Fairgrieve Law Office

06/23/2026

Many employers know about California’s statewide minimum wage, but local cities often have their own mid-year increases that require attention.
Effective July 1, 2026:
- San Francisco: $19.61/hour
- Berkeley: $19.61/hour
- Emeryville: $20.34/hour
- Fremont: $18.05/hour
- Los Angeles City: $18.42/hour
- Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas): $18.47/hour

Employers should also be aware that certain industries and classifications may be subject to different requirements, including:
• Fast food employees at covered chains
• Certain healthcare workers
• City contractors subject to local compensation ordinances
• Exempt employees, whose salary thresholds continue to increase

Remember: California employers must pay the rate that is most favorable to the employee, which is often a local ordinance rather than the statewide minimum wage.

Now is a good time to review payroll practices, exempt classifications, and workplace postings to ensure compliance.

06/22/2026

The SF Entertainment Commission developed a toolkit for nightlife business operators on rules and best practices to promote healthy and responsible entertainment and nightlife activity.

This toolkit offers guidance and resources to help your business’s workers and patrons stay safe and healthy while your business is in operation. See more at https://www.sf.gov/health-and-safety-toolkit-for-nightlife-businesses

06/19/2026

Central Transport, a nationwide trucking company, agreed to pay $5.5 million to resolve an EEOC federal lawsuit alleging the company systematically refused to hire qualified female truck drivers across more than a dozen locations, for at least ten years.

The EEOC's investigation found that female applicants were subjected to different screening procedures than male applicants. Some terminals went years without hiring a single female driver despite a steady stream of qualified female applicants. In at least one location, a dispatcher reportedly acknowledged receiving corporate-level instructions not to hire women.

Intentional s*x discrimination in hiring is unlawful, and systemic patterns of exclusion carry compounding consequences. Beyond the $5.5 million, Central Transport must now engage an independent compliance consultant, institute mandatory training, and operate under a court-monitored consent decree. See https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-reaches-early-55-million-resolution-central-transport-over-nationwide-s*x for more info.

When a pattern of exclusion exists across locations and years, the evidence doesn't need a smoking-gun memo to make a compelling case in court.

We counsel California employers on equitable hiring practices that reduce legal risk and build stronger, more diverse workforces. It’s a great idea to audit your hiring data. If one gender is consistently underrepresented across roles or locations where qualified candidates exist, that pattern could warrant an immediate review of your hiring processes and documentation.

📞 Questions? Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧 email us at [email protected]

06/18/2026

Happy Juneteenth tomorrow! Every worker deserves to feel the protections the law provides, not just know they exist on paper. Juneteenth illustrates the importance of bridging that divide.

June 19, 1865 — the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas finally learned they were free, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The news that should have reached them didn't. Freedom existed on paper long before it existed in practice.

I think about that gap often in my work. The distance between what the law says and what people actually experience in their workplaces. Rights that exist in statute but go unenforced. Dignity that is promised but withheld.

Employment law, at its core, is about closing that gap. It's about ensuring that the protections written into law don't just exist on paper. People need to actually feel them, rely on them, live them. I believe that approach benefits employers and employees alike.

Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom finally arriving. It's also a reminder that arrival isn't automatic. Someone has to show up and make it real.
That's the work. And I am grateful to do it.

If you're in the Bay Area, there are some wonderful ways to celebrate this week:
🗓️ See SF Bay Area Juneteenth 2026 Events 🗓️:
https://www.eddies-list.com/p/san-francisco-bay-area-juneteenth-events
Juneteenth SF Freedom Celebration https://juneteenth-sf.org/
Hella Juneteenth https://www.hellajuneteenth.com/
Celebrate Juneteenth in Oakland https://www.visitoakland.com/juneteenth/

Juneteenth Events South Bay Area, East Bay, Juneteenth Festivals Oakland, Alameda, Berkeley, San Jose, Juneteenth San Francisco Events, Parades, Celebrations 2026

06/17/2026

Why should employers review onboarding documents with a lawyer?

Every document you present to a new employee, whether offer letters, employment contracts, handbooks, or wage agreements, carries legal weight. A lawyer can review these materials to catch problems before they become liabilities, such as unclear language in an offer letter, incorrect employee classification, incomplete wage and hour provisions, or handbook policies that are outdated. With legal oversight, you avoid mistakes that could later be used against you in litigation or during a government audit.

We partner with employers to design and implement onboarding processes that meet compliance standards while staying practical for HR teams. See our blog for more information on onboarding specifics and services we offer you related to both onboarding and offboarding at https://www.fairgrievelaw.com/employee-transitions/onboarding/
📞 Questions? Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧 Email us at [email protected]

06/16/2026

If there is proper documenation, there is no claim to retaliation!
Regarding discipline and even termination, I’ve recently discussed what needs to be documented and how. I was also asked what documentation mistakes commonly increase legal exposure in California. Here's the short answer:

The most dangerous error employers make is documenting conduct only after an employee has complained about harassment or unsafe conditions, which can look like workplace retaliation. If an employee has engaged in protected activities and you suddenly start finding fault with their work, it creates a presumption of retaliatory motive.

Avoid these common pitfalls to minimize your risk of liability:

* Reactive Documentation:
Starting a paper trail only after an employee files a claim makes it difficult to prove workplace retaliation didn’t occur. Documentation needs to show that concerns predated the protected activity.
* “Sandbagging”:
Saving up minor incidents in a secret file to dump on an employee all at once lacks transparency and looks vindictive to a jury.
* Vague Criticisms:
Using general terms without examples may fail to support a defense against claims of retaliation. Whatever you write down must be verifiable.
* Inconsistency:
Enforcing rules for some but not others destroys your credibility and suggests bias.

