Photo credits

AI and HR

• A laptop showing code beside a phone and glasses. WOCInTech
• A woman standing in a server room. WOCInTech

All 50 HR capabilities

• A team meeting around a conference table. WOCInTech
• Hands typing on a tablet keyboard. WOCInTech

Are noncompete agreements enforceable in California?

• A man in a suit working on a laptop with a leather bag at his side. olueletu
• A hand writing on a document beside an open laptop. CreateHERStock

Bay Area salary map

• A woman working at a laptop at a window table in the city. Aspen

Can my employer stop me from discussing my salary with coworkers in California?

• Two coworkers laughing together on an office couch. Nappy
• Two men in conversation across a table in a shared workspace. liwordson

Careers

• A young professional working on a laptop in a bright lobby. Aspen

Case study: from zero interviews to an offer in 19 days

• A woman working on a laptop in a quiet booth. Aspen
• A woman on a video call in a conference room. Aspen
• A woman laughing on a phone call. a Nappy contributor

Client results

• A woman smiling at her laptop. thirdandwonder

Do Black candidates get penalized for negotiating salary, and how do you negotiate anyway?

• A man smiling as he makes a point in an office. a Nappy contributor
• Three women seated together at a conference table. WOCInTech

Do cover letters still matter, and when do they actually get read?

• A hand writing on a blank sheet of paper. Burst
• A woman taking notes by hand next to her laptop. CreateHERStock

Do I have to post a pay range if my California company has fewer than 15 employees?

• A baker shaping dough on a wooden table. alyssasieb
• A man working at a laptop in a small office. Adedoyin

FAQ

• A woman laughing during a meeting. WOCInTech
• A woman checking her phone in an office lobby. Aspen

How do applicant tracking systems screen out qualified candidates?

• Hands typing on a laptop whose screen is filled with lines of text. Aspen
• Two women standing in a data center between server racks. WOCInTech

How do CFRA, pregnancy disability leave and paid sick leave fit together in California?

• A pregnant woman in a red dress with her hand on her belly. alyssasieb
• A father holding his infant son and smiling. Nappy

How do recruiters actually search LinkedIn, and how do you show up?

• A woman smiling beside a large monitor showing rows of profile photos. Nappy
• A professional checking her phone at an outdoor cafe table. Nappy

How do you compare two job offers with different salary, bonus, equity and benefits?

• A desk with a calculator, newspaper, laptop and phone. a Nappy contributor
• A woman at an outdoor cafe table, thinking something over. Nappy

How do you negotiate salary when you’re supporting family financially?

• A family of six gathered close together. alyssasieb
• A father helping his toddler at the kitchen counter. Yemster

How do you network into a company when you don’t know anyone there?

• Two men in conversation at a coworking cafe. liwordson
• Two people talking at an evening tech event. WOCInTech

How do you set a pay range for a new role in California?

• A hand on a laptop showing a color-coded spreadsheet. a Nappy contributor
• A woman working at her desk. Adedoyin

How much does fractional HR cost for a Bay Area startup or nonprofit?

• Two founders working side by side at a laptop. antoinedigital
• A small team gathered around a computer. thirdandwonder

How much does taking the first offer cost you over a career?

• A man reading the business section of a newspaper. olueletu
• A man in a blue suit standing on a city street. hellotamarcus

HR services

• A team gathered around a laptop, pointing at the screen. Nappy
• Colleagues working at a table in a patterned office. thirdandwonder

Is executive coaching worth it, and when should you hire a coach?

• A professional in a meeting room, listening and thinking. Aspen
• Two women on a couch, one advising the other. CreateHERStock

Is my worker a contractor or an employee in California?

• A man working at a laptop at his home desk. Nappy
• A photographer drinking coffee with his camera on the table. Phabstudio

The Bay Bridge is worth ,686 a year to an HR manager

• A man in a long coat standing on a city sidewalk. Nappy
• A group of people walking together down a city street. a Nappy contributor

The Register, Issue 1: ,384 is California’s new exempt line

• A professional reading the business section at his desk. olueletu

The Urban Glossary

• Close-up of hands holding an open book. Nappy
• A woman reading on a couch. Planetnehemiah
• A woman reading on the floor with a stack of books. Planetnehemiah
• A woman sitting on the floor with a stack of books, reading. Planetnehemiah
• Hands holding an open book between library shelves. Nappy

What’s the difference between a mentor and a sponsor, and which do you need?

• An experienced professional guiding a younger colleague through her notes. sabrinafvholder
• Two colleagues in a lively conversation at a laptop. Nappy

What are California’s meal and rest break rules, and how does PAGA raise the stakes?

• Coworkers sharing lunch on a couch at the office. sabrinafvholder
• A cook stirring a pan of food on a stove. Nappy

What does a California HR compliance check-up cover for a 10-to-50-person company?

• A small team reviewing a laptop in front of a wall of notes. Nappy
• Hands typing on a tablet showing a spreadsheet. Aspen

What does a recruiter see in the first seven seconds of your resume?

• A hand marking up printed pages at a desk. Nappy
• A woman at a laptop in a glass office, weighing what is on the screen. WOCInTech

What happens if a California job posting leaves out the pay range?

• Hands on a laptop showing a video meeting grid. Nappy
• A woman scrolling on her phone. alyssasieb

What is code-switching at work, and what does it cost?

• A woman sitting alone by a tall office window. WOCInTech
• A woman in green working at her laptop in a busy office. thirdandwonder

What is the anomaly trap, and how does AI misread people from certain ZIP codes?

• A man sitting against a wall on a neighborhood street. Nappy
• A man in a cap on a busy city street. pixabay

What should a California termination include, and when is severance worth signing?

• Two women in a serious conversation across a conference table. WOCInTech
• A woman standing alone in an empty office lounge. WOCInTech

What should a career plan include before your next job search?

• One hand holding a phone while the other writes in a planner. MetaLab
• A woman marking up a whiteboard in an empty meeting room. WOCInTech

What should I say when they ask my salary expectations in California?

• A woman smiling during a phone call. a Nappy contributor
• A woman listening closely on a phone call. Nappy

When does a California layoff require Cal-WARN notice?

• A large staff meeting around a long boardroom table. WOCInTech
• Employees working on laptops and tablets during a meeting. WOCInTech

When is a final paycheck due in California, and what does a late one cost?

• A hand tapping a point-of-sale screen. a Nappy contributor
• A man sipping from a mug at his desk with a laptop open. Adedoyin

Which California employment laws should you know before you negotiate an offer or a raise?

• A man reading at a library table beside a stack of books. Nappy
• A man reading a book between library shelves. Nappy

Which California HR laws apply at my headcount?

• A small team working at laptops around a meeting table. WOCInTech
• A long boardroom table lined with employees. WOCInTech

Who can deliver California harassment prevention training for a small employer?

• A training session around a long table with laptops open. WOCInTech
• Employees seated along a conference table facing a screen. WOCInTech