Claim OwnershipWorkplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw
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Join Jen Shaw every Wednesday morning for insightful commentary about legal developments, discussions with special guests, and much, much more. Listen to past podcasts here!
225 Episodes
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Welcome to “Workplace Wake-Up With Jen”! Tune in every Wednesday morning for cutting-edge information, commentary, and entertainment! She will bring the same energy and commitment to the podcast as she has to her 100+ episode webinar series, “Wake-Up Wednesday with Jen.” Listen and subscribe where you get your podcasts.
In this episode, Jen provides a quick overview of the new employment laws for 2023 and beyond. (Hint: Register here for our 22nd annual Employment Law Update to get the details!)
Training repayment agreements, claw-back provisions, and “stay bonuses” are under serious scrutiny in California. What looks like a smart retention strategy may actually be an unlawful penalty. In this episode, Jen breaks down what California now considers an illegal stay-or-pay agreement, where employers are crossing the line, and how to audit your existing contracts before a plaintiff’s lawyer does.
Most employment cases don’t start with a complaint — they start with culture. In this episode, Jen and Joe Beachboard dig into the foundational elements that determine whether an organization stays out of court: workplace culture, clear policies and procedures, consistent enforcement mechanisms, and leadership that understands when to escalate risk.
Learn why litigation prevention isn’t about reacting faster — it’s about building systems that make better decisions inevitable. Because court is rarely the result of one bad moment. It’s the result of structure — or the lack of it.
Most employment lawsuits don’t start with a policy — they start with a manager’s off-the-cuff decision. In this episode, Jen discusses how well-intentioned leaders unknowingly create legal risk through inconsistency, over-sharing, and poor documentation. This is a practical conversation for HR pros who are tired of cleaning up preventable messes and want leaders to understand their real role in risk management.
In this episode, Joe Beachboard and Jen dig into the top 10 takeaways from the EmployersLawyer webinar, Confidential California Employer Update: New Laws and Key Cases for 2026—and what they actually mean for California employers.
News out of Minneapolis has reignited intense workplace conversations across the country — including in California. In this episode, Jen explains what California employers should and shouldn’t do when national events spark heated discussions at work, and how to manage free expression, safety, and harassment concerns without creating legal risk.
An outdated employee handbook is one of the easiest ways for California employers to create unnecessary legal risk. In this episode, Jen explains why they should be reviewed and updated every year—and how the wrong language can cost employers in litigation. (Click here to participate in the February 11, 2026, complimentary live webinar, “Confidential California Employer Update: New Laws / Key Cases for 2026,” offered by EmployersLawyer.)
California’s leave laws are some of the most employee-and lawsuit-friendly in the country. In this episode, Jen walks through the most common leave scenarios and the best practices for managing them without creating legal exposure. (Click here to participate in the February 11, 2026, complimentary live webinar, “Confidential California Employer Update: New Laws / Key Cases for 2026,” offered by EmployersLawyer.)
Employment law risk doesn’t stand still—especially in California. In this episode, Jen discusses the key trends, enforcement priorities, and litigation risks employers should be watching this year, and how to stay ahead of them. (Click here to participate in the February 11, 2026, complimentary live webinar, “Confidential California Employer Update: New Laws / Key Cases for 2026,” offered by EmployersLawyer.)
In this episode, Jen explains what information employers must include in the new “Know Your Rights” notice and why it may not be the best approach to use the DIR’s template version without tailoring it first.
A new year brings new compliance risks for California employers. In this episode, Jen breaks down the must-know employment law updates and practical steps employers should take right now to start the year protected - and avoid costly mistakes.
In this episode, Jen reveals the biggest mistakes employers make in conducting investigations.
A Los Angeles jury just sent Liberty Mutual Insurance a $103 million message—and it’s this: the numbers matter. Workforce statistics, age patterns, and data trends played a starring role in findings of age discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. In this episode, Joe Beachboard, co-founder of EmployersLawyer, joins Jen to unpack how the data—not just bad emails or rogue managers—helped fuel one of the largest age-discrimination verdicts in U.S. history, and what employers should take away from it.
Employers covered by Cal-WARN must now include new information in layoff and closure notices — including access to workforce development and food-assistance programs. Jen details what changed, who’s covered, and how to avoid a compliance crisis during a downsizing.
Pay equity is getting a major upgrade in 2026. SB 642 redefines “wages,” extends protections to non-binary employees, and tightens job-posting rules. Jen explains how these changes expand employer liability — and how to prepare your pay data before the March reporting deadline.
“Stay-or-pay” agreements — where employees must repay training or bonuses if they leave — are now off-limits in California (with narrow exceptions). Jen explains what counts as a prohibited repayment clause, how this law changes contract drafting, and what to do before January 1.
Starting January 1, 2026, all California employers must issue a new annual written notice to every employee explaining key workplace rights — from workers’ compensation to union activity protections and immigration inspection procedures. The DLSE will release a model notice, but employers can’t wait to act. This episode breaks down what’s required, what to include, and how to stay penalty-free.
As we head into annual performance review season, Jen explains how to make reviews meaningful, defensible, and fair. Learn how to coach managers to give honest, consistent feedback and avoid documentation pitfalls that lead to litigation.
In this episode, Jen focuses on California’s SB 553 requirements for workplace violence prevention plans, training, and recordkeeping. She offers a clear roadmap for HR and compliance teams still working to meet the new standards.
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