Employee Rights

Microaggressions: Recognizing and Addressing Subtle Workplace Discrimination Microaggressions are subtle forms of discrimination often expressed through words or actions, that can create a hostile work environment. While overt discrimination is easier to identify, microaggressions can be more insidious and challenging to address. Understanding these behaviors is crucial for protecting your rights in the workplace. What […]

A hostile work environment in California occurs when harassment or discrimination creates an intimidating, offensive, or hostile atmosphere for employees. This harassment must be: Unwelcome and offensive to the recipient Based on protected characteristics (e.g., race, gender, age, religion, disability) Severe or pervasive enough to alter working conditions Interfering with work performance or psychological well-being

A Breath of Fresh Air: AB 2188 Protects Off-Duty Cannabis Use Starting January 2024 In a significant victory for employee rights, California’s Assembly Bill 2188 (AB 2188) has prohibited discrimination against employees based on their off-duty cannabis use. This landmark legislation marks a crucial step forward in safeguarding personal freedom and ensuring fair employment practices.

California’s New Food Handler Card Law In California, the food service industry is a vital component of the state’s economy, employing millions of people and contributing significantly to the tax base. However, for many of these workers, the financial burden of obtaining a food handler card has been a major barrier to employment. Financial Hurdles

New 2024 California Employment Law Changes with Impact on Employment Litigation and Workplace Rights and Obligations By Ella Zalon It is that time of year again! New 2024 California employment law changes are afoot. Recent legislative developments in California may prove to be favorable for many California employees. Governor Newsom recently signed a slew of

Supreme Court Battle Over Affirmative Action Could Impact Employment Diversity Initiatives Affirmative Action Up for Debate at the Supreme Court As we wrote about in our previous blog post on affirmative action, two ongoing Supreme Court cases on affirmative action in college admissions are predicted to have wider impacts that go beyond the realm of

Affirmative Action Part 1 of 2 Title VII and the Equal Protection Clause By Eileen Torrez, November 30th, 2022 Three important federal laws form the basis for protecting U.S. employees from discrimination in the workplace: the Equal Pay Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. We’ve

“I am a Human Resource generalist at a mid-sized private company. I told my department manager that we should not discourage employees from talking about pay, because that could be illegal. I learned this at a training hosted by our outside employment law firm about how HR should be handling compensation questions. My manager replied