Thorough records serve as proof that the employee was given notice of their deficiencies and shouldn’t be taken by surprise if they end up being terminated. Wrongful termination documentation is essentially the history of the chances you gave the employee to fix the issue.

When you provide written notices, you eliminate the excuse of “I didn’t know my job was in jeopardy.” Even in at-will employment, juries want to see fairness. A signed acknowledgement of a final warning is powerful evidence that you were transparent and the employee failed to meet legitimate business expectations despite being warned.

Consult with an attorney before terminating an employee who falls into a protected class, has recently requested leave, or has lodged a complaint, as the risk of litigation is significantly higher.

We specialize in disciplinary action documentation and help businesses build prevention into their daily operations. If you are unsure how to handle a complex personnel issue, sound legal counsel can help you resolve the situation before it becomes a lawsuit. Let us help you develop practical documentation practices that support compliance and reduce risk. If you are dealing with a challenging employee situation or want to strengthen your internal documentation procedures, contact our team to review your approach and protect your business before issues escalate.

Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧 email us at [email protected]

06/12/2026

We talked about why documentation for misconduct is so important recently. Now let’s discuss the how.

Documentation becomes legally defensible when it is factual, objective, specific, and created at the time the misconduct occurred. HR documentation compliance in California relies on being a “reporter,” not a commentator; you need to record exactly what was said and done without emotional embellishment.

To ensure you are defending employment claims in California effectively, your records must meet the following criteria:

✍️Objectivity:
Avoid subjective labels like “lazy” or “bad attitude.” Instead, describe the behavior: “Employee failed to submit the report by the 5:00 PM deadline.”

✍️Specific Details:
Include the date, time, location, and names of any witnesses. Pinpoint the specific company policy that constitutes the violation.

✍️Clear Consequences:
State clearly that this is a disciplinary or performance concern (such as a warning) and what the consequences will be if improvement isn’t met.

✍️Employee Acknowledgment:
Whenever possible, have the employee sign the document to prove they received it. If they refuse, simply note “Employee refused to sign” with the date. (As an aside, asking an employee why they do not want to sign can provide insight into workplace issues that can be addressed.)

✅Consistency requires employers to apply progressive discipline frameworks uniformly across the workforce. In California workplaces, this typically means following standard steps such as verbal warnings, written warnings, and final notices.

If Employee A is written up for arriving ten minutes late but Employee B faces no consequences for the same behavior, the inconsistency can create exposure to discrimination claims.

👨‍💻Implementing PIPs (performance improvement plans) is an excellent way to structure this process for documenting employee performance. A PIP outlines exactly where the employee is falling short, what successful performance documentation looks like, and the timeline for improvement. This shows that you are giving the employee a genuine chance to succeed, which counters the narrative that you were simply looking for a reason to fire them.

🫣Need help? Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧 Email us at [email protected]

06/11/2026

Interested in hosting interns at your business?
Or want to know more about a grant opportunity for independent restaurants and caterers? Keep reading!

🤩The Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program provides meaningful work experience to local youth. They are seeking small businesses and organizations interested in hosting part-time interns. Interns are paid through the Japanese Community Youth Council. Apply to be a worksite partner at https://ow.ly/7P4I50Zagnc
📅The deadline for businesses to participate: June 15
Internships start: June 22

🍽️The California Restaurant Foundation offers an annual grant of up to $5,000 to independent restaurants and commercial caterers in select California counties, including San Francisco, to invest in kitchen equipment, technology upgrades, employee training, and unexpected hardships. Learn more about apply to the Resilience Fund at https://ow.ly/96pt50Zagne
Resilience Fund for restaurants and caterers
📅 Apply by June 30

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06/10/2026

To avoid legal exposure, an employer must document discipline issues.
The primary purpose of documentation is to put your business in a position to legally defend your actions regarding discipline or termination. Without a contemporaneous record, you are essentially asking a judge or jury to take your word over an employee’s, which is a risky gamble in this state.

Many California employers believe that at-will employment means that they can terminate anyone at any time, and therefore it is unimportant to document discipline. In fact, sometimes an employer will not even explain the reason for a termination, figuring the reason does not matter.

But when an employer is in the position of having to prove that a termination was lawful, and faces scrutiny from the Labor Commissioner or a plaintiff’s attorney, the employer will need to have evidence that employment decisions were based on facts, not bias. Proper records are the best way to prove you acted reasonably and within the bounds of California labor law documentation standards.

To ensure comprehensive coverage, focus your documentation efforts on these key areas:
⚠️ Policy Violations: This includes harassment, insubordination, theft, or misuse of company property. If a rule in the handbook is broken, a record must be made.
⚠️Performance Deficiencies: If an employee is consistently missing targets or failing to complete tasks, those specific performance problems need to be logged.
⚠️ Attendance Issues: Chronic tardiness or unexcused absences disrupt operations and must be tracked to demonstrate a pattern.
⚠️ Safety Breaches: Any action that disregards safety protocols, like putting themselves or others at risk, requires immediate documentation.

Ignoring these issues until you reach a breaking point creates a gap in the narrative. If you fire someone for incompetence but their file is empty, you are legally exposed.
📞 Questions? Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧email us at [email protected]

06/09/2026

Summer is here. Wondering what activities are available for your kids and teens in in San Francisco?

There is Good News! Local businesses are offering classes, camps, and drop-in activities for kids and teens across San Francisco. From hands-on art and creative workshops to sports, language learning, and youth development programs, explore opportunities that keep young people engaged throughout the summer and year-round at https://www.sf.gov/shop-dine-youth

Let us know if you have a few favorites or offerings that are not mentioned here!
Let’s support our local businesses…it’s critical to San Francisco’s economy.

Offers pottery classes and summer camps for kids and tweens featuring handbuilding, sculpting, and surface decorating projects led by teaching artists.