Castle Law: California Employment Counsel

06/24/2024

https://www.castleemploymentlaw.com/governor-newsom-and-legislative-leaders-announce-paga-reform-agreement

California's labor landscape is set to change significantly with a new agreement to reform the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). The reforms include capping penalties for employers who promptly rectify issues, imposing higher penalties for malicious violations, increasing the portion of penaltie...

09/29/2023

https://www.castleemploymentlaw.com/defining-discharge-vacation-pay-rights-in-uncertain-times

In Harstein v. Hyatt Corp., the Ninth Circuit clarifies that temporary layoffs without definite return dates trigger immediate payment of accrued vacation pay.

09/25/2023

https://www.castleemploymentlaw.com/lacour-v-marshalls-unraveling-claim-preclusion-in-paga-litigation

California employers should be aware of recent Court of Appeal decision LaCour v. Marshalls of California, LLC, et. al., as they may now face further PAGA litigation, despite a prior settlement of a previous PAGA claim.

08/22/2023

https://www.castleemploymentlaw.com/driving-towards-independence-what-proposition-22-means-for-app-based-drivers

Recently, the California Court of Appeal has upheld Proposition 22, maintaining the independent contractor status for ride-share drivers. However, the potential appeal to the California Supreme Court leaves their classification uncertain.

08/04/2023

https://www.castleemploymentlaw.com/no-challenge-too-big-paga-claims-cannot-be-struck-down-entirely-for-unmanageability

Can PAGA claims be entirely dismissed based on manageability concerns? California Court of Appeal currently divided; resolution pending from the California Supreme Court.

03/23/2023

Super excited about our latest hire!

11/16/2022

https://www.castleemploymentlaw.com/no-wait--can-a-party-accept-a-section-998-offer-after-summary-judgment

California Court of Appeal addresses whether a party can accept 998 offer after summary judgment hearing when motion is granted.

10/13/2022

https://www.castleemploymentlaw.com/weed-for-everyone-california-employers-to-be-barred-from-testing-employees-for-cannabis

California set to make workplace discrimination based on cannabis usage illegal.

09/21/2022

Castle Law: California Employment Counsel, PC is pleased to announce the addition of Senior Associate Spencer S. Turpen, Esq.

Spencer S. Turpen, Esq. has been litigating civil cases in California since 2013. Prior to joining Castle Law: California Employment Counsel, PC, Spencer worked at Sacramento area litigation law firms, including Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld, LLC and Wilke Fleury, LLP.

Spencer practices all areas of employment law litigation, including wage and hour, wrongful termination and retaliation, and sexual harassment.

In 2020, Spencer was voted by his peers for inclusion in the Sacramento Magazine list of Top Lawyers in the Sacramento region. In 2020 and 2021, he was named a Northern California Rising
Star by Super Lawyers, which recognizes no more than 2.5 percent of attorneys in each state.

Spencer obtained his undergraduate degree from University of California Berkeley, and his law degree from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

09/09/2022

https://www.castleemploymentlaw.com/transparency-glassdoor-and-anonymous-employer-reviews

New case on anonymous employer reviews.

07/22/2022

https://www.castleemploymentlaw.com/ninth-circuit-temporary-impairments-can-still-be-considered-disabilities

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, a civil rights law that prohibited discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all public areas of life, especially the in workplace. In 2008, the ADA was supplemented with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Ac...

07/16/2022

https://www.castleemploymentlaw.com/employers-not-required-to-compensate-job-applicants-for-pre-employment-drug-testing

Recently, the Ninth Circuit issued an important decision regarding job applicants and pre-employment drug testing, Johnson v. WinCo Foods.