Valerian Law, P.C.

microaggressions in employment law

How the Language of “Microaggressions” Plays Out in Employment Law

Employment Law / October 15, 2024

By Ella Zalon (7/28/2023) Commonly experienced in workplace settings, microaggressions are comments or behaviors made due to underlying biases held towards certain groups. They point to an implicit attitude one may hold about a protected class (e.g., ethnic, racial, gender minorities) and can be overlooked or unnoticed by bystanders. Microaggressions may not be direct remarks …

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workers rights

Podrías ser un denunciante incluso si no lo sabes.

Artículos / October 15, 2024

Derechos de Trabajadores/ 15 de Noviembre, 2022 “Soy generalista de Recursos Humanos en una empresa privada mediana. Le dije a mi gerente de departamento que no deberíamos disuadir a los empleados de hablar sobre el pago, porque eso podría ser ilegal. Aprendí esto en una capacitación organizada por nuestra firma de abogados de empleo externo …

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California Supreme Court Upholds Workers' Rights

The Path Forward Is Clear for California Workers Suing as Private Attorneys General

Private Attorney General Act / October 15, 2024

By Dan Gildor Workers in California rejoiced this week after the California Supreme Court resolved an issue that threatened to curtail lawsuits by workers to penalize employers for not complying with the California Labor Code. The Court sided with workers’ rights and held that the individual workers who sue their employer pursuant to the California …

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An Employee Until Proven Otherwise: Determining Your Independent Contractor Status Under California Law

Employee Rights, Employment Law / October 15, 2024

By Eileen Torrez  Being misclassified as an independent contractor when you should be classified as an employee can have significant implications for workers. It can impact your job security, how much you pay in taxes, and whether you are protected by the law if something goes wrong.  Learning more about the laws governing worker classification, …

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Rudniki v. Farmers: Wrongful Termination Suit Results in $150 Million Punitive Damages Award

Case Results, Wrongful Termination / October 15, 2024

By Dan Gildor and Alex Li   In 2021, a high-profile case involving Farmers Group, Inc. and Farmers Insurance Exchange resulted in an award of $155 million in compensatory and punitive damages to Andrew Rudniki, former Senior Vice President of Claims Litigation and 37-year employee of Farmers. While this jury-ordered award, one of the largest …

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non individual paga claims

Now That “Individual PAGA Claims” Are To Be Arbitrated, What About the Non-Individual PAGA Claims?

Private Attorney General Act / October 15, 2024

By Xinying Valerian On May 9, 2023, the California Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Adolph v. Uber Technologies on the question of “whether an aggrieved employee who has been compelled to arbitrate claims under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) that are ‘premised on Labor Code violations actually sustained by’ the aggrieved employee [citations …

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California’s Private Attorney General Act for the Uninitiated

California’s Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) for the Uninitiated

Private Attorney General Act / October 15, 2024

By Dan Gildor May 1, 2023 As attorneys who represent employees in California, we often encounter clients who are not aware of their rights as employees.  But while knowing one’s rights are important, so is knowing how the rights are enforced. One enforcement mechanism that is important for all employees to know about is the …

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Resisting Unconscionable Arbitration Agreements

Arbitration / October 15, 2024

Trevor Bryne1 Over the past few decades, it has become increasingly common for American corporations to require workers and consumers to sign arbitration agreements. Through these agreements, workers and consumers waive their right to pursue a lawsuit in court if they are harmed by the corporation’s misconduct. Instead, they must submit to a process called …

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