Recent Blog Posts
Equal Pay Violation in CA: Is My Employer Violating the EPA?
California’s Equal Pay Act (EPA) prohibits pay discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or gender. The EPA is intended to put a stop to unequal pay between men and women, as well as between workers of different races or ethnicities. If you are being paid less than your white or male counterparts, you might have… Read More »
Waiting Time Penalties: Can I Get Them From My Employer?
California law protects employees at all stages of employment, from interviewing to hiring and onboarding, all the way through termination. Among other things, California law requires employers to promptly pay their employees any wages still due upon termination of the employee. If an employer fires an employee and fails to pay out the wages… Read More »
Can I Sue My Employer for Defamation?
Not every job has a fairy-tale ending. Sometimes you and your boss simply do not get along. After working at the company for some time, either you get fed up or they do. You quit or you get terminated. Sometimes, you might not even be aware of the bad blood–you simply leave your job… Read More »
Can an Employer Require Me to Sign a Duty Meal Waiver?
California law guarantees workers certain benefits, including meal breaks every so often. Many employers, however, prefer to have workers remain on-site and at least partially attentive during their meal breaks. Having an employee stay on-site during their meal break allows the employer to, for example, avoid hiring a second person for the shift. Can… Read More »
Trade Secret Misappropriation: Why It’s a Big Deal, and What Not to Do When Leaving an Employer
When you work for a company, you learn all sorts of private information. Most of this information is not subject to copyright, patent, or trademark protection. That does not mean that labeling information as “confidential” carries no actual legal protection. Confidential information may be protected as a “trade secret” of the employer, and if… Read More »
Fitness Duty Exam: Am I Required to Take One for a Job?
A fitness duty exam or fitness for duty assessment is a medical exam that a current employee may be required to undergo before they start or go back to work. The exam assesses whether an individual is physically and physiologically able to perform the duties of their job. These exams can often take place… Read More »
What Legal Issues Do Unlimited Vacation Policies Present?
Unlimited vacation policies are growing in popularity at companies across California. Unlimited vacation policies sound ideal for employees and can make things easier for employers, but several issues can arise when those policies interact with California’s employment laws. California employers transitioning to unlimited vacation days must be careful to avoid even unintentional legal pitfalls…. Read More »
Can an Employee be Terminated From Work For a DUI?
A conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) can have a ripple effect on other aspects of a person’s life. Criminal convictions can affect whether a person can live in certain locations, obtain loans, obtain certain professional certifications, and seek gainful employment. Some states have begun to implement protections for… Read More »
Exempt vs. Non-Exempt From Overtime Pay
California law guarantees employees certain rights, including meal breaks, rest breaks, a minimum wage, and overtime pay. Not all working hours count as overtime (even if they seem like they might), and not all employees are guaranteed the right to overtime pay. Below, we discuss how overtime pay works in California and which employees… Read More »
Meal and Rest Breaks in CA
California law requires employers to provide certain wages and benefits to employees. Employers, for example, must provide overtime to employees who work above a certain threshold of hours in the day, hours in a workweek, or days in a row. California law also requires employers to give non-exempt workers, who are or should be… Read More »
