Teresa McQueen, Author at Western Growers Association Western Growers Association

Teresa McQueen

Western Growers, Corporate Counsel III

Teresa McQueen is Corporate Counsel III for Western Growers. In that capacity she provides advice and counsel to the organization on employment law matters and commercial trade practices. She also provides legal guidance to Western Growers members on employment law, human resources, and commercial agreements, as well as providing law-related educational opportunities and overseeing annual […]

Teresa's Full Bio

Posts By: Teresa McQueen

Best Practices: Workplace Investigations

Many state and federal laws require an employer to investigate employee complaints in a timely manner (e.g., California Fair Employment & Housing Act, Title VII, ADA/ADAAA). Prompt and thorough investigations ensure accurate recollections and give the employer the opportunity to quickly take all appropriate corrective actions. The first steps taken by an employer in any…

Visit Page

Comment Period Closing Soon for DOL Joint Employer Proposal

The public comment period for the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed Joint Employer Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act is about to close. Published April 24, 2026, the public comment period for the DOL’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) ends June 22,…

Visit Page

New Workforce Development Opportunities for Farmworkers Across California

The California Employment Development Department (EDD) has awarded $5 million through its Farmworkers Advancement Program in an effort to expand education, workforce training, and career advancement opportunities for California agricultural workers. The program will provide training in English, math, digital literacy, and other workforce skills designed to support career growth both…

Visit Page

EEOC’s New National Enforcement Plan Signals a Shift in Federal Enforcement Priorities

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has replaced its 2024-2028 Strategic Enforcement Plan with a new National Enforcement Plan (NEP) covering fiscal years 2025-2029. The NEP is intended to guide the agency's enforcement, litigation, outreach, education, and dispute resolution activities and to provide employers with a clear indication of where the agency plans to…

Visit Page

Colorado Employers Face New State EEO-1 Reporting Requirement

On June 4, 2026, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed HB26-1207, requiring certain private employers conducting business in Colorado to submit demographic workforce data, commonly known as EEO-1 data, to the Colorado Secretary of State beginning July 1, 2027. The law applies to private-sector employers with 100 or more workers that were required to submit EEO-1 data to the EEOC as of…

Visit Page

California Local Minimum Wage Increases Take Effect July 1, 2026

California employers with operations in certain cities and counties should prepare for local minimum wage increases effective July 1, 2026. Many California jurisdictions adjust their rates annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and most have now issued official notices confirming their 2026 rates. It is important to note that these local rates often exceed…

Visit Page

Marijuana Rescheduling: What Employers Need to Know Now

A recent shift in federal policy has changed how marijuana is classified, but not as dramatically as headlines suggest. In April 2026, the Department of Justice reclassified certain marijuana products, specifically FDA-approved drugs and state-licensed medical marijuana, as Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. This change introduces a new dual…

Visit Page

Best Practices: Attendance Policies Still Matter

A recent federal court decision highlights an important takeaway for employers: consistently enforced attendance policies and well-documented decision-making can be a strong defense against discrimination and retaliation claims. At issue in the case was whether the employee’s termination was based on consistently documented attendance policy violations as opposed to allegedly discriminatory…

Visit Page

California Executive Order Signals Increased Scrutiny of AI’s Impact on the Workforce

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently issued Executive Order N-6-26 (EO), directing state agencies to evaluate how Artificial Intelligence (AI) may affect workers, businesses, and communities across the state. While the order does not impose any immediate legal obligations on private employers, it signals California’s growing focus on the workplace impacts of AI and could shape…

Visit Page

Best Practices for CA and AZ Employers: Donning and Doffing

“Donning and doffing” refers to the time employees spend putting on and removing required clothing, protective equipment, safety gear, or other work-related items. Whether this time must be paid can present significant compliance challenges for employers under both federal and state wage and hour laws. Because compensability depends heavily on the specific facts and circumstances of the…

Visit Page

EEOC Requests Recission Review of EEO-1 Reporting Requirements

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has submitted a regulatory review request to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) that could eventually lead to the rescission of certain long-standing EEO data collection requirements, including EEO-1 reporting obligations. EEO-1 reports are currently required from private employers with 100 or more employees and certain…

Visit Page

DOL Formally Rescinds the 2024 Federal Overtime Rule

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has formally rescinded the 2024 federal overtime rule. In a final rule published May 15, 2026, the DOL removed the 2024 changes from the federal overtime regulations and restored the prior exemption standards established under the 2019 rule. The recission is a technical correction accounting for changes in the law that have already…

Visit Page

Best Practices: When Workplace Policies Create Compliance Risk

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) recently announced a $300,000 settlement with the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) over allegations that the university failed to properly respond to an employee’s request for a remote work accommodation related to a disability. Beyond the financial settlement, the case serves as an important reminder that employers should regularly…

Visit Page

July 1 Deadline Fast Approaching for CA Workplace Violence Training

For many employers, July 1 marks the annual deadline for California workplace violence prevention training compliance. Ahead of this fast-approaching deadline, impacted employers should review their Workplace Violence Prevention Plans (WVPPs) and begin scheduling required employee training. Under California Labor Code section 6401.9 (SB 553), employers must establish, implement,…

Visit Page

Missed the May 13 Pay Data Reporting Deadline? Here’s What to Do Next

California employers covered by the state’s pay data reporting requirements are reminded that annual pay data reports to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) were due May 13, 2026. Employers that have not yet submitted their reports should act quickly to complete their filings. California law requires private employers with 100 or more payroll employees, including employers…

Visit Page

Navigating Recent USCIS Changes: Updated I-9 Audit Review Essentials (June 10 Webinar)

Join us for a live webinar designed to help agricultural operations understand and respond to the latest updates from USCIS regarding the I-9 audit review process. Presented by Western Growers Association’s Corporate Counsel, Teresa McQueen, this program will cover the new standards introduced by USCIS and offer employers practical guidance to mitigate risk and ensure compliance with…

Visit Page

Best Practices: The Cost of Reactive Rulemaking

Implementing or amending workplace policies as a reaction to a single event, without conducting a thorough compliance review, can expose employers to considerable liability. This is best illustrated by the California Civil Rights Department's recent settlement of $255,000 regarding an individual claim involving allegations of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation based on national…

Visit Page

Best Practices: The Rise of Protected Political Activity

Political and social activism are increasingly overlapping within the workplace, frequently catching employers off guard; particularly in non-union environments. While employees do not have a general right to engage in all political activity at work, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) may protect certain political advocacy when it qualifies as protected concerted…

Visit Page

OSHA Updates NEP Protecting Workers from Indoor, Outdoor Heat Hazards

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has updated its National Emphasis Program (NEP) that protects workers from outdoor and indoor heat-related illness. Originally issued in April 2022, the revised National Emphasis Program – Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards uses OSHA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics data from calendar…

Visit Page

ICE Updates I‑9 Inspection Process and Enforcement Consequences

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued updated guidance outlining how Form I‑9 inspections are conducted and the potential consequences of noncompliance under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The updated Fact Sheet provides greater detail regarding inspection procedures, employer obligations, and enforcement outcomes associated with Form I‑9…

Visit Page