Insights lane
California writes more employment law than any other state, and most of it lands on companies too small to have a legal department. These articles explain what the rules require, where they go quiet, and when it is time to call an employment attorney.
October 22, 2026
The paper trail behind a California workplace violence plan: the nine things each incident log entry must include, who can see the log, and the retention periods for logs, investigations, hazard records…
October 21, 2026
California has no legal probationary period. Employment is at will from day one, and some rights start at hire while others start at 90 days, 12 months or five employees. Here is…
October 20, 2026
A performance improvement plan can be a real second chance or exit paperwork. How to tell which, what to do in the first 48 hours, when to negotiate an exit, and how…
October 19, 2026
California requires workers' comp from the first employee, part time included. Here is what it costs, what a stop order and an uninsured injury cost, who can opt out, and what to…
October 17, 2026
A California HR audit tests your policies, pay practices and records against state and local law, then ranks the fixes. Here is the scope, the deliverables, the cost range and when to…
October 14, 2026
The call came and your head is spinning. Before you sign anything or tell anyone what you'll do next, here are the six things that protect your money and your health coverage…
October 4, 2026
Part 2 of 2. What changes when an employee moves from California to Texas, and what does not: at-will employment, non-compete agreements, minimum wage, overtime, meal and rest breaks, paid sick leave,…
October 3, 2026
Part 1 of 2. Dozens of companies, including Tesla, have moved their headquarters from California to the Austin area since 2020, with the largest wave in 2021. What drove the move, what…
September 29, 2026
Discipline or fire a California employee within 90 days of a wage, pay equity or safety complaint and the law presumes retaliation. Here is how to document the decision.
September 29, 2026
Almost every California employer has needed a written workplace violence prevention plan since July 1, 2024. A final Cal/OSHA standard is due by December 31, 2026.
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