Publications

Employers report a sharp increase in employees requesting mental health leave and accommodations in recent years. This may be in part attributable to a welcome de-stigmatization of mental illness, but has the unfortunate side effect of increasing the burden on employers to accommodate these requests.

Read More...

California’s Assembly Bill 692 (AB 692), effective January 1, 2026, prohibits most “stay-or-pay” provisions in employment contracts. AB 692 renders void any clauses requiring employees to repay training, education, or relocation costs upon separation, and limits efforts to penalize workers for leaving. The bill enhances employee mobility and creates private rights of action for violations.

Read More...

Labor relations in the United States has entered a fundamentally different era—one defined by heightened employee expectations, aggressive regulatory shifts, and a renewed sense of momentum within organized labor. For employers, this moment is not simply a cyclical uptick in activity. It is a structural change in how workforces think, communicate, and mobilize. And the organizations that recognize this shift early will be the ones best positioned to navigate it.

Read More...

On March 24, 2026, Washington Governor signed House Bill 1155 amending various provisions related to non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, amendments which take effect on June 30, 2027.

Read More...

On January 28, 2026, NLRB General Counsel Crystal S. Carey issued GC Memo 26 02, setting a markedly different tone from the sweeping policy agendas that have defined recent years. Rather than launching a new wave of precedent revisiting initiatives, Carey’s first major communication focuses on something far more fundamental—and urgently needed across the Agency: operational consistency, timely case resolution, and restoring predictability in regional enforcement.

Read More...

The “No Taxes on Tips” regulation has been enacted and will take effect on June 12, 2026. The new regulations, issued by the IRS, declare that a deduction shall be allowed for an amount equal to a taxpayer’s qualified tips, up to a maximum of $25,000. (It can be less for those whose adjusted gross income exceeds $150K ($300K if filing jointly).)

Read More...

Organizations rarely become vulnerable to union organizing overnight. Vulnerability builds gradually — through cultural drift, leadership inconsistency, operational pressure, or unresolved employee concerns. The challenge is that most employers don’t recognize the warning signs until a petition is filed or an organizer is already active inside the workforce.

Read More...

Senate Bill 294, the Workplace Know Your Rights Act (the “Act”), took effect this year and requires employers to (1) distribute a standalone written notice of employee rights to every employee, and (2) allow employees to designate an emergency contact in the event of an arrest or detention.

Read More...

We are excited to welcome Christina Tantoy back to Stokes Wagner as Managing Shareholder of our Los Angeles office.

Christina’s connection to the firm spans much of her career. She first joined Stokes Wagner as a law clerk and later returned to the firm as an associate, where she worked closely with hospitality clients on complex litigation and employment matters.

Read More...

As a California employer in the private sector, you may be unaware of the Public Employees Relations Board, known as the PERB. Historically, the PERB has had the limited scope of overseeing labor relations for public sector employees in a role similar to the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”), which oversees private sector labor relations nationwide pursuant to the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”). The NLRA grants the NLRB the primary jurisdiction over private sector labor relations matters. The PERB’S limited role has now potentially expanded with the passage of AB 288, which means its employee-protective procedures may eventually affect private employers.

Read More...