Humboldt County employers must remember that with California’s minimum wage increase on January 1, 2017, the corresponding base minimum annual salary to qualify any employee as exempt from overtime has a corresponding increase. As always, to qualify for exempt status, employees must make at least twice the minimum wage on an annual basis. If you have any questions about whether … Read More
Minimum Wage and Exempt Status Require Review in 2017
A reminder to all Humboldt County employers, as of January 1, 2017 the minimum wage for all employers with 25 or fewer employees is $10 per hour and $10.50 per hour for all employers with 26 or more employees. The minimum salary thresholds for all exempt employees are also increasing. Check to make sure that all of your current exempt … Read More
The Final Countdown: Planning Department Accepting Applications Until Friday 12/30 at 4 P.M.
Ever since Humboldt County passed its Commercial Medical Marijuana Land Use Ordinance, establishing a framework for cultivators, manufacturers, testers, dispensaries, distributors, and transporters (whew!) to apply for local land use permits, one date in particular has loomed large: December 31, 2016. Well, New Year’s Eve falls on a Saturday, so make that date December 30, instead. Two weeks from Friday … Read More
Proposition 64 Eliminates Drug Registration in Cannabis Cases
The passage of Proposition 64 in California has changed more than the class of offense for certain cannabis crimes. It was specifically designed to be retroactive, permitting reductions in prior sentences, credit for time served, potential reduction in prior fines, and even outright destruction of certain records. Another little discussed change in the law after Proposition 64 is the right for … Read More
“More Money, More Problems”—The New Theme Song at the DOL
A new federal overtime rule from the Department of Labor was set to take effect on December 1, 2016. The rule doubles the current federal salary that must be made by an employee before the employee can be classified as exempt from overtime—known as the executive, administrative and professional exemptions. The new rule requires a minimum salary of $913 per … Read More
California Passes Proposition 64
Last Tuesday, California passed Proposition 64 with fifty-six percent (56%) voting in favor of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana in California. Proposition 64 allows adults aged 21 years or older to possess and use marijuana for recreational purposes. The measure created two new taxes, one levied on cultivation and the other on retail sales. The cultivation tax is $9.25 … Read More
Notice: Post Your Notice!
If you’re a physician in California, you must post a Notice of Non-Discrimination for patients who receive “federal financial assistance.” Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act provides that physicians’ offices are required to post notices of non-discrimination and taglines that alert patients with limited English proficiency about the availability of language assistance services. The better practice, of course, is … Read More
Humboldt County Nursing Home Closures
As you may know, three of the five Humboldt skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”) owned by Brius and managed by Rockport have been given authority by the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) to close their doors and transfer residents. Janssen Malloy LLP requested copies of the transfer documentation filed with the CDPH on behalf of the SNFs. If you or … Read More
Trial Preference for Those Over 70
The California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) provides for expedited trial setting for those over 70 if the court finds that 1) the party has a substantial interest in the action as a whole, and 2) the health of the party is such that preference is necessary to prevent prejudicing the party’s interest in the litigation (CCP Section 36 (a)). … Read More
Prop 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, and (More) Criminal Justice Reform
In November 2014 California voters enacted a seismic shift in criminal penalties for nonviolent property and drug crimes, Proposition 47. In a few weeks (or already, if one casts her or his ballot by mail), California voters will again decide whether to change the state’s approach to drug policy in a way that realistically pales in comparison to Prop 47 … Read More