The head of a Valencia law firm specializing in business-related litigation gave the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce’s annual employment-law update Thursday in the SCV Senior Center at Bella Vida.
Brian Koegle of the Koegle Law Group explained common ways the chamber’s members, particularly its small businesses, can find themselves afoul of the law, even if they’re just trying to be accommodating to their workers’ requests.
Koegle used a common example to prove his point to the room filled with chamber members.
Under state law, an employee must take the required lunch break before a fifth hour of work is completed.
That means if an employee starts at 8:30 a.m., he said, and hasn’t taken lunch by 1:30 p.m., there’s a meal-period violation of one hour due to them.
And it matters not if the employee was busy working on a project, doesn’t want to ever take their lunch break or wants to “work through lunch” and go home early — an employee cannot waive their lunch period in California, which means an employer could be punished.
“And unfortunately, guys, being a generous employer, it just doesn’t help you any longer, because the state doesn’t give you the flexibility to do those things,” Koegle said.
He also reviewed best practices a business owner can perform to stay in compliance with the law.
“No. 1, performing an annual audit of employment practices, policies and procedures. This includes updating your employee handbook,” Koegle said, mentioning the importance of...
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