While everyone awaits the California Supreme Court’s ruling in Brinker Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court (Hohnbaum) – which is expected sometime in early 2012 and will determine the scope of an employer’s meal and rest period obligations – employers must not lose sight of other important developments in California employment law. Below are brief summaries of some of the legislative enactments in California that will affect employers. Unless otherwise noted, these laws will take effect on January 1, 2012.

In This Issue:

- Misclassification of Independent Contractors

- Wage Theft Prevention

- Gender Identity/Expression and Genetic Information as Protected Classifications

- Pregnancy Disability Protections

- Limitations on Employers’ Use of Credit Checks

- Requiring Commission Agreements in Writing

- Health Care Industry: Lift Teams

- What Employers Should Do Now