived up to your duty of care […]
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. construction workers say they have experienced anxiety or depression in the past year, according to a new survey of more than 2,000 workers and executives. Poor mental health can increase the risk of injuries, slow projects and drive up absenteeism, turnover and disability claims. OSHA now highlights workplace stress and mental […]
In October and November of 2011, floods inundated large parts of central Thailand, including thousands of factories that made everything from automotive parts and hard disk drives to eyeglass lenses and air conditioners. In addition to the human and economic cost in Thailand, the disaster affected businesses around the world. Carmakers in Detroit shut down […]
The EEOC Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has rolled out the most dramatic shift in its enforcement posture in decades, narrowing some protections and targeting others, especially around disparate impact, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and gender identity. Also, with the confirmation of Commissioner Brittany Bull Panuccio in October 2025, the EEOC once again has a […]
This is the second of two parts, highlighting the top 10 laws and regulations affecting California businesses in 2026. Wage judgment penalties On Jan. 1, 2026, SB 261 expanded the potential liabilities for employers that fail to pay a final wage judgment. Under the new law, if an employer fails to pay a final judgment […]
For businesses that suffer property damage, getting repairs or rebuilding completed on time and within budget is becoming an uphill battle. A mix of inflation, supply chain challenges leading to material shortages, a tight construction labor market and the inherent complexity of commercial construction have pushed costs higher and stretched timelines longer. This can leave […]
California employers have new compliance challenges because of a law that further broadens the circumstances under which employees can take protected paid and unpaid leave. AB 406, which took effect Oct. 1, 2025, expands on last year’s revisions to the state’s paid sick and safe time and crime-victim leave laws, adding new categories of protected […]
Starting Oct. 1, 2025, any California employer that uses artificial intelligence AI and other automated tools in recruiting, hiring, promotion and related human resources decisions will have to ensure that the tools don’t discriminate against protected classes. The new regulations, promulgated by California’s Civil Rights Department, cover any “automated decision system” (ADS) which the rules […]
At some point, the odds are that a company will be affected by some form of employee theft or outright fraud. Fraud can severely crimp a company’s finances and put the firm in a serious bind if the theft is large enough. With technology, fraud has in some ways become easier, but at the same […]