California AB 2155 amends the California Arbitration Act, limiting enforcement of arbitration agreements excluded under federal law.
Global Developments In Labor & Employment Law
Vanessa C. Krumbein focuses her practice on providing compliance-related and strategic advice to corporate clients of all sizes on all aspects of employment law. Vanessa is a go-to point of contact for advice on a wide range of workplace issues, including employee performance and discipline, mitigating risk associated with employee terminations, compliance with wage and hour and disability accommodation laws, reorganizations and reductions in force, pay transparency, background checks, paid time off issues, workplace complaints, and a variety of other employment matters. Vanessa also works closely with clients to draft and implement employee handbooks and other personnel policies with the goal of making them easy to understand by employees, provides training on maintaining discrimination and harassment-free workplaces, and conducts investigations to address employee complaints of unfair treatment. Vanessa also has experience working on employment issues unique to clients in the media and entertainment sector.
Vanessa is also a go-to source for creating employment documents of all types (such as employment and independent contractor agreements, arbitration agreements, non-competes, confidential information, and IP protection agreements, commission and bonus agreements, and severance packages), and is regularly engaged to conduct audits of workplace wage and hour practices. Vanessa also handles employment-related issues and diligence in M&A transactions and counsels on post-merger employee integration matters. Vanessa regularly partners with clients and colleagues across the globe.
Vanessa has a considerable litigation background which gives her a unique perspective when counseling clients on employment best practices. Vanessa has experience litigating class actions, single-plaintiff, and multi-party civil cases, representing employers in state and federal court on a wide range of labor and employment matters, including, for example, claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, violations of privacy, violations of leave laws, wage and hour disputes, and in responding to and negotiating resolution of charges filed with administrative agencies.
California AB 2155 amends the California Arbitration Act, limiting enforcement of arbitration agreements excluded under federal law.…
As California employers head into another year of compliance planning, the Golden State legislature has not slowed down. From higher wage thresholds and expanded pay-equity rules to sweeping changes affecting AI use, layoffs, and worker mobility, the coming year brings a slate of employment law updates that HR, legal, and business leaders may want to…
As employers around the globe are increasingly looking to leverage AI and AI-adjacent automation in their recruiting and personnel processes, California has stepped onto the scene. On June 27, 2025, the California Civil Rights Council approved several changes to the regulations issued under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), expressly targeting employment…
While employees are decorating, mulling over their New Year’s resolutions, and hunting for the best sales, California employers are turning their sights to the potential challenges awaiting them in the New Year. As new laws take effect, employers should consider updating their policies and practices to remain in compliance. This GT Alert summarizes some notable…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s recent final rule that would ban virtually all noncompete agreements in the United States will take effect Sept. 4, 2024, barring delays from pending legal challenges. While the rule has garnered a significant amount of attention, many California businesses are already accustomed to complying with California’s long-standing public policy…
With the festive season upon us, California employers can look forward to hanging lights, holiday cheer, and, of course, the new employment laws and compliance challenges taking effect in the New Year. Instead of interrupting your favorite holiday tradition to trek through California’s new legislation (likely without appropriate cold-weather clothing in true California fashion), this…
On Oct. 4, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill No. 616 (SB 616). Effective Jan. 1, 2024, SB 616 expands the existing paid sick leave entitlements currently available to employees under the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (HWHFA). This GT Alert provides an overview of the HWHFA as it…
California employers know the holidays bring chilly nights (by California standards), holiday cheer, decked halls, and… ringing in the New Year with a host of new employment laws and compliance challenges. Here’s a summary of what we believe are some key aspects of new legislation that employers should be aware of before popping the bubbly…
On Dec. 16, 2021, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board adopted revisions to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS). The ETS updates amend employer requirements for exclusion from the worksite, return-to-work criteria, outbreaks and testing, and face coverings. The revised provisions go into effect Jan. 14, 2022, and remain in effect…
In true California fashion, the legislature had a busy session that resulted in a number of new employment-related statutes and amendments being passed just in time for the holidays and will go into effect as of January 1, 2022 (unless otherwise noted below). While there were a few welcome “stocking stuffers” for California employers, the…