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Joseph Beachboard

Are computer programmers exempt from overtime in California?

10/22/2015
Q. Our company needs to hire computer programmers to create, maintain, and update internal software, and to develop apps to give to our clients. I have heard about a “computer workers” exception from overtime. What exactly is the exception and can I apply it to my computer programmers?

How to comply with L.A.’s new minimum wage?

10/22/2015
Q. My company is headquartered in San Francisco, but I have several employees throughout California, including in Los Angeles. What are my obligations with regard to the new Los Angeles minimum wage ordinance?

How to handle a reference request from a subpar former employee?

10/22/2015
Q. A former employee asked me to provide a reference to a prospective employer. While he left our company on good terms, he had lateness problems, his performance was substandard, and I was not fond of him. Can he sue me for giving him a bad reference?

Am I allowed to institute a tip pool?

09/21/2015
Q. Bartenders and servers at my bar make hundreds of dollars in tips each night while our hosts, bussers and managers walk away with much less. I instituted a pooling policy to correct the injustice, but now my bartenders and servers are threatening to sue for taking their tips. Are they right?

How should I handle meal breaks and downtime when we work on a split-shift basis?

09/21/2015
Q. I need my restaurant employees to work lunch and dinner shifts but not the two hours between when we are closed. Do I have to pay for the time they are on break between or does it qualify as a meal break?

How should I accommodate breastfeeding at work?

09/21/2015
Q. An employee who is about to return from maternity leave wants to pump breast milk at work. She is asking for a room specifically designated for pumping, as she feels uncomfortable doing so in the bathroom or the office, and for several breaks during the day. Do I have to provide this accommodation?

What are California’s unique overtime rules?

08/26/2015
Three questions about overtime pay in California.

Do we have to pay our interns this summer?

08/26/2015
Q. Our company is considering hiring student interns this summer. Are we required to pay them under California law?

Must we pay out unused PTO on termination?

08/26/2015
Q. I know that California employers are required to pay out unused vacation time, but what about accrued but unused PTO or floating holidays?

Does same-sex ruling affect ADA compliance?

07/17/2015
Q. Does the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriages have any effect on us with regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act?