CALSPro - California Association of Legal Support Professionals

Los Angeles County Civil eFiling Launch

Posted November 29, 2018 in Court Updates

Los Angeles County civil eFiling is already underway. Civil Limited cases began permissive eFiling on 11/13/18. The county will implement mandatory eFiling on Monday 12/3/18 for limited civil actions and will implement permissive eFiling for Unlimited cases on the same day. Unlimited civil is slated for mandatory eFiling on 1/2/19.

What documents are exempt from eFiling?

Peremptory Challenges, Bonds/Undertaking documents, Trial and Hearing exhibits, Lodged documents

What are the EFM fees?

$2.45 Electronic Filing Manager fee + $1.75 Court Technology fee

You can eFile 24 hours a day. eFilings are accepted up until 11:59pm

The court is anticipating a turnaround time of 24 hours, however they have also mentioned eFilings can take “Two hours, two days, or more.”

What are the typical rejection reasons?

In addition to failing to follow California Rules of Court, rules 2.100 et seq., some typical reasons a filing may be rejected by the Court include, but are not limited to:

• Multiple filing documents are submitted as a single Filing Document Name (i.e., the cover sheet should be a separate PDF)

• Incorrect Filing Document Name is selected

• Incorrect court location is selected

• Incorrect case type is selected

• Incorrect payment account option is selected (e.g., fee waiver)

• Party’s name does not match the party’s name listed on the document for initial documents

• Party’s address does not match the party’s address listed on the document for initial documents

• Missing required documents

• Missing required information

Members Are Welcome To Attend CALSPro Board Meeting

Posted November 27, 2018 in Membership

CALSPro has scheduled a Board of Director’s Meeting for this Saturday December 1^st in San Jose. There will be a Legislative Committee meeting from 9:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., and the Board will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Members are welcome to attend. If anyone desires hotel accommodations, please book directly with the hotel; the current online rate begins at $136.00.

Location:

Hyatt Place Hotel
282 S. Almaden Blvd
San Jose, CA 95133

Happy Thanksgiving From CALSPro

Posted November 20, 2018 in Uncategorized

We would like to wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving. We are thankful for all of our members who have volunteered their time and energy to help continue to achieve our common goal of protecting the legal support profession.

 

Let us be thankful to the people who bring us Happiness: They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. -Marcel Proust

Individual Member Listing Links Available Now

Posted November 15, 2018 in Membership

You asked, and our CAMS team provided. CALSPro is proud to announce that your individual member listing link is available now. As a member of CALSPro you can now display your member listing proudly in your email signature.

Click Here to access your listing now.

Working Smarter, Not Harder

Posted November 13, 2018 in Membership

Research has found that the old adage Work Smarter, Not Harder holds some truth to it. The most important key to a productive work week is to disconnect from work during the weekends. In an article written by Dr. Travis Bradberry, he explains how smart people work less and get way more done.

Some people have an uncanny ability to get things done. They keep their nights and weekends sacred and still get more done than people who work 10 or 20 hours more per week than they do.

A study from Stanford shows that they are on to something.

The study found that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours, and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that there’s no point in working any more. That’s right, people who work as much as 70 hours (or more) per week actually get the same amount done as people who work 55 hours.

“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” -William Penn

Smart people know the importance of shifting gears on the weekend to relaxing and rejuvenating activities. They use their weekends to create a better week ahead.

This is easier said than done, so here’s some help. The following are some things that you can do to find balance on the weekend and come into work at 110% on Monday morning.

Disconnect

Disconnecting is the most important weekend strategy, because if you can’t find a way to remove yourself electronically from your work Friday evening through Monday morning, then you’ve never really left work. Making yourself available to your work 24/7 exposes you to a constant barrage of stressors that prevent you from refocusing and recharging. If taking the entire weekend off handling work e-mails and calls isn’t realistic, try designating specific times on Saturday and Sunday for checking e-mails and responding to voicemails. For example, check your messages on Saturday afternoon while your kids are getting a haircut and on Sunday evenings after dinner. Scheduling short blocks of time will alleviate stress without sacrificing availability.

Minimize chores

Chores have a funny habit of completely taking over your weekends. When this happens, you lose the opportunity to relax and reflect. What’s worse is that a lot of chores feel like work, and if you spend all weekend doing them, you just put in a seven-day workweek. To keep this from happening, you need to schedule your chores like you would anything else during the week, and if you don’t complete them during the allotted time, you move on and finish them the following weekend.

