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If you have been paying attention to the Mediator’s Minute updates, you know that Governor Newsom vetoed the “No Robo Bosses” bill on October 13, 2025.  However, as you can see from the above photo, Google’s AI search results on October 9, 2025, several days before the October 13th veto, incorrectly announced that the bill, SB-7, had in fact been signed into law by the Governor on that then-future date. A good reminder to always check AI-generated search results.

As has been widely reported, in absence of comprehensive federal legislation, all 50 states have taken up the mantle and are introducing—and passing—legislation to regulate AI in their respective jurisdictions. Here in California there have been myriad proposals wending their way through the legislature, and state and local agencies have been active as well. 

This edition of Mediator's Minute discusses the concept of glue employees and the theory that teams and organizations thrive because of the Glue employees who uplift their colleagues, often as unsung heroes. 

From an early age, I have been passionate about negotiation in all its forms. So it is no surprise that I was immediately drawn to the concept of mediation. I love working with parties to empower them to find resolution to some of their stickiest issues. I am often asked, what is mediation? In response, I like to share my Ricky Martin story...

The 2025 Annual Advanced Wage and Hour Conference was chock full of programming highlighting the latest and greatest in California wage and hour law.  Hosted by the Labor and Employment Law Section of the California Lawyers Association, the conference gathered together attorneys, neutrals, judges and state agency staff in Pasadena for back-to-back panels full of insights.  Below, I highlight a few of my takeaways from the conference.

Employers have long argued the enforceability of so-called evergreen meal period waivers in California.  A recent ruling by the California Court of Appeal addressed the narrow issue of whether an employer and employee may lawfully agree in writing to a prospective, revocable meal period waiver for shifts between five and six hours.  In short, the Court said yes.