Category Archives: Employment Discrimination
What if Your Employer Ignores Your Complaints of Harassment or Discrimination?
Let’s say that you feel you’ve been a victim of harassment, discrimination or retaliation, or that your employment has been affected in some other way, by wrongdoing or illegality. You know your company’s policy, and you follow it, making a report to your human resources director or supervisor–whoever your company’s policy dictates that you… Read More »
Pennsylvania Passes CROWN Act-But California Already Has One
The governor of Pennsylvania recently made news when he signed a bill into law, called the CROWN Act. And while the Act is new in Pennsylvania, here in California, we have always had the CROWN Act, a law that provides important protection to California workers. Your Hair is Protected The law has to do… Read More »
Amazon Gets Sued for Subtle Retaliation Against Workers Requesting Accommodations
When we think of retaliation at work, we think of a boss or employer doing something really bad to an employee, to get back at that employee for exercising a legal right. By “really bad,” we think of being fired or demoted or being refused a promotion. But as is alleged in a recent… Read More »
Reasonable Accommodations at Work When You’re Pregnant
You may already be aware that it is illegal for your employer to discriminate against you for being pregnant, and that you must be provided leave time from work, for pregnancy related issues, and be allowed to remain home after the child’s birth to care for the child. But what a lot of workers… Read More »
Can You Be Punished for Raising Safety Concerns at Work?
If you work in an industry that can be considered dangerous, your employer must follow the safety guidelines set forth by the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration’s (OSHA) guidelines. More businesses than you may think have OSHA guidelines that they must follow, and the guidelines apply even if you aren’t in a “dangerous” industry,… Read More »
Stay or Pay Agreements Will Become Officially Illegal January 2026
Because noncompete agreements tended to be disfavored nationally, and in California, have long been banned, employers started to seek out other ways of punishing employees who leave their employment. One way to do that was with what was known as a Stay or Pay provision or agreement. What is Stay or Pay? A stay… Read More »
The Effects of Mental Health Disability in the Workplace: Are Accommodations Needed?
You may already know that mental illness is a protected disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). This means that your employer cannot discriminate against you for having a mental illness, and furthermore, must make accommodations to allow you to do your job, with whatever limitations you may have because of your mental… Read More »
Even a One-Time Racial Slur May be Workplace Discrimination
When it comes to employment discrimination and harassment in the workplace, courts will generally look to two factors, to see if there is an actionable case. They will look to see if the harassment or conduct complained of was either severe, or continuing. For example, a comment or a one-time comment may not be… Read More »
Gender Discrimination At Work May Be More Subtle Than You Think
Would you know if you were being discriminated against in the workplace based on your gender? You may think that you would. But in reality, most expressions of gender discrimination are much more subtle, and ambiguous. Why Don’t We See It? One reason that we often don’t recognize gender discrimination is that it often… Read More »
What is Disparate Impact Discrimination?
Let’s say that a company had to hire workers. To find these employees, they only advertise and promote the job openings, at college career festivals. Is there anything wrong with doing this? On the surface, it would seem this is fine. An employer can advertise jobs wherever and however it wants to, and everybody… Read More »
