Employee Handbook Compliance Review for Employers & Business Owners
Please contact us to schedule an appointment to review your existing employment Handbook, and/or company policies & procedures to ensure your business is California labor law compliant.
Welcome to the Law Offices of Chauvel & Glatt, LLP!
We are based in San Mateo, California, and serve the Peninsula and surrounding communities, including San Francisco to San Jose, as well as clients throughout Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino Counties and the State of California. We’ve been providing legal services for more than 3 decades and specialize in the fields of Business Law, Real Estate Law, Employment Law, Estate Planning/Probate, Transportation Law, and Intellectual Property Law. We bring a wide range of knowledge and experience, with members of our team speaking English, Spanish and Tagalog.
Practice Areas
Business Law
Our business attorneys provide full-service representation for companies of all sizes from entity formation, preparation of business agreements, purchase and sales, and litigation.
Employment Law
Our ’employer lawyers’ counsel and protect business owners to ensure compliance with California labor laws and defend your business in the event of litigation.
Estate Planning & Probate
Chauvel & Glatt will help individuals and families plan for the future using estate planning tools that address your specific personal needs.
Intellectual Property
We protect our clients’ creative output, trade secrets, and proprietary information.
Real Estate Law
Our firm is committed to protecting your investment and income property, from lease or purchase negotiations and in the event of litigation
Transportation Law
Our attorneys specialize in the transportation field and have a thorough understanding of carrier regulation, compliance issues, and logistics.
Our Team
Our attorneys enjoy working collaboratively and strive to keep matters as simple as possible. We share a desire to give you unparalleled customer service by being proactive and responsive to all your needs.
April Glatt
April Glatt
Natalia Cañas
Natalia Cañas
Derek Myers
Derek Myers
TJ Walsh
TJ Walsh
Joe Newman
Joe Newman
Ken Weinfield
Ken Weinfield
Ron Chauvel
Ron Chauvel
Our Expertise
- We provide legal advice relative to the myriad of employment-related requirements and rules that apply to employers under California labor law.
- We handle business formation and commercial transactions, as well as commercial litigation.
- We guide our clients through the creation of individual and family trusts, wills, trust administration and the probate process.
- Our firm advises established companies as well sole proprietors, start-ups, and independent contractors in relation to protecting their rights.
- We are well-versed in a wide variety of commercial and residential real estate matters to provide you full-service representation for all your property needs.
- Our attorneys specialize in the transportation and logistics fields and have a thorough understanding of carrier regulations and compliance issues.
Chauvel & Glatt Brings You The Latest Updates.
- Uncategorized
Posted in: News
It’s common to hear people say, “I don’t have children, so I don’t need an estate plan.” But that assumption can be misleading, especially as more Californians are choosing not to have children. The truth is that estate planning is just as important for those without children.
If you don’t have an estate plan in place, California law, not your personal wishes, will decide key decisions for you. That includes who makes your medical decisions, who manages your finances if you become incapacitated, and how your assets are distributed after your death.
When an individual passes away in California without an estate plan, their assets are distributed under intestate succession laws. For those without children, that often means assets go to parents, siblings, or even more distant relatives, regardless of how close those relationships actually are. Most would leave assets to a partner, close friends, or a charitable cause, and an estate plan allows for those choices to be clear.
Estate planning isn’t just about what happens after you pass away, it also covers what happens if you’re unable to make decisions during your lifetime. Documents such as a financial power of attorney and an advance health care directive let you choose someone you trust to step in if needed. Without that designation legally secured, your loved ones may have to go through a costly and time-consuming court process to gain that authority.
For many people, naming a child as executor is an obvious choice. For those without a child, selecting the right person can take more thought, but it’s an important decision that helps ensure your affairs are handled smoothly.
There are also financial advantages to advance planning. Tools like trusts and beneficiary designations can help reduce taxes, avoid probate, and efficiently transfer assets. Since probate in California can be both expensive and time-consuming, thoughtful planning can avoid it altogether.
Estate planning also gives you the opportunity to think about the legacy you want to leave. That might mean supporting a favorite charity, funding a scholarship, or leaving meaningful gifts to friends and loved ones.
