California Employment and Labor Law Terminology

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering California labor laws, state regulatory agencies, employment protections, and workplace definitions based on the lecture notes.

California Code of Regulations

Formally adopted regulations of the California state agencies.

California Department of Insurance (CDI)

Agency established in 1868 charged with overseeing insurance regulations, enforcing statutes mandating consumer protections, educating consumers, and fostering the stability of insurance markets in California. It has authority over how the insurance industry conducts business within the state and licenses and regulates the rates and practices of insurance companies, agents, and brokers.

California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA)

State agency whose mission is to restore, protect and enhance the environment, to ensure public health, environmental quality and economic vitality.

California Family Rights Act (CFRA)

Act that requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide 12 weeks of leave for bonding with a newborn or adopted child, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, and/or caring for the employee's own serious health condition.

California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES)

California's agency responsible for overseeing and coordinating emergency preparedness, response, recovery and homeland security activities within the state.

California Labor Code

A collection of civil law statutes for the State of California that govern the general obligations and rights of persons within the jurisdiction of the State of California.

California Labor Commissioner

Entity that sets and enforces rules for wages, deductions, vacation, jury/witness duty, meal and rest periods, temporary military leave, the workweek, minors, employee access to personnel files, discrimination, exempt status, independent contractors and more.

California Occupational Safety and Standards Board

Body that sets workplace safety and health standards and has the authority to grant or deny applications for variances as well as respond to petitions for new or revised standards.

California Security Breach Information Act of 2003

Database protection act passed by California that requires any person, agency, or organization doing business in California to notify any affected persons should a database breach occur.

California Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA)

Law that protects information—including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, or process—that derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to the public or others who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use, and is the subject of reasonable efforts to maintain secrecy.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

A painful condition of the hand and fingers caused by compression of a major nerve where it passes over the carpal bones through a passage at the front of the wrist, alongside the flexor tendons of the hand. It may be caused by repetitive movements over a long period or fluid retention, and is characterized by tingling, numbness, or burning sensations.

Change in Status Notice

A notice that employers must provide when employees are terminated, discharged, laid off, or placed on leave of absence.

Collective Bargaining Agreement

An agreement between a union and organization regarding wages and benefits as well as wage and hour issues.

Commission

Compensation paid to employees based on sales, business development, or other revenue producing in the form of a percentage of the revenue; must include a detailed commission agreement signed by both the employee and the employer.

Compensatory Time Off (CTO)

A policy of providing employees time off in lieu of paying overtime rates.

Constructive Discharge

When an employee voluntarily quits their job because conditions were so intolerable that any reasonable person in the circumstances would have felt compelled to quit. Employees may be able to file a wrongful termination claim and/or collect Unemployment Insurance.

Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act (CCRAA)

State law imposing requirements employers must follow when seeking credit information about an employee or applicant during a background check by accessing public records.

Corporate Criminal Liability Act (CCLA)

1989 act commonly referred to as the 'Be a Manager, Go to Jail' Act that subjects individual managers, corporations, and limited liability corporations (LLCs) to criminal liability for failing to disclose concealed hazards.

Crime Victim

A person who has been the victim of a violent felony, a serious felony, or a felony provision of the law proscribing theft or embezzlement.

Cumulative Injury/Trauma

Injuries caused by repeating the same activity over and over.

Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH)

Agency that enforces California's non-discrimination laws, has jurisdiction over private and public employment, housing, public accommodations, and public services, receives and investigates discrimination complaints, and provides technical assistance to employers.

Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)

California department that seeks to improve working conditions for wage earners and advance opportunities for profitable employment, holding responsibility for labor law, workplace safety and health, apprenticeship training, Workers' Compensation, statistics and research, mediation, and conciliation.

Disability

Physical or mental impairment that limits life activities and/or that makes physical, social or work activities difficult.

Disparate treatment

Intentional different treatment based on a protected category.

Disparate impact

Unintentional different treatment, usually to a group, based on a protected category.

Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE)

A division of the DIR that investigates wage claims and discrimination complaints and enforces California's labor laws and IWC Wage Orders.