General Employment Law/Legal Update for 2015

Start 2015 knowing and clearly understanding new California and Federal employment laws. The fastest expanding risk in employment law are wage and hour class actions with state settlements of $25 million outpacing federal class action awards.

The IRS began in 2013 its first comprehensive audit of employment tax issues in over 25 years. The IRS will audit 6000 companies in total over the next three years. The main issues to be examined in these audits are worker classification, executive compensation and taxable fringe benefits. When workers are classified as independent contractors, the company does not pay employment taxes or withhold income taxes.

This is an opportunity to learn about the latest developments. Join our labor and employment law expert for a comprehensive review. Relevant court cases from 2014 new laws effective in 2015, including:

• ·         Mandatory California Paid Sick Leave
• ·         Changes in Minimum Wage & Hour
• ·         Arbitration Agreements
• ·         Independent Contractor Liability
• ·         Pending Regulatory Changes

Lonnie D. Giamela, Esq. is a partner in both the Los Angeles and Irvine offices of Fisher & Phillips LLP. He represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including fair employment, intellectual property, wage and hour, independent contractor classification, medical leaves, mass layoff and preparation of employment documents such as handbooks and compensation plans. Lonnie has extensive experience representing local, regional and national clients in class action wage-hour lawsuits as well as representative lawsuits brought under California’s Private Attorneys General Act.

Lonnie has presented more than 200 seminars to management, executives, human resources professionals and employer groups on topics including fair employment, medical leaves, mass layoffs, FMLA/CFRA compliance, independent contractor classification matters and wage and hour compliance.

Lonnie has an "AV" Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell, which is their highest peer review survey rating for legal abilities and ethical standards. He was selected for inclusion in 2013 and 2014 Southern California Super Lawyers – Rising Stars. Lonnie is frequently quoted in labor and employment issues and has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Business Journal, hotelexecutive.com, EmploymentLaw360.com, PIHRAescope blog and Business Finance.