MEAL AND REST PERIODS FOR NONEXEMPT EMPLOYEES
Our small and medium size business clients often have questions relating to their employment practices. When relevant California or Federal laws change or are clarified, we want our clients to be informed.
A recent California case brought some clarity in the areas of meal and rest periods. (Brinker Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court L 1216356, 14 -24 (Cal., 2012).
SUMMARY PRACTICE POINTS:
1. Bona fide relief from duty and the relinquishing of control satisfies the employer's meal break obligations, and work by a relieved employee during a meal break does not thereby place the employer in violation of its obligations and create liability for premium pay under applicable law. In other words, the employer is not obligated to police meal breaks and ensure no work thereafter is performed. Of course, an employer may not undermine a formal policy of providing meal breaks by pressuring employees to perform their duties in ways that omit breaks.
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Over the years we have handled various trademark issues and, therefore, thought it might be helpful to share some trademark fundamentals.
1. What is a trademark?
A trademark is a word, symbol, or phrase, used to identify a particular manufacturer or seller's products and distinguish them from the products of another. (15 U.S.C. section 1127). For example, the trademark "Nike," along with the Nike "swoosh," identify the shoes made by Nike and distinguish them from shoes made by other companies (e.g. Reebok or Adidas). Similarly, the trademark "Coca-Cola" distinguishes the brown-colored soda water of one particular manufacturer from the brown-colored soda of another (e.g. Pepsi). When such marks are used to identify services (e.g. "Jiffy Lube") rather than products, they are called service marks, although they are generally treated just the same as trademarks.
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Issue Presented:
I often get questions from my business owner clients about the kinds of descriptions or adjectives that are permissible to describe their product in advertisements. Can they say this product is the “best in the world,” for example. Can they say their product is “faster” or “more powerful” or “more innovative” than their competitors? Can they assert their product is “superior” or “the most advanced in the universe?”
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