SCV Chamber hosts annual law update for employers 

Brian Koegle of the Koegle Law Group speaks at an employment-law seminar Thursday. Perry Smith/The Signal
Brian Koegle of the Koegle Law Group speaks at an employment-law seminar Thursday. Perry Smith/The Signal
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The head of a Valencia law firm specializing in business-related litigation gave the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce’s annual employment-law update Thursday in the SCV Senior Center at Bella Vida. 

Brian Koegle of the Koegle Law Group explained common ways the chamber’s members, particularly its small businesses, can find themselves afoul of the law, even if they’re just trying to be accommodating to their workers’ requests. 

Koegle used a common example to prove his point to the room filled with chamber members. 

Under state law, an employee must take the required lunch break before a fifth hour of work is completed.  

That means if an employee starts at 8:30 a.m., he said, and hasn’t taken lunch by 1:30 p.m., there’s a meal-period violation of one hour due to them. 

And it matters not if the employee was busy working on a project, doesn’t want to ever take their lunch break or wants to “work through lunch” and go home early — an employee cannot waive their lunch period in California, which means an employer could be punished. 

“And unfortunately, guys, being a generous employer, it just doesn’t help you any longer, because the state doesn’t give you the flexibility to do those things,” Koegle said. 

He also reviewed best practices a business owner can perform to stay in compliance with the law.  

John Musella, chief advocacy officer of the SCV Chamber, addresses the crowd at the start of the SCV Chamber’s employment law update Thursday.

“No. 1, performing an annual audit of employment practices, policies and procedures. This includes updating your employee handbook,” Koegle said, mentioning the importance of reviewing a company’s mileage reimbursement, accrued time-off policy and other workplace guidelines that can change from year-to-year and really cost an owner if they’re not kept up. 

Two frequent ways companies can get into trouble, he said, is if managers or employees are unaware of what their enumerated roles are or if what those actual roles are don’t match what’s written in the company handbook. 

 “Really you should be going through these policies on an annual basis,” he added, “to make sure that the policies and the handbook that you have actually meet with what you do on a day-to-day basis.” 

Ivan Volschenk, president and CEO of the SCV Chamber of Commerce, said the annual event, which Koegle has hosted since at least 2014, is a crucial opportunity to get expert insights on labor laws that can have a major impact on a business. 

Despite a last-minute change of venue, Bella Vida was packed with local business owners and managers, a number of them taking notes throughout Thursday’s talk. The original forum location, the College of the Canyons University Center, became an emergency command post for the Hughes Fire in Castaic. 

“By providing this platform for education and discussion, we are supporting our community in navigating these changes effectively, ensuring their success and compliance,” Volschenk added, thanking Koegle for once again sharing his insights. “The SCV Chamber remains committed to empowering our businesses with the knowledge they need to thrive in an ever-changing environment.” 

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