The Unique Landscape of Railroad Employment California’s railroad industry employs thousands of individuals, contributing significantly to our transportation infrastructure. These workers operate within a unique legal landscape, one governed by federal regulations like the Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA) and Railway Labor Act, alongside state employment laws. Understanding these laws is crucial, especially when dealing with cases of wrongful termination. Wrongful Termination: What Does It Mean for Railroad Employees? Wrongful termination occurs when an employee is fired for reasons that vio ..read more

The gig economy, characterized by temporary or flexible jobs often facilitated by digital platforms, is creating a seismic shift in the employment landscape. In California, recent legislation like AB5 and Proposition 22 has dramatically affected gig workers and businesses, prompting both praise and criticism. As an employment law attorney, I’ve been closely observing these developments and their implications on both workers and businesses. The ABC Test: AB5’s Attempt to Clarify Worker Status Enacted in January 2020, AB5 codified the “ABC test” for determining if a worker is an independent cont ..read more

Losing your job is always a stressful experience. It can be particularly difficult to cope with loss of a job if you have strong reason to believe your employer engaged in wrongful termination when they fired you. Although it’s unfortunate that this ever happened in the first place, you should be aware that in California, you can seek justice by filing a wrongful termination claim or lawsuit. In such cases, gathering evidence to support your claim is essential. It can also be challenging in some circumstances. For example, evidence that might prove useful may come in the form of emails. Howeve ..read more

California law requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees who are disabled or struggle with health conditions. Sometimes, employers are unwilling to make such accommodations. They may instead terminate employees. This might have happened to an Agoura Hills couple. They are now taking legal action to remedy the situation. Spouses Doug Olson, 68, and Linda Bell, 73 had spent years managing an Agoura Hills mobile home park not far from Westlake Village (where our firm is located) until they lost their jobs in 2020. Olson and Bell believe that they lost their jobs because t ..read more

Both federal law and California law prohibit employers from engaging in retaliation against employees who exercise their legal rights. For example, whistleblower laws allow employees to file complaints or cooperate with investigations when their employers engage in unethical behavior, break the law, overlook safety regulations, etc. An employer may be guilty of retaliation if they were to fire an employee for such actions. If you believe that you have been the victim of workplace retaliation in California, it is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible. A workplace retaliation attorn ..read more

Losing your job can throw your life into disarray. This is particularly true if you didn’t expect to lose your job. Depending on the circumstances, it’s possible you were wrongfully terminated. This is a topic you may want to discuss in greater detail with a legal professional. A wrongful termination attorney can review your case and determine if you have grounds to take legal action against your former employer. In the meantime, it’s wise to quickly take these steps as soon as you’ve been told your services are no longer needed: Carefully Review Your Severance Agreement This is something you ..read more

Workplace sexual harassment is prohibited by both California law and federal law. Unfortunately, the existence of such laws doesn’t always prevent individuals from engaging in harassment in the workplace. The #MeToo movement that began five years ago shone a light on sexual harassment in Hollywood and other industries. While it certainly didn’t eliminate this problem, it did change its status in the overall public consciousness. Recent Pew Research polling also indicates that many Americans feel the #MeToo movement has had a positive influence on workplace sexual harassment. The results of the ..read more

Labor unrest seems to be the plot conflict in Hollywood these days. Months of contentious negotiations between the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the studios finally came to an end after they reached a deal to prevent crew members from striking and bringing the entertainment industry to a painstaking halt. If you work hard, you not only deserve to be compensated accordingly, a fair wage and fair treatment is your right. The Westlake Village wage and hour dispute attorneys at The Kaufman Law Firm can work for you, and on behalf of your employees, to ensure you ..read more