040: Hidden Labor Liabilities in California Probate Estates with Karen J. Sloat

When a business owner dies, the employment liabilities don't die with them. In this episode of Probate Notes, Sam Price sits down with Karen J. Sloat, founder of SLO Law Group, to break down what probate attorneys need to know about California labor law: wage and hour claims, caregiver misclassification, independent contractor traps, and the penalties that can quietly gut an estate before distribution even begins. Karen brings 40 years of legal experience and runs one of the desert's go-to employment law firms. She works primarily on the employer side, which means she knows exactly where families and personal representatives get exposed, and how to get ahead of it before a single lawsuit gets filed. One caregiver. A few years of unpaid overtime. Tens of thousands in liability. This episode is the wake-up call every probate practitioner needs. In this episode, you will hear: When a business owner dies, employee wage claims survive — and can reach back three to four years Wage and hour violations, discrimination claims, and unpaid taxes all become estate liabilities The difference between a personal attendant and a domestic worker, and why it matters for overtime Why paying a caregiver $250 a day can translate to hundreds of thousands in back pay and penalties Independent contractor misclassification in California and the 13-criteria test most families fail Licensed caregiving agencies shift employer liability away from the family entirely How probate attorneys can use the notice to creditors process to shorten the window for employee claims Resources from this Episode LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sloatlawgroup/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sloatlawgroup/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SloatLawGroup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SloatLawGroupAPC The 6-Stage Probate Process: How to Navigate California Probate: https://a.co/d/82310Rw  Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.