At its core, estate planning isn’t really about whether you have children, it’s about staying in control, protecting your interests, and making sure your wishes are honored. For Californians without children, it’s one of the most effective ways to create clarity and peace of mind.
Chauvel & Glatt’s experienced California estate planning attorneys are available to help you think through these decisions, develop strategies to protect and transfer your assets, and put a plan in place that reflects your priorities.
This material is provided by Chauvel & Glatt for general informational purposes and reflects current information as of the date of publication. It is not intended as legal advice. For guidance tailored to your specific situation, please contact Chauvel & Glatt at 650-573-9500
- Employment Law Articles & Legal Guides for Employers
Posted in: News
The short answer is because workplace discrimination claims are pervasive and are on the rise. The state of California has some of the most stringent labor laws in the country in protection of employees. In fact, they often contain more strict criteria than do federal protections. Employees in California are generally aware of their rights. When they feel their rights are being violated, they know that one agency in particular, the California Civil Rights Agency (CRD), has a mission, “…to protect the people of California from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, businesses, and state-funded programs…” (calcivilrights.ca.gov)
Following is a summary from CRD’s website of laws barring employment discrimination and what they apply to:
- Advertisements
- Applications, screening, and interviews
- Hiring, transferring, promoting, terminating, or separating employees
- Working conditions, including compensation
- Participation in a training or apprenticeship program, employee organization or union
Who Should Be Prepared for Employment Law Discrimination Cases?
The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), a state law, prohibits both public and private employers, labor organizations, and employment agencies with five or more employees – including part-time employees – from discriminating against the following protected categories of employees and potential employees:
- Age (40 years and older)
- Color
- Disability (physical or mental, including cancer and HIV/AIDS; reasonable accommodations must be offered)
- Gender Identification (transgender and gender non-conforming)
- Marital Status
- Military/Veteran Status
- National Origin/Ancestry/Genetics (including language restrictions, family history, DNA)
- Race (includes physical characteristics)
- Religion (including dress/grooming related to religion; reasonable accommodations must be offered)
- Request for Family or Medical Leave
- Reproductive Health Decisions (for example, contraception)
- Sex/Gender (including pregnancy and associated activities like breastfeeding, as well as pregnancy disability leave)
- Sexual Orientation
Employers can see that the need for workplace discrimination legal services in California is a real possibility. Working with an experienced, professional employment discrimination law firm may help avoid a discrimination claim proceeding to litigation by making sure the employer is compliant with FEHA laws regarding workplace discrimination.
Employment discrimination protection also extends to the recruiting (including job postings/advertisements) and hiring processes, which may surprise many employers. It also leads to the next heads up another reason employers should consider engaging employment discrimination attorney services.
Does Employment Law Discrimination Exempt Artificial Intelligence?
In a word, no. All employers who are using artificial intelligence (AI) and AI chatbots for resume screening, online job postings, one-way video interviews, and elsewhere in the workplace must understand that the potential for employment discrimination claims impacts AI tools, as well. This is true regardless of whether the use of AI could or could not ease racial and ethnic bias in hiring, which is debatable.
An April 20, 2023 Pew Research Center Report on Americans’ views on AI in hiring indicated that the majority of Americans are unaware that it is being used, although this varies between various demographics. The overall awareness level may increase over time as use of AI in general becomes more pervasive.
A Reuters article from August 10, 2023 says this about a lawsuit still pending, “Many worker advocates and policymakers are concerned about the potential for existing biases to be baked into AI software, even unintentionally. In a pending proposed class action in California federal court, Workday is accused of designing hiring software used by scores of large companies that screens out Black, disabled and older applicants. Workday has denied wrongdoing. Experts expect an increasing number of lawsuits accusing employers of discriminating through their use of AI software.”
Why Seek Counsel to Help Manage AI the Right Way?
