The city of Los Angeles will increase its minimum wage from $15 to $16.04 starting July 1, 2022, due to rising consumer prices in Southern California. This year marks the first time the minimum wage has been raised based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage earners and Clerical Workers. The CEO must determine…
Continue reading ›U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is preparing some domestic offices to reopen and resume non-emergency public services on or after June 4, 2022. On March 18, USCIS temporarily suspended routine in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices and application support centers (ASCs) to help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). USCIS is following the…
Continue reading ›On March 3, 2022, President Biden signed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021, which limits the use of mandatory employment arbitration agreements. Previously, under Federal Arbitration Act, employers could require employees to submit most claims against their employers to arbitration by using a valid arbitration agreement. Before signing…
Continue reading ›U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reminds the public that USCIS offers immigration services that may help people affected by extreme situations, including the invasion of Ukraine. The following measures may be available on a case-by-case basis upon request: Changing a nonimmigrant status or extending a nonimmigrant stay for an individual currently in the United States.…
Continue reading ›On March 7, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it is updating the USCIS Policy Manual to consider deferred action and related employment authorization for noncitizens who have an approved Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, for Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification but who cannot apply to adjust status to…
Continue reading ›U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to meet the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the second half of fiscal year (FY) 2022. February 25, 2022, was the final receipt date for new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date on or after April 1, 2022, and before October 1, 2022.…
Continue reading ›On February 25, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he will be lifting 95% of California’s coronavirus-related executive order provisions. In accordance with the new endemic strategy, the California Department of Health and Human Services (CDPH) issued revised mask guidance on February 28, 2022. From March 1, 2022, vaccinated and unvaccinated people will not be…
Continue reading ›USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap, for fiscal year (FY) 2022. USCIS have completed sending non-selection notifications to registrants’ online accounts. The status for registrations properly submitted for…
Continue reading ›The Labor Commissioner has posted a mandatory workplace poster and FAQ about the additional paid sick leave for COVID-19 in 2022. The new law took effect on February 19, 2022 for employers with 26 or more employees. Notifications may be sent to the employee electronically if the employee does not go to the physical workplace…
Continue reading ›On February 9, 2022, Governor Newsom signed legislation extending COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave to California workers, which becomes effective February 19, 2022, 10 days after enactment. The legislation extends up to 40 hours of paid sick leave to full-time employees of companies with 26 or more employees. Employees who are eligible will receive up…
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