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California CompliancePay Equity and TransparencyFirst-Generation ProfessionalsWorkplace ImmigrationPerformance Under Pressure
When does a California layoff require Cal-WARN notice?
September 26, 2026
At a site with 75 or more employees, laying off 50 in 30 days, closing or moving 100 miles takes 60 days' notice. Since 2026 the notice must say more.
Are noncompete agreements enforceable in California?
September 26, 2026
No, with narrow exceptions, and since 2024 it is unlawful to even include one. Since 2026, most stay-or-pay repayment clauses are banned too.
What should a California termination include, and when is severance worth signing?
September 26, 2026
At-will does not mean undocumented. What employers need on termination day, and what employees should check before signing a severance agreement.
How do CFRA, pregnancy disability leave and paid sick leave fit together in California?
September 26, 2026
Paid sick leave starts at one employee. At five, add up to four months of pregnancy disability leave and 12 weeks of CFRA, and the two can stack.
What are California’s meal and rest break rules, and how does PAGA raise the stakes?
September 26, 2026
A 30-minute meal before the end of the fifth hour, 10-minute rest breaks by the four-hour block, and a premium hour for each miss. PAGA turns misses into penalties.
When is a final paycheck due in California, and what does a late one cost?
September 26, 2026
Fired employees are paid on the spot; quits get 72 hours or the last day. Miss it and the day's wages keep running for up to 30 days.
Blog
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Blog · September 26, 2026
The Register, Issue 1: $72,384 is California’s new exempt line
California's minimum wage rises to $17.40 on January 1, 2027, which moves the exempt salary floor to $72,384. What professionals and employers should check now.
Blog · September 25, 2026
I overhauled this website in three days. Here is what changed.
I overhauled this site in three days. The knowledge is twelve years old; AI did the building. Here is what the overhaul was for, and why it matters past my website.
Blog · September 23, 2026
The Bay Bridge is worth $23,686 a year to an HR manager
State wage data puts the median San Francisco HR manager $23,686 above the median in Oakland and the East Bay. Here is how I read that gap from both sides of the…
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