California Employment Law Blog

Employers sometimes commit wage theft through illegal deductions from their workers’ paychecks. California law protects employees and penalizes employers for these violations, just as they do for failing to pay overtime, denying rest or meal breaks or other illegal activity. In the Golden State, employers can only make deductions allowed under state or federal laws,…

Most employer-employee relationships in California are on an at-will basis, meaning either party can terminate the relationship for almost any reason, with or without cause. However, wrongful termination occurs when employers fire workers for retaliatory reasons or unlawful motivations, such as discrimination. Worker protections under California law The California Fair Employment and Housing Act makes…

As an employee, you have the right to fair treatment by your employer. This doesn’t mean everything will always go as planned, but there are both federal and state laws in place to help protect you against unfair circumstances. If you suspect that you were wrongfully terminated, you’re sure to have feelings of both frustration…

America is supposed to be the land of opportunity. They say if you put in the time and effort, you can lead a happy and financially stable life. However, if you’re a minority, your chances of upward mobility may look a little different. According to the American Bar Association, structural racism is still a common…

Californians living with a disability already face many challenges in their everyday lives. Those struggles exponentially increase when employers treat them differently in the workplace or the application process. In addition to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), California enforces state laws protecting the disabled, including the Unruh Civil Rights Act, the Disabled Persons…

According to the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC), workplace retaliation continues to be the most frequently filed complaint in California and across the nation. Retaliation claims are often filed after workers experience other forms of discrimination. Federal and state laws protect employees from discrimination over age, disability, race, sex and gender, sexual orientation, harassment, pregnancy,…

Employers commit wage theft in a number of ways, such as not paying minimum wage or overtime, refusing to give rest or meal breaks or failing to follow other wage and hour laws. If you experience any of these infractions, you can submit a claim with the California Department of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE). Here…

An economic think tank says workers – especially those whose earnings are at or near the minimum wage – are more likely to experience wage violations during an economic downturn. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth says workers, on average, lose one-fifth of their pay to wage theft. Researchers say even when the economy is…

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act safeguards workers, families and communities from plant closings or mass layoffs by stipulating that employers give a 60-day notice to employees as well as state and local representatives. The advance notice helps give workers time to transition from the loss of their job to the prospect of…

California’s wage and hour laws allow employers to classify workers as exempt or non-exempt. But, what does that mean, and can a misclassified worker sue their employer? Non-exempt workers are typically paid by the hour, qualifying for overtime, meal breaks and rest periods. Exempt employees are not entitled to the same benefits guaranteed under the…