Legislation to Curb Plastic Trash Stall Before Session’s End
A trio of proposals would have tackled California’s waste crisis by slowing the flow of disposable goods —and single-use plastics — from manufacturers to landfills
An ambitious push to make California the first state to stem the flow of plastic trash by phasing out single-use packaging and foodware failed early Saturday amid dogged industry opposition, as state lawmakers adjourned without acting on two far-reaching recycling bills.
California Lawmakers Pass Assembly Bill 5. Now What Happens?
Doctors, real estate agents and hairdressers can keep their independent contractor status — but not truckers, commercial janitors, nail salon workers, physical therapists and “gig economy” workers.
Lobbying Blitz Stymies California’s Crackdown on For-Profit Schools
Just a few months ago, California’s Democratic-controlled legislature seemed poised to pass the nation’s toughest restrictions on for-profit colleges. School owners publicly fretted that they’d have to shut down.
Despite Concessions, Worries Remain Over Gig Economy Bill
California is poised to pass a sweeping labor bill that would turn drivers into employees, but gig companies are concerned about the implications and are urging lawmakers to forge a new path
Over Labor Day, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared his support for reclassifying an estimated 2 million California workers as employees instead of independent contractors. But while Democratic presidential candidates have seized upon labor standards of gig workers as a campaign issue, many questions remain about AB 5’s implications.
Dilemma of the Month: Padding an Employee’s Timecard
The Fair Labor Standards Act has strict rules regarding paying nonexempt employees, and California is even stricter; one of the key components is that employees must be paid for every hour they work
Rx for Merger Madness
Hospitals and physician practices are consolidating; for businesses covering their workers, that means re-evaluating current plans to keep health care costs from soaring
In the 2019 American economy, the big are getting bigger. Mergers are everywhere — the number of mergers and acquisitions exceeded 15,000 in 2017, a record for a single year, with 2018 a close second.
Getting Food Stamps to California’s Poor a Challenge
Pressure is increasing on counties to sign up more people for food stamps since the state’s participation rate is one of the lowest in the nation. But greater enrollment may require more money or more state intervention.
A Split-Roll Property Tax Measure Is Bad for Business
Next year, voters will be asked to amend Prop. 13 through a ballot measure that will upset more than 40 years of that steadiness and a “no surprises” business environment. It’s a tax hit businesses can’t afford, especially in an economy with flat consumer spending and trade tariffs.
PG&E Customers Face 15 Percent Increase in Bills
State authorities are already getting an earful from those overwhelming opposed to paying more
Consumer advocates worry that PG&E may try to stick customers with damages from past fires — the debt that drove them into bankruptcy.
Will Assembly Bill 5 Destroy the Gig Economy?
An end-of-session legislative fight has huge implications for companies and their contractors
A momentous Supreme Court decision. A presidential candidate weighing in. A noisy late-August demonstration outside the Capitol. Not Washington, but Sacramento. Not abortion or guns — Dynamex.