Governor Vetoes AB 437, AB 2279, AB 2918, AB 3062, AB 3063

Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed several employment law bills:

AB 437 - would have stated the Legislature's intent to reject the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear, regarding the statute of limitations in discrimination cases.

AB 2279 - would have required employers to accommodate the use of medical marijuana.

AB 2918 - would have outlawed most credit checks except in narrow and specified circumstances.

AB 3062 - would have expanded the Labor Code's protection of employees whose wages are garnished.

AB 3063 - would have codified more limits on pre-employment inquiries regarding criminal convictions.

California's Computer Professional Exemption Tweaked

California computer professionals enjoy a special exemption from overtime that has a duties component and a minimum pay component. Last year the Legislature rolled back the minimum pay requirement from $49 / hour down to $36 / hour. Governor Schwarzenegger just signed AB 10, which provides that an employee may be eligible for the special computer exemption if s/he earns a salary of over $75,000 per year. The salary and hourly rate are adjusted each year. AB 10 is here. This is an "urgency" statute, which means it takes effect immediately.

Governor Vetoes AB 2874 and SB 1583

AB 2874 (here)would have lifted the $150,000 cap on damages available in administrative hearings at the Fair Employment Housing Commission;

SB 1583 (here) would have imposed penalties on non-lawyer consultants who gave erroneous advice on classifying employees as independent contractors.

Terminated.

Greg

Governor Vetos Two More Bills

Our recap of new California legislation affecting employers is here.

Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed two more bills in the final hours of the session:

AB 1707 - New requirements for personnel files.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1701-1750/ab_1707_bill_20070910_enrolled.html

SB 180 - "Card checks" for agricultural employees seeking union representation.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0151-0200/sb_180_bill_20070828_enrolled.html

That wraps up this year's legislative session. I think you will see most of the vetoed bills introduced again in the coming year.

DGV

Governor Takes Action on Pending California Employment Bills

We covered pending bills here. Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed nearly all of the burdensome proposed measures. As of this writing, two remain pending. If he does not sign them by midnight tonight, they become law automatically.

So, here is what we believe to be a comprehensive list of 2007 employment law bills that were signed, vetoed, and the two that remain pending.

We will provide more detailed summaries of the new laws in future posts.

DGV

Signed:

SB 812 - Alternative workweeks for pharmacists
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0801-0850/sb_812_bill_20071011_chaptered.html

AB 392 - Military leave for spouses
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_392&sess=CUR

SB 929 - Prevailing wage and lowers the hourly wage applicable to the "computer exemption" from over $49 to $36 per hour.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_929_bill_20071011_chaptered.html

SB 14: - California National Guard qualify for membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and can purchase additional PERS service credit.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0001-0050/sb_14_bill_20071009_chaptered.pdf

AB 338 - Increases availability of workers' compensation temporary disability benefits
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0301-0350/ab_338_bill_20070924_enrolled.html

Vetoed:

AB 504 - Lockouts - fines for employers.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0501-0550/ab_504_bill_20070910_enrolled.html

AB 622 - Independent Contractors.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0601-0650/sb_622_bill_20070906_amended_asm_v95.html

SB 936 - Workers' Compensation benefits.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_936_bill_20070913_enrolled.html

SB 942 - (More) Workers' Compensation benefits.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_942_bill_20070906_amended_asm_v94.html

AB 8 - Health care tax on employers to fund universal health care.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_8_bill_20070910_enrolled.html

AB 124 - Applying meal period laws to certain government employees.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0101-0150/ab_124_bill_20070821_amended_sen_v94.html

SB 549 - Mandated bereavement leave.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0501-0550/sb_549_bill_20070907_enrolled.html

SB 836 - Familial status discrimination.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0801-0850/sb_836_bill_20070910_enrolled.html

AB 377 - Labor contractors and pay records.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_377&sess=CUR&house=B&search_type=email

SB 727 - Expansion of Paid Family Leave.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0701-0750/sb_727_bill_20070906_enrolled.html

AB 435- Extending statute of limitations for equal pay claims.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0401-0450/ab_435_bill_20070910_enrolled.html

AB 1043 - Voiding forum selection and choice of law clauses in employment contracts.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1001-1050/ab_1043_bill_20070907_enrolled.html


Still Pending as of this Writing:

AB 1707 - New requirements for personnel files.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1701-1750/ab_1707_bill_20070910_enrolled.html

SB 180 - "Card checks" for agricultural employees seeking union representation.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0151-0200/sb_180_bill_20070828_enrolled.html


Finally, here are a bunch of public sector-related bills that the Governor signed last week (thank you, o thank you, state bar labor and employment law section email):

AB 1307 Public employee benefits: supplemental contribution program. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1301-1350/ab_1307_bill_20071011_chaptered.pdf

AB 1432 – State teachers' retirement.
http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1401-1450/ab_1432_bill_20071011_chaptered.pdf

SB 901 - State teachers' retirement: postretirement earnings. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_901_bill_20070906_enrolled.pdf

AB 246 - County employees' retirement: retirement boards. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0201-0250/ab_246_bill_20070904_enrolled.pdf

AB 554 – Public employees: benefits.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0551-0600/ab_554_bill_20070914_enrolled.pdf

AB 754 - Public employees.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0751-0800/ab_754_bill_20070917_enrolled.pdf

AB 756 - Memoranda of understanding: addenda.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0751-0800/ab_756_bill_20070917_enrolled.pdf

AB 757 - Teachers: retirement and employment.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0751-0800/ab_757_bill_20070910_enrolled.pdf

AB 1124 - County employees' retirement.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1101-1150/ab_1124_bill_20070907_enrolled.pdf

AB 1288 - County employees: vision care. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1301-1350/ab_1316_bill_20070910_enrolled.pdf

AB 1316 – State teachers' retirement: disability.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_1316&sess=CUR&house=B&author=bass

AB 1317 - Public employees' retirement: executive compensation.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1301-1350/ab_1317_bill_20070918_enrolled.pdf

Pending California Bills

Every year at this time, the California Legislature sends a raft of proposed laws to the Governor for signature or veto. Here is a fairly comprehensive list of the employment-related bills awaiting action by Governor Schwarzenegger this year. Click the link for the text of the bill.

We of course will analyze the ones that are passed in future posts. We also will cover all the new laws and major court decisions at our annual legal update, held in Sacramento and San Francisco later this year. Get details here.

AB 504 - Lockouts - fines for employers

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0501-0550/ab_504_bill_20070910_enrolled.html

AB 622 - Independent Contractors

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0601-0650/sb_622_bill_20070906_amended_asm_v95.html

SB 936 - Workers' Compensation benefits

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_936_bill_20070913_enrolled.html

SB 942 - (More) Workers' Compensation benefits

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_942_bill_20070906_amended_asm_v94.html

AB 8 - Health care tax on employers to fund universal health care

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_8_bill_20070910_enrolled.html

AB 124 - applying meal period laws to certain government employees

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0101-0150/ab_124_bill_20070821_amended_sen_v94.html


SB 549 - Mandated bereavement leave

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0501-0550/sb_549_bill_20070907_enrolled.html

SB 836 - Familial status discrimination

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0801-0850/sb_836_bill_20070910_enrolled.html

AB 377 - Labor contractors and pay records

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_377&sess=CUR&house=B&search_type=email

SB 727 - Expansion of Paid Family Leave

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0701-0750/sb_727_bill_20070906_enrolled.html

AB 1707 - new requirements for personnel files

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1701-1750/ab_1707_bill_20070910_enrolled.html

SB 180 - "card checks" for agricultural employees seeking union representation

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0151-0200/sb_180_bill_20070828_enrolled.html