Cal-Peculiarities: How California Employment Law is Different 2022 Edition

326 | 2022 Cal-Peculiarities ©2022 Seyfarth Shaw LLP  www.seyfarth.com policy acknowledgments (anti-harassment, retaliation, discrimination, at-will employment, meal/rest break policies, etc. ). 15 10.3 Shopping Investigator’s Report Employees disciplined on the basis of a report by a shopping investigator must be given a copy of the report before discipline is imposed . 16 10.4 Payroll Records California employers must comply with oral or written requests from current or former employees to inspect and copy their payroll records within 21 calendar days . 17 A “copy” includes a duplicate of the itemized statement provided to an employee or a computer-generated record that accurately shows all of the information required under California la w. 18 Failure to comply entitles the current or former employee, or the Labor Commissioner, to recover a $750 penalty from the employer, plus a potential PAGA penalty . 19 C ourts can also issue injunctive relief and attorney fees are similarly available to ensure compliance . 20 California employers must provide itemized wage statements to employees, and permit employees to inspect those records and obtain a cop y. 21 (See § 16.3.) As of January 1, 2019, employers must provide the employee a copy of the wage statements or computer-generated record upon request, rather than just providing an opportunity for an “inspection. ” 22 California employers must make work records available to state inspectors . 23 1 Lab. Code § 1198.5(a), (b)(1). 2 Lab. Code § 1198.5(b)(2). 3 Lab. Code § 1198.5(b)(2). 4 Lab. Code § 1198.5(c)(2). 5 Lab. Code § 1198.5(c)(1). 6 Lab. Code § 1198.5(c)(3)(A), (B). 7 Lab. Code § 1198.5(d), (p). 8 Lab. Code § 1198.5(n), (q)(1)-(4). 9 Lab. Code § 1198.5(h). 10 Lab. Code § 1198.5(g). 11 Lab. Code § 1198.5(k)-(m). 12 Lab. Code § 432. 13 Id . 14 Seyfarth Shaw LLP, “The Peculiar ‘Personnel-ity’ of California Personnel File Inspection Laws,” E MPLOYMENT L AW O UTLOOK (2016), https://www.laborandemploymentlawcounsel.com/2016/12/the-peculiar-personnel-ity-of-california-personnel-file-inspection-laws/ (last visited Mar. 8, 2022). 15 Id . 16 Lab. Code § 2930(a). 17 Lab. Code § 226(c). 18 Lab. Code § 226(a). 19 Lab. Code § 226(f),(h). 20 Id . 21 Lab. Code § 226(a), (b). And criminal liability is also possible for “any employer ... or any officer, agent, employee, fiduciary, or other person” who knowingly violates this requirement. Lab. Code § 226.6. 22 Lab. Code § 226(b).