You and your former employer may not have seen eye-to-eye on everything, but you thought that you parted on cordial terms. Now, recent events have you worried that you may be the victim of “blacklisting.” In many tight-knit industries, reputation is everything. A former employer with a grudge can ruin your ability to find employment by just giving you a scathing review when they’re called for a reference – or by purposefully spreading misinformation or lies about you to others they know in the industry. Blacklisting is illegal – and could be an act of discrimination It’s important to note that ..read more

Did you know that the law protects you from retaliation by your employer for engaging in certain protected activities? It means your employer is not supposed to take any adverse actions against you for engaging in these activities. They include: Reporting illegal activity, such as violations of state or federal laws, regulations or public policies, like reporting discrimination or harassment. Participating in investigations, hearings or legal proceedings related to alleged illegal activities. Exercising your labor rights by joining or assisting a labor union, participating in collective barga ..read more

Most employees in the United States are at-will employees. Even so, some are unsure what this classification means or may not even know that they are counted in this group. Essentially, an at-well employee is just someone who has agreed to work for a certain business as long as both sides want that relationship to continue. If the employer wants to fire the employee, they can do so immediately and they do not have to fire them for cause. If the employee wants to quit, they can also do that immediately, and they do not have to provide a reason. Illegal reasons One thing to remember is that empl ..read more

In California, there are robust protections and accommodations for breastfeeding mothers in the workplace. These regulations create a supportive and inclusive environment to ensure that employees don’t have to choose between their job and their child's nutritional needs. California labor law requires that employers provide time for a mother to pump breast milk. This requirement isn’t limited to a specific timeframe post-birth, implying that as long as a mother needs to breastfeed, her rights are protected under this law. These break times must be reasonable, and they may generally occur concur ..read more

Most employees would prefer to keep their relationships with their employers as amicable as possible. However, companies sometimes engage in conduct that can force workers to take legal action. The conduct of a company could infringe on a worker's rights. Sometimes, companies do not comply with federal and California state wage laws. They might fail to pay workers overtime or might not pay them minimum wage. Other times, businesses try to deny workers access to crucial types of support, such as workers' compensation benefits or unemployment insurance. Employees facing hardship directly trigger ..read more

Many workers in California know that there are numerous laws in place designed to protect their rights. California workers benefit not just from federal employment statutes but also from state laws that expand on worker protections. Overtime pay is a perfect example. California has more robust overtime rules than the federal government and most other states. Hourly workers and workers with low salaries may deserve overtime wages based on their work schedules. Can companies enact and enforce a rule prohibiting overtime wages in California, given the worker protections that the state and federal ..read more

Every employed professional should know their fundamental rights as enforced primarily by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). These laws apply not only to current employees alone but to job applicants and former employees as well, regardless of their work authorization status or citizenship. This is to say that temporary, part-time or full-time employees are all protected if they’re applying to work for, are currently working for or have worked for a covered employer. Freedom from harassment As an employee, you have the right to work in an environment free from unlawful harassm ..read more

Your employer is legally obligated to provide reasonable accommodation if you have a physical or mental disability that prevents you from performing the essential functions of your job despite being qualified for the role. The term collectively refers to modifications to the workplace, the job or how it is done to ensure fairness and equality for employees with disabilities. California law requires employers with five or more employees to provide reasonable accommodation to deserving individuals unless doing so would cause undue hardship like significant difficulty or expense or difficulty. He ..read more

Whether you work for a small business or a large corporation, getting along with co-workers is a bonus. It makes work more enjoyable and even tends to increase productivity. On the other hand, if a co-worker is making life difficult for you, this can decrease productivity and make you seriously unhappy. Nonetheless, this in itself is not necessarily actionable in law. What constitutes unlawful workplace harassment in California? A “difficult” co-worker is not necessarily acting unlawfully Feeling offended by something your co-worker has said or done does not necessarily amount to harassment. I ..read more

Employers have a duty to pay employees at least minimum wage for every hour they work. While some employers try to skimp on this, most pay without issue. The employees are the ones who suffer when employers become greedy and try to lower pay.  All employees must understand what hourly pay rate applicable laws guarantee them. Consider these two points about minimum wage in California:  State minimum wage  The state minimum wage in California is $15.50 for employers of all sizes as of January 2023. That will increase on January 1, 2024, to $16.00 statewide. This hourly wage is the ..read more