California has long recognized the value of employees that help to drive the success of businesses and keep the state’s economy and infrastructure intact. State and federal guidelines help ensure that business practices prevent employers from taking unfair advantage of their employees. Unfortunately, not every employer seeks to instill the same protections and may try to mask illegal practices within legal policies. Employees who are unfamiliar with employment law may not understand that infractions are occurring until it is too late. Fortunately for employees, employment lawyers are there to ..read more

Exempt employees are a vital part of the economy in California, which is why the state goes to great lengths to protect the rights and privileges of workers. Unfortunately, many employers seek to take advantage of their employees, particularly hourly employees, by trying to manipulate shift times, asking them to work off the clock, and denying rightful meal and break times. However, if an employer does not honor the laws and regulations to which you are entitled, you have the right to seek legal avenues to collect on damages owed to you because of such infractions. Knowing the laws for meals ..read more

California’s Equal Pay Act California’s Equal Pay Act makes it illegal for an employer in California to pay any employee less than another employee of the opposite sex for the same or “substantial similar” work. If you have a valid Equal Pay Act claim, your employer may be required to pay you twice the pay differential, plus interest. The law also allows you to recover your attorney’s fees and costs of bringing a lawsuit. The Equal Pay Act carries a statute of limitations of two years for non-willful violation and three years for willful violations. The California Equal Pay Act Also Covers Rac ..read more

Per diem employees are workers who work on an as-needed basis. This allows employers to have fewer employee expenses and provides employees with greater flexibility in their work schedules. Per diem employees are like independent contractors, but they are considered employees of the company, while contractors are not. Per diem employees are common in the healthcare, education, restaurant, and construction industries. Substitute teaching is a well-known form of per diem employment. Ideally, per diem employment has benefits for both employers and employees. What Is Per Diem Employment? Per diem ..read more

Paternity leave refers to the time an employee who is a new father takes off work for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of their biological, surrogate, or adoptive child. While maternity leave for pregnant employees is an important part of medical and family leave, a father’s rights are also important. Be sure you know paternity leave laws in California. Laws for Paternity Leave In California, many fathers have the right under state and federal law to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid paternity leave, which is protected for most workers. Paternity leave is a form of family leave o ..read more

As we enter the brand-new year of 2023, employers in California are still required to pay a minimum of four hours of wages to employees who report to work, regardless of whether they are actually able to work for the full shift. This law, known as the “four-hour minimum pay” law, is intended to provide financial protection to California’s workers. Otherwise, they may lose wages due to circumstances outside of their control, such as equipment failure or a lack of available work. What Is the Four-Hour Minimum Pay Law? Under the four-hour minimum pay law, if an employee reports to work as clearl ..read more

Losing a job is never easy, particularly if you were fired from the job and you feel as though the termination was unjust. In cases of wrongful termination, there is often a violation of your rights, which may entitle you to file a claim against your former employer. However, understanding what constitutes “wrongful termination” may help you decide if you should seek the aid of an attorney. What Is Wrongful Termination? Because California is considered an at-will state, employees can leave their job at any time, and employers can terminate an employee whenever they want. However, this does no ..read more

Every American has certain rights in the workplace at both the federal and state levels. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) of the United States is the federal agency responsible for enforcing workplace harassment and discrimination laws in the country. Employers may not discriminate against employees on the basis of their protected personal qualities, such as age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or medical status. Additionally, employers are legally required to address any such issues that arise in their workplaces. Unfortunately, many people in California experience ..read more

Though it is painful to admit, sexual misconduct is still prevalent in our world today. Despite our resources, education, and awareness, sexual crimes continue to occur on a daily basis. This is disheartening and frustrating, to say the least. Most people understand that sexual violence and harassment are not acceptable behaviors in the workplace, the home, or society at large. Unfortunately, this awareness isn’t always enough. Some types of misconduct happen inadvertently, while other times, a perpetrator willingly chooses to harm someone else for their own satisfaction or personal gain. It ..read more

It’s important to feel safe at work. While location, experience, type of industry, and management style can all play a role in how safe employees feel, it’s also important that the workplace remain harassment-free at all times. This is key to retaining good workers and ensuring that employees can do their jobs. Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop harassment from happening. Sexual harassment is still a prevalent issue in California businesses, affecting employees of all genders, sexual orientations, religions, ages, and industries. Though some groups are targeted for harassment more often than ot ..read more