Exercise

No time to exercise during the week? You have 48 hours every weekend to make it happen. Getting your body moving for as little as 10 minutes releases GABA, a soothing neurotransmitter that reduces stress. Exercise is also a great way to come up with new ideas. Innovators and other successful people know that being outdoors often sparks creativity. I know that a lot of my best ideas come to me while I’m surfing. While you’re out in the ocean, the combination of invigorating activity and beautiful scenery creates the perfect environment for an influx of creativity. Whether you’re running, cycling, or gardening, exercise leads to endorphin-fueled introspection. The key is to find a physical activity that does this for you and then to make it an important part of your weekend routine.

Reflect

Weekly reflection is a powerful tool for improvement. Use the weekend to contemplate the larger forces that are shaping your industry, your organization, and your job. Without the distractions of Monday to Friday busy work, you should be able to see things in a whole new light. Use this insight to alter your approach to the coming week, improving the efficiency and efficacy of your work.

Pursue a passion

You might be surprised what happens when you pursue something you’re passionate about on weekends. Indulging your passions is a great way to escape stress and to open your mind to new ways of thinking. Things like playing music, reading, writing, painting, or even playing catch with your kids can help stimulate different modes of thought that can reap huge dividends over the coming week.

Spend quality time with family

Spending quality time with your family on the weekend is essential if you want to recharge and relax. Weekdays are so hectic that the entire week can fly by with little quality family time. Don’t let this bleed into your weekends. Take your kids to the park, take your spouse to his or her favorite restaurant, and go visit your parents. You’ll be glad you did.

Schedule micro-adventures

Buy tickets to a concert or play, or get reservations for that cool new hotel that just opened downtown. Instead of running on a treadmill, plan a hike. Try something you haven’t done before or perhaps something you haven’t done in a long time. Studies show that anticipating something good to come is a significant part of what makes the activity pleasurable. Knowing that you have something interesting planned for Saturday will not only be fun come Saturday, but it will significantly improve your mood throughout the week.

Wake up at the same time

It’s tempting to sleep in on the weekend to catch up on your sleep. Though it feels good temporarily, having an inconsistent wake-up time disturbs your circadian rhythm. Your body cycles through an elaborate series of sleep phases in order for you to wake up rested and refreshed. One of these phases involves preparing your mind to be awake and alert, which is why people often wake up just before their alarm clock goes off (the brain is trained and ready). When you sleep past your regular wake-up time on the weekend, you end up feeling groggy and tired. This isn’t just disruptive to your day off, it also makes you less productive on Monday because your brain isn’t ready to wake up at your regular time. If you need to catch up on sleep, just go to bed earlier.

Designate mornings as me time

It can be difficult to get time to yourself on the weekends, especially if you have family. Finding a way to engage in an activity you’re passionate about first thing in the morning can pay massive dividends in happiness and cleanliness of mind. It’s also a great way to perfect your circadian rhythm by forcing yourself to wake up at the same time you do on weekdays. Your mind achieves peak performance two-to-four hours after you wake up, so get up early to do something physical, and then sit down and engage in something mental while your mind is at its peak.

Prepare for the upcoming week

The weekend is a great time to spend a few moments planning your upcoming week. As little as 30 minutes of planning can yield significant gains in productivity and reduced stress. The week feels a lot more manageable when you go into it with a plan because all you have to focus on is execution.

Bringing It All Together

What do you do to make your weekends great? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below, as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

CALSPro Conference And Historical Photos Now Available Online

Posted November 8, 2018 in Conference

CALSPro recently celebrated its 50^th Annual Conference this year in Sacramento. We had a wonderful time and many great photos were captured to commemorate the event. The Historical committee has also provided CALSPro members a glimpse into our rich history in their own slideshow they put together this past year. Relive some old memories as you view the photos of the men and women who have helped shape our industry through the years!

These photos are available now in our Members only section of the website. You can now download and save some of your favorite photos in both PDF or PowerPoint format.

Mark Your Calendar – A CCPS Workshop Will Be Coming To San Rafael In December

Posted November 6, 2018 in Process Service

CALSPro is dedicated to the education of Process Servers statewide. Educate yourselves and your process servers by attending one of our workshops this year. Our workshops feature a comprehensive study of the primary California process serving codes. Space is often limited, so please reserve your spot early!

We will be in Northern California in December. Our next CCPS workshop and exam is scheduled for Saturday, December 1st in San Rafael. Light snacks will be provided. In addition to the standard workshop this seminar will include a portion dedicated to the beginning or inexperienced process server. All C.C.P.S. workshops attendees receive the workbook and handouts. A laminated wallet code card will follow by mail.

WORKSHOP & EXAM:

WHEN: Saturday, December 1, 2018

TIME: 9:30am – 4:00pm

WHERE: Albert J. Boro Community Center | 50 Canal Street, Room #4| San Rafael, CA 94901

REGISTER HERE

Please Note: There will be no webinar available with this workshop & exam.

