Employee Rights

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 are Microaggressions? A microaggression is a subtle, …

Microaggressions: Recognizing and Addressing Subtle Workplace Discrimination Read More »

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 …

Hostile Work Environment: Recognizing and Addressing Workplace Harassment Read More »

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. It comes into effect on January 1, 2024. Prior to AB 2188, employers in …

A Breath of Fresh Air: AB 2188 Protects Off-Duty Cannabis Use Starting January 2024 Read More »

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 for Job Applicants California law mandates …

California’s New Food Handler Card Law: A Victory for Restaurant Workers Read More »

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 bills that will be applicable to nearly all California employees, while some are industry-specific. Listed below …

New 2024 California Employment Law Changes with Impact on Employment Litigation and Workplace Rights and Obligations Read More »

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 education, affecting how employers are able to seek out and hire …

Supreme Court Battle Over Affirmative Action Could Impact Employment Diversity Initiatives Read More »

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 written about the EPA here and the ADA here. This article focuses on …

Affirmative Action Part 1 of 2 | Title VII and the Equal Protection Clause Read More »

“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 …

You Could be a Whistleblower Even If You Don’t Know It Read More »