As a result of the state budget crisis and resulting 25% budget cuts which resulted in the closing of many the regional offices, the California Secretary of State business entity filing times have dramatically increased since 2009. While this office for over 10 years has been able to file and/or retrieve a document within 3 days without the payment of any additional fees to the Secretary of State, today hand delivered documents and requests presented to Sacramento have average delays of 6-8 weeks absent the remittance of the $350/$750 expedited filing fee. [...]

On March 18, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE Act). The HIRE Act provides both immediate and deferred tax benefits to employers who hire certain previously unemployed workers (“qualified employees”).

Who is a Qualified Employer?

As stated above, a qualified employer is any employer, other than a federal or state governmental entity.

Who is a Qualified Employee?

A [...]

UPDATE 4-15-2010:
65% COBRA subsidy for up to 15 months extended again through May 31, 2010.

In Mid December of 2009, President Obama signed the 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill, which included an extension of the 65% COBRA Subsidy provision originally enacted last February in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("Stimulus [...]

On January 28, 2010, the Fourth Appellate District Court of Appeal held that employers cannot by agreement limit the time period in which an employee can file a lawsuit for wage and hour issues.

In Pellegrino v. Robert Half International, Inc., six former employees sued their temporary staffing company for various Labor Code violations including the [...]

Prior to the enactment of Assembly Bill 712, California Smalls Claims Courts had jurisdiction over actions seeking certain forms of relief, including money damages up to $7,500 and in such actions the Smalls Claims Court was also permitted to grant equitable relief in the form of rescission, restitution, reformation, and specific performance in lieu of, or in addition to, money damages. Under the new law, the Small Claims Court will be prohibited from issuing injunctive relief (e.g. specific performance) unless [...]