If you are interested in having a workshop near you, or if you have a readily available venue in mind, please contact our Continuing Education Committee Chair Andrew Gowing andrewg@janneyandjanney.com to offer your much-appreciated suggestions.

A special thanks to our CALSPRO CCPS Sponsor: 

Courts Are Beginning To Rule Against Employers Who Discriminate Against Medical Marijuana Users

Posted November 1, 2018 in Legislation

Running a business in this day and age is hard. If you factor in ever-changing employment laws, political correctness, and now the legalization of marijuana, walking the HR tightrope becomes quite a feat in itself. In a recent article by Times writer Dave Collins, he writes how courts are beginning to rule against employers who discriminate against medical marijuana users.

Health care worker Katelin Noffsinger told a potential employer that she took medical marijuana to deal with the effects of a car accident, but when a drug test came back positive, the nursing home rescinded her job offer anyway.

A federal judge last month ruled that the nursing home, which had cited federal laws against pot use, violated an anti-discrimination provision of the Connecticut’s medical marijuana law.

It was the latest in a series of clashes between U.S. and state laws around the country that came out in favor of medical marijuana users trying to keep or obtain jobs with drug-testing employers.

The Connecticut decision was the first ruling of its kind in a federal case and followed similar recent rulings against employers by state courts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Earlier rulings had gone against medical pot users in employment cases by state supreme courts including those in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington over the past few years.

Advocates hope the new decisions are a signal of growing acceptance of cannabis’ medicinal value.

“This decision reflects the rapidly changing cultural and legal status of cannabis, and affirms that employers should not be able to discriminate against those who use marijuana responsibly while off the job, in compliance with the laws of their state,” said Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML, a pro-marijuana group.

Noffsinger, of Manchester, sued Bride Brook Health & Rehabilitation Center in Niantic in 2016. She had been offered, and accepted, a job as recreation therapy director at the nursing home, contingent on her passing a drug test.

She told the nursing home that she took synthetic marijuana pills — legally under state law and only at night — to treat the post-traumatic stress disorder she developed after the 2012 car accident. But the company rescinded the job offer after the drug test came back positive for THC, the chemical in marijuana that gets people high.

As a federal contractor, the nursing home worried that it could be cut off from that revenue if it employed somebody who tested positive.

On Sept. 5, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Meyer in New Haven ruled Bride Brook discriminated against Noffsinger based solely on her medical marijuana use in violation of state law. He denied her request for punitive damages. The case is now heading to a trial on whether Noffsinger should receive compensatory damages for lost wages from not getting the job.

A lawyer for the nursing home, Thomas Blatchley, declined to comment.

Noffsinger’s attorney, Henry Murray, said Noffsinger would not comment on the lawsuit. He said Noffsinger has taken another job in the health care industry that doesn’t pay as much as the Bride Brook job.

In his ruling, Meyer said the federal Drug Free Workplace Act, which many employers including federal contractors rely on for policies on drug testing, does not actually require drug testing and does not prohibit federal contractors from employing people who use medical marijuana outside the workplace in accordance with state law.

The decision will likely be used in arguments in similar cases elsewhere, said Fiona Ong, an employment attorney with the Baltimore firm of Shawe Rosenthal.

“This is a very significant case that throws the issue in doubt for many of these federal contractors,” Ong said. “It’s certainly interesting and may be indicative of where the courts are going with this.”

Thirty-one states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam now allow medical marijuana, while 15 others have approved low-THC-level products for medical reasons in certain cases, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Nine states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational pot.

Only nine states including Connecticut, however, specifically ban employment discrimination against medical marijuana users, who could continue to face difficulties in obtaining or keeping jobs in the 41 other states, employment lawyers say.

In Massachusetts, the state’s highest court ruled last year that a sales and marketing company wrongly fired a worker after her first day on the job after she tested positive for marijuana, which she used under the state’s medical marijuana law to treat her Crohn’s disease. Also last year, in Rhode Island, the state Supreme Court said a college student was wrongly denied an internship at a fabric company where officials refused to hire her after she acknowledged she could not pass a drug test because she used medical marijuana.

In both cases, the two women told the companies during the hiring process that they used medical marijuana, but would not consume it while on the job.

The American Bar Association called the Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island cases “an emerging trend in employment litigation” and cautioned employers to consider state medical marijuana laws when analyzing their drug use and testing policies.

Several bills are pending before Congress that would undo marijuana’s classification as a controlled substance with no medicinal value. But Armentano, of NORML, said it is unlikely they will go anywhere while Republicans control Congress.

Some employers, though, have dropped marijuana from the drug tests they require of employees, saying the testing excludes too many potential workers in a challenging hiring environment.