Category: Firm News

Three tips for pregnant employees

Posted in Firm News,Workplace Discrimination on September 23, 2017

Getting a job in today’s marketplace may be easier compared to past years. But if you are a pregnant woman, the road to a job may still be as difficult as when the last depression killed jobs. This is because not every employer understands (or follows) the rules governing pregnant workers and may discriminate against… read more

Women file class action against Google claiming unequal pay

Posted in Firm News,Workplace Discrimination on September 19, 2017

Three female plaintiffs have filed suit against Google and hope to have the lawsuit certified as a class action. They claim that the internet giant routinely pays women substantially less than men for similar work. This violates the California Equal Pay Act and other anti-discrimination laws. Moreover, they claim the company thwarts advancement by women…. read more

Bill expanding California parental leave heads to governor

Posted in Firm News,Retaliation on September 18, 2017

Not all expectant parents in California are guaranteed time off once their children are born. While state law guarantees 12 weeks of parental leave for many new mothers and fathers, the existing law only covers people working in companies with at least 50 employees. This could change under SB 63, the New Parent Leave Act,… read more

Did a cemetery worker reporting bad behavior dig his own grave?

Posted in Firm News,Wrongful Termination on September 5, 2017

In 2015, Reymond Blazys began working at Roselawn Memorial Park and Glenview Memorial Gardens, two cemeteries based in southern Wisconsin. After two years of watching his co-workers perform their supposedly sacred duties while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, he decided to report their bad behavior. Not long after, Blazys was fired. According to… read more

Female employees win $10 million settlement with Ford

Posted in Firm News,Sexual Harassment on September 2, 2017

In a bit of news that may have slipped under your radar in the last couple of weeks, Ford settled a lawsuit with a group of female employees to the tune of $10.1 million. The allegations made by the women stem from a hostile work environment at a Chicago assembly plant that they claim fostered… read more

Labor and workplace discrimination laws on a collision course?

Posted in Firm News,Wrongful Termination on August 17, 2017

One day after former Google employee James Damore filed a National Labor Relations Board complaint, a court ruling may have already bolstered the merits of his complaint. Damore is the former engineer whose candid email recently garnered banner headlines that saw his name and story trend on social media. After sending the missive where he… read more

What is a hostile work environment?

Posted in Firm News,Sexual Harassment on August 16, 2017

Almost everyone has had a job they found unpleasant or coworkers they didn’t get along with. But when does a bad workplace become a hostile work environment? While it can be hard to get your work done when your coworker plays their music too loudly or your boss ignores you when you ask for help,… read more

The cost of workplace retaliation for employers

Posted in Firm News,Retaliation on August 9, 2017

Acts of workplace retaliation can not only affect work environments, but also careers. Victims of these hostile acts have recourse in the form of lawsuits against the company that allowed the illegal tactics to continue. When it comes to plaintiff employees alleging workplace retaliation in trials, jurors can relate more to the employees. In numerous… read more

The lessons learned from Uber’s missteps

Posted in Firm News,Retaliation on August 4, 2017

In spite of all the technological advancements that Silicon Valley is responsible for, they are equally as famous, or infamous, for an antiquated work culture more akin to Mad Men instead of modern times. Those that claim to be cutting-edge are anything but, especially when they promote intolerable, if not outright hostile work environments. Few… read more

Reasonable accommodation, the interactive process and your employer

Posted in Firm News,Retaliation on July 30, 2017

Last week, we began discussing how one of the primary advantages of calling the Golden State home is the comprehensive legal protection granted to residents, particularly as it relates to employment. By way of illustration, we began discussing the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. In particular, we began discussing how absent extreme hardship, the… read more