The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 prohibits the hiring or continued employment of aliens that employers know are unauthorized to work in the United States. To comply with the law, all employers must verify the employment eligibility and identity of all employees by completing an Employment Eligibility Verification form (Form I-9) for all employees, including U.S. citizens.
On December 9, 2016, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signed the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring (Ban the Box) ordinance (the “Ordinance”) that bars certain employers in the City of Los Angeles (the “City”) from asking job applicants about their criminal conviction history until the employer makes a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. The Ordinance takes effect January 1, 2017.
A trademark is generally defined as a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, which identify and distinguish one merchant’s good(s) and/or services from those of others. A product’s shape, sound, color, or even smell can be a trademark. In short, trademarks are symbols of origin, quality, and the goodwill of a business.
A company’s trade secrets are valuable and often provide a business with a competitive edge. However, not all information used by a business qualifies as a trade secret. Under California law, a “trade secret” is a company’s proprietary and confidential information, including: formulas, programs, methods, techniques, processes, designs, plans, business knowledge and operational information, customer lists, financial information, and business plans.
