LITIGATION HOLDS JUST GOT ENHANCED When someone files a lawsuit or begins an arbitration, the parties are supposed to place a hold on destroying any files about the matter, even tangentially related documents. It is especially important for businesses that have automatic deletion of correspondence, video, documents or other items...
TARIFF REFUNDS Supreme Court Invalidated Pres. Trump’s Authority To Impose Various Tariffs While the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision invalidating tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) rejected Pres. Trump’s authority to impose those duties, it leaves unresolved a separate and potentially complex issue for businesses: how...
Epps & Coulson, LLP is proud to share some exciting news and well-deserved recognition for Dawn Coulson, who has been selected again as a 2026 Southern California Super Lawyer. Congratulations to Dawn for 20 straight years of being awarded the honor by her peers and colleagues. Dawn has been designated...
Epps & Coulson Filed Class Action to Protect Kaiser Nurses and Staff Epps & Coulson, LLP filed a class action complaint against Kaiser. The claims arise from conduct so shocking and invasive that it strikes at the core of personal dignity in the workplace: the secret video recording of employees...
New California law requires annual workplace rights notice The California Labor Commissioner’s Office (LCO) is reminding employers about a new state law, the Workplace Know Your Rights Act, which requires employers to annually provide workers with clear information about their workplace rights. This new law took effect on January 1 and...
CALIFORNIA ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS FOR EMPLOYEES LIMITED (AGAIN) The recent California Court of Appeal decision of Villalobos v. Maersk held that the employer’s referring to arbitration rules in employee handbooks or agreements is insufficient to designate arbitrability questions to the arbitrator. Many agreements state that disputes will be handled under JAMS...
UPDATE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOKS NOW Updating your employee handbook isn’t just about compliance — it’s about connection. With major workplace law changes coming in 2026, now’s the time to refresh your policies. Employers can get ahead of upcoming changes and make their handbooks more engaging. And, California’s wage and hour laws...
New Employee Minimum Pay Rates Most employers should now know that there are minimum wage requirements mandated by the federal government, state of California and local municipalities. Keeping up with them is laborious. Here’s the latest: New Minimum Wage Rate •As of January 1, 2026, all employers in California must...
Federal Court Blocks Key Nursing Home Staffing Mandates Earlier this year, a federal judge in Texas struck down significant portions of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (“HHS”) recently finalized nursing home staffing requirements, holding that the agency exceeded its statutory authority. The staffing mandate would have required nursing...
EMPLOYERS MAY BE LIABLE FOR OFF-SITE HARASSMENT Picture this: an employee says they do not wish to see, be near or even on Zoom calls with someone else, whom they dated and there was a break-up. Nothing occurred at the worksite, during work or even about work, but the employer...