Employment discrimination investigation counsel can provide guidance to employers who are using AI in employment practices, such as:
- Thoroughly evaluating AI vendors for compliance with both EEOC and California
- anti-discrimination laws
- Algorithmic bias audits
- Informing employees and potential employees about the use of AI
- Requiring the vendor to assume liability of discriminatory employment practices occur
Are California Workplace Discrimination Laws It?
In addition to California state laws, Federal laws protecting anti-discrimination in the workplace are enforced by the US Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Maintaining compliance in the workplace around Federal laws an employment discrimination lawyer in California must also be able to serve as an EEOC defense lawyer.
At Chauvel & Glatt, our goal is to help clients avoid litigation. Still, when necessary, we are well-prepared to advocate for our clients and serve as their workplace discrimination litigation defense. We will provide counsel that results in an employer discrimination response using a process that is quick and efficient. We know that workplace discrimination lawsuit settlements have the potential to result in a loss of millions of dollars for employers. Let us be your partners in developing policies and procedures that are compliant, responsible, and fair.
- Employment Law Articles & Legal Guides for Employers
Posted in: News
One reason is that, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” meaning that if you have the ability to put in place programs that help prevent unlawful workplace incidents that have become as pervasive as workplace harassment has, you should do it. An employment lawyer for harassment cases has the experience and knowledge that enables them to work with employers to develop effective anti-harassment programs.
According to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), “The law requires that employers take reasonable steps to prevent and correct wrongful (harassing, discriminatory, retaliatory) behavior in the workplace.” This is not an option for employers; it is required by law.
An Employer-only Employment Lawyer Knows What the Steps Include:
- A clearly written, easily understandable policy that is provided to employees on a regular basis is crucial. Experienced workplace harassment legal help will understand the required components and provide the guidance to develop and put them into practice.
- Management should not only understand the policies, but also serve as a role model for correct workplace behavior, making it clear that inappropriate workplace behavior will not be tolerated.
- Two-hour training for supervisors and managers is required under two laws, AB 1825 and AB 2053. A employer-side harassment law firm with the right experience understands these laws and will be able to articulate them to leadership, and will inform the employer of the proper training vehicles.
- How an employer handles complaints requires specialized training, which an employment lawyer for harassment cases will have the experience to develop.
- When complaints arise, there should be policies and procedures outlining how to respond and investigate the complaints promptly, thoroughly, and fairly. The same is true for remedial action. A employer-side harassment law firm has the experience to legally (and therefore, accurately) create them so that the employer can focus on what they do best.
- An employment harassment attorney understands how to determine if a report of harassment is serious enough that the employer needs to conduct a formal investigation. If one is deemed necessary, the employee harassment attorney knows how to conduct a neutral investigation that is legally compliant, requirements, steps, how to properly document findings, and best legal practices involved in conducting a fair and neutral investigation.
What’s more, workplace harassment legal help can provide guidance and determinations on credibility, factors that impact credibility determinations, and how to address burden of proof.
Employment Lawyers for Harassment Cases Know What Constitutes Harassment.
In summary, harassment is unwanted conduct in the workplace and is considered a type of employment discrimination. Many of the same protected classes in workplace discrimination are protected from workplace harassment and include:
- Age (40 and over)
- Race
- Color
- Mental or physical disability
- Gender expression and identification
- Ancestry and genetics
- Religion
- Sex, sexual orientation, and transgender status
- Retaliation for filing or participating in a discrimination charge
An additional value that hiring an employment lawyer for harassment cases brings is that they know when harassment is considered unlawful versus a slight and irregular annoyance.
What Are the Forms Employment Harassment Takes?
- Inappropriate emails or social media posts
- Offensive insults, language, pictures or objects
- Unwelcome advances
- Unwelcome touching
- Verbal abuse
- Bullying
- Threats or intimidation
- Physical assault
- Quid pro quo requests
- Ridicule or insults
Bottom Line: Employers Don’t Know What They Don’t Know.
Especially in the state of California, employment laws are both complicated and frequently changing. One aspect of California employment law that does not often change, however, is that laws are particularly employee-friendly. An experienced, professional employer-only employment lawyer who has the best interests of the employer at heart and defends the employer against claims if they arise may be one of the wisest investments an organization can make.