The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee yesterday voted to pass two “job killer” bills that will lead to increased litigation.

The committee passed:

AB 359 (Gonzalez; D-San Diego) inappropriately alters the employment relationship and increases frivolous litigation by requiring any successor grocery employer to retain employees of the former grocery employer for 90 days and continue to offer continued employment unless the employees’ performance during the 90-day period was unsatisfactory.

AB 465 (Hernández; D-West Covina) significantly drives up litigation costs for all California employers as well as increases pressure on the already-overburdened judicial system by precluding mandatory employment arbitration agreements, which is likely pre-empted by the Federal Arbitration Act. (CalChamber, May 7, 2015)