Cal/OSHA is now enforcing two regulations that were revised due to changes made by federal OSHA to the Respirable Crystalline Silica standard and the Beryllium standard both focused on the construction industry. In 2005, California became the first state to…

The California Supreme Court recently provided a significant win for subcontractor prompt payment rights.  The court unanimously held in the case of United Riggers & Erectors, Inc. v. Coast Iron & Steel Co., that the direct contractor may only delay payment…

Last week, witnesses from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and businesses (including the UPS) told the Joint Select Committee on the Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans that should the estimated 150 to 200 multiemployer pension plans that are in danger…

All contractors DIR registration will expire on June 30, 2018. Please note possible penalties below if registration is not renewed by due date per DIR: Register or Renew Registration costs $400, covers one fiscal year (July 1-June 30), and must…

California’s prompt payment laws are scattered throughout the state’s Business and Professions Code, Public Contracts Code and Civil Code, and their applicability varies depending on the type of project, the type of payment, and who is paying. Keeping the statutory…

INDOOR HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION Labor Code § 6720 (enacted by Senate Bill 1167) requires the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) to develop a proposed regulation for minimizing heat-related illness among workers in indoor places of employment. Current provisions…

The California Supreme Court has adopted a new legal standard that will make it much more difficult for businesses to classify workers as independent contractors. Specifically, the court adopted a new standard for determining whether a company “employs” or is…

Minimum Wage California’s minimum wage, effective January 1, 2018, is $10.50/hour for employers with 25 or fewer employees; and $11/hour for employers with 26 or more employees.  And, the minimum salary for exempt computer professionals is now $90,790.07 annually. What…

AB 1701 was a top priority of California building trade unions and perhaps the most contentious industry measure of 2017. While we worked diligently to try and improve the measure to limit its impact on quality union subcontractors, future litigation…

There are over 1,100 public agencies that participate in the California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting, a state act that allows agencies to informally bid projects. Informal bidding does not require formal advertising. Instead, the agency may elect to maintain a…