Being unfairly treated at your workplace due to your race, gender, age, disability or other protected characteristics can be a distressing and challenging experience. It can negatively impact your job satisfaction, career advancement and overall well-being. If you a victim of workplace discrimination, knowing how to navigate such situations can help you respond effectively and protect your rights. The following are some essential tips to keep in mind. Document everything Keep a detailed record of all discriminatory incidents, including a description of what happened. Such documentation can ser ..read more

California is an at-will employment state, which means that employers don’t have to give employees a reason to terminate them. Despite this, it’s critical to understand that employers can’t terminate someone based on certain reasons. In California, it’s illegal to terminate employees because they belong to a protected class or participate in a protected activity. Any employee who believes they’ve been wrongfully terminated may take legal action. What can’t employers fire someone for? California doesn’t allow terminations based on discrimination, including the employee’s race, age, gender, sexu ..read more

Discussions about the civil rights of individuals often focus on the actions of the state. Obviously, police officers and those who work for the courts are in a position to potentially violate the civil rights of another person. However, those who have no affiliation with the state can also potentially violate someone’s rights, possibly in an attempt to do their job. Loss prevention professionals, security guards and even managers at retail establishments could potentially violate someone’s civil rights when they suspect an individual of shoplifting. Professionals could commit false imprisonme ..read more

Workplace sexual harassment can happen to anyone, but it most commonly happens to women. Many have had to deal with it for their whole career. If you have faced unwelcome incidents, you might think getting a promotion could put a stop to them. That once you gain increased status in the company, people will not dare to target you. A group of researchers decided to see if this was true. They used two methods to determine how much sexual harassment women faced. They interviewed some in supervisory roles and some in non-supervisory roles. First, they asked them directly if they had experienced it ..read more

Whistleblowers play a crucial role in exposing misconduct, fraud or illegal activities within organizations. However, speaking out can often lead to retaliation from employers. Understanding the types of whistleblower retaliation and your rights is essential for protecting yourself and promoting accountability. Termination or demotion One of the most severe forms of retaliation is termination or demotion. Employers may seek to silence whistleblowers by firing them or reducing their job responsibilities in retaliation for their disclosures. Harassment or intimidation Whistleblowers may face har ..read more

Failing to allow a pregnant employee reasonable accommodations is effectively a form of gender discrimination – only women can become pregnant. California has strict laws that most employers must abide by to ensure that pregnant women can continue to do their jobs for as long as possible. The laws apply to most employers Does your employer employ more than five people? Provided they do, the law requires them to make reasonable accommodations for your pregnancy. This could include: Altering your hours Allowing you more or longer breaks  Providing you with a means to sit, even if you normal ..read more

Diversity and inclusivity are not just buzzwords but essential components of a thriving and equitable environment. One aspect of inclusivity that has gained significant attention in recent years is the accommodation of service animals in the workplace. Under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are recognized as a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. What does this mean for employers and employees? Understanding Title I of the ADA Title I of the ADA addresses employment discrimination against individuals with disabilities. It prohibits em ..read more

The average employee likely doesn’t know much about criminal regulations. Unless someone works in the legal profession, they probably don’t bother to learn much about either California state laws or federal statutes. However, some professionals do learn about the laws that govern the industry in which they operate. Those professionals might find themselves in a very uncomfortable position when they realize that an employer has asked them to do something illegal. Perhaps a billing manager at a hospital instructs a new hire to upcode charges, meaning that they need to bill for a different servic ..read more

Navigating a workplace discrimination claim is a complex and sensitive process. It is understandably not always obvious to those who have been discriminated against that their “everyday” actions could impact the outcome of their claims, yet it is certainly a possibility. It is for this reason that it’s generally a good idea for workers to stay off of social media until their claims are fully resolved. Just as employers may get into trouble for approaching social media in problematic ways, workers can unintentionally impact the outcome of their discrimination claims in negative ways if they are ..read more

Sexual harassment in the workplace isn’t ever acceptable. It encompasses a range of behaviors, from unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors to verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. This atrocious behavior doesn’t just affect the direct victim. It can impact everyone in the workplace by creating a hostile work environment. Even eyewitnesses to this behavior have the right, and in some cases, the responsibility, to file complaints. The importance of bystander intervention When eyewitnesses step forward to report inappropriate behavior, they might help stop the harassmen ..read more