In the field of employment law, litigators are often in the position of reviewing a complaining employee’s new hire or “onboarding” documents to determine precisely what they and their employer agreed to when the employee began working. Included in many such documents are so-called ‘Binding Arbitration Agreements’ or similar clauses. These agreements (basically a contract between the two parties) can sometimes be more than a decade old, stored poorly, or even lost, but nonetheless have the potential to significantly impact litigation when a work situation turns sour down the road.

As we reported on May 27, 2024, on April 23, 2024 the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced its Final Non-Compete Clause Rule (“Final Rule”), which bans post-employment non-compete clauses between employers and their workers. The Final Rule was to become effective on September 4, 2024.

Scali Rasmussen Shareholder Jeffrey Erdman and Managing Shareholder Christian Scali have been recognized by Lawdragon in its “2025’s 500 Leading Litigators in America.” The publication received a record number of submissions and based their selections on original journalistic research and an extensive vetting process.

On November 3, 2020, California voters approved Proposition 22 which provided several regulations relating to drivers for app-based transportation or delivery companies such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash etc. As a result, a new law, The Protect App-Based Drivers and Services Act was enacted and added to the Business and Professions Code.

The California Supreme Court recently published its opinion in Quach v. California Commerce Club, Inc. which abrogated long-standing California Supreme Court precedent that, for over 21 years, has governed the often-disputed issue of whether a party waives a right to arbitration.

A recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision underscored the fact that activity away from the workplace could nonetheless create a hostile work environment for purposes unlawful harassment/discrimination claims.

Scali Rasmussen announced today its Managing Shareholder Christian Scali has been recognized by Daily Journal as a top labor and employment attorney in California for 2024. The award is the esteemed publication’s annual selection of top attorneys who specialize in litigation, PAGA matters, unlawful terminations and workplace investigations.

Scali Rasmussen and XLNC are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Jo Vanbelle as the Global Co-Chair of the XLNC’s Legal Focus Group (LFG). This key leadership role reflects Mr. Vanbelle’s distinguished career and commitment to excellence in the legal profession. Mr. Vanbelle will serve alongside Christian Scali, Managing Shareholder at Scali Rasmussen, P.C.

The Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (“PAGA” or “Act”), codified in Sections 2698 through 2699.6 of the California Labor Code, has become a key weapon for California’s enforcement of its Labor Code since PAGA’s enactment two decades ago. PAGA supplements the state’s enforcement efforts of violations of the Labor Code by deputizing employees who have been subject to alleged violations as proxies for the state itself to keep up with the ever-growing labor force in California. PAGA is a well-established, robust, and popular mechanism for plaintiffs to initiate lawsuits on behalf of others and the State of California for various types of penalties, particularly for violations of wage and hour rules and regulations.

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently vetoed a bill that would have provided up to $4,000 to California residents who convert eligible fuel-powered vehicles to a zero-emission powertrain. Senate Bill 301, introduced in February 2023 by two Democrat state Senators, Anthony Portantino and Josh Newman, was passed unanimously in May of 2024 by both the state Assembly and Senate.