Recommendations
Left to Right: Kent Bradbury, Tim Del Castillo
Blue Origin’s Arbitration Agreement Was Too One-Sided: Stoker v. Blue Origin Shows What California Courts Won’t Tolerate
In Stoker v. Blue Origin, LLC, B344945 (Cal. Ct. App. Apr. 24, 2026), a former senior director at the space exploration company beat Blue Origin's motion to compel arbitration—not because the federal Ending Forced Arbitration Act protected him, but because his...
Martinez v. Sierra Lifestar is a reminder that California courts are not going to let employers defeat wage‑and‑hour class actions just by slicing up bonus practices and calling them “unique” to each employee.
What happened in Martinez? A former EMT sued his private ambulance employer, alleging it systematically underpaid overtime, double time, and meal/rest premiums by excluding nondiscretionary bonuses from the regular rate of pay. The company paid around ten different...
Ninth Circuit Denial of En Banc Review in Detwiler Reinforces the Tension in Religious Accommodation Cases
The Ninth Circuit has now refused to revisit one of the most closely watched religious accommodation decisions to come out of the pandemic-era litigation wave. In Detwiler v. Mid-Columbia Medical Center, the court left standing a panel decision that held the plaintiff...
When “Work Therapy” Starts To Look Like Work: Spilman v. The Salvation Army
In Spilman v. The Salvation Army, 117 Cal.App.5th 913 (2026), three participants in the Salvation Army’s six‑month rehab program claimed they weren’t just doing “work therapy” for their souls—they were doing full‑time labor that should have come with California...
California’s 2026 Minimum Wage Hike: $16.90/Hour and Why Your “Exempt” White-Collar Dream Might Now Include Time-and-a-Half
Ah, California—land of sunshine, traffic, and apparently endless ways to make employers recalculate payroll. As of January 1, 2026, the statewide minimum wage jumped from $16.50 to $16.90 per hour. That's a whopping 40 cents more per hour for the folks flipping...
California Supreme Court Ponders: Can Zen Monks Sue for Overtime? The Ministerial Exception Gets a Reality Check
Imagine meditating for enlightenment… only to realize your “stipend” for four years of cooking, cleaning, and guest-hosting at the San Francisco Zen Center was $198.33 a month. Cue one very grounded wage claim. In Lorenzo v. San Francisco Zen Center, Annette Lorenzo...
Office Workers May Have a Right to That Water Cooler: You Shouldn’t Have to Drink from a Bathroom Sink
Many California workers have a legal right to proper drinking water facilities in their workplace—and being told to drink from the bathroom sink isn't enough to satisfy your employer's obligations. If your employer points you to the bathroom when you need a drink of...
Your Right to Basic Workplace Sanitation: When Your Employer Fails to Provide Clean Water, Restrooms, and Safe Working Conditions
California employer fails have a right to basic sanitation facilities like clean drinking water, accessible restrooms, and safe eating areas at work. The Law Is Clear: Employers Must Provide Basic Human Needs California's labor laws don't just govern wages and...
California Supreme Court Confirms: Employers Cannot Simply Ignore Minimum Wage Laws
California's highest court has made it clear court confirms: employers who fail to pay minimum wage cannot escape liquidated (essentially double) damages by claiming they didn't know the law. The recent Iloff v. Lapaille decision from the California Supreme Court...
California Whistleblower Protection: Your Rights When Reporting Workplace Violations
Whistleblower: If you've reported illegal activity at your workplace or to the authorities and faced retaliation from your employer, you may be entitled to significant compensation, possibly including reinstatement, lost wages, and up to $10,000 in civil penalties....