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 […]

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Posts By: Teresa McQueen

Federal District Court Vacates U.S. DOL Overtime Exemption Increase

A Texas federal district judge has vacated the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) 2024 rule increasing the minimum salary employers must pay to exempt employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). As discussed here and here, a new federal overtime rule raising the salary threshold for overtime exemptions under the FLSA took effect July 1, 2024, with a second phase increase…

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UPDATE: California Proposition 32 Fails

California’s Prop 32, an initiative to raise the minimum wage to $18 an hour, has failed by a very narrow margin (49.2% in favor and 50.8% against). The failure of Prop 32 means that the state’s minimum wage will increase in accordance with existing law: California Minimum Wage Increase for 2025 Current Minimum Wage: $16.00 per hour New Minimum Wage: $16.50 per…

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Best Practices: Complying with FLSA Regular Rate of Pay Calculations

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued an opinion letter (FLSA2024-01) addressing the exclusion of daily expense payments for tools and equipment from an employee’s regular rate of pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This guidance is especially helpful for employers in those industries where employees incur significant expenses for tools and equipment. The FLSA…

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CA Court of Appeal Confirms: PAGA Plaintiffs Must Personally Suffer Labor Code Violations

PAGA allows employees to file lawsuits on behalf of themselves and other employees for labor code violations. However, recent legal interpretations have clarified that only those who have directly experienced a violation can initiate such actions. This requirement aims to prevent frivolous lawsuits and ensure that genuine grievances are addressed. In the case at issue a former employee…

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CORRECTION: California Proposition 32 Still Too Close to Call

We want to clarify our previous message about California Proposition 32, an initiative to raise the minimum wage to $18 an hour. Currently, the vote is undecided, with 48.9% in favor and 51.5% against, based on about 85% of votes counted. We apologize for any confusion caused by last week's article and appreciate your understanding. We will keep monitoring the results and provide updates as…

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Leave Laws and Resonable Accommodations Workshop

Are You Prepared to Navigate Federal and State Leave Laws? Join us for a one-day workshop covering leave law mandates and disability accommodation in the workplace. This unique opportunity is a chance to build and refine human resource management skills around employee leaves laws and the employer’s duty to provide a discrimination free workplace. Those in attendance will first learn how…

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Best Practices: Strategies to Prevent Workplace Harassment

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) identifies several core principles generally proven as effective in preventing and addressing harassment: Committed and engaged leadership; Consistent and demonstrated accountability; Strong and comprehensive harassment policies; Trusted and accessible complaint procedures; and Regular, interactive…

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