Are you considering contacting a lawyer about discrimination, harassment, or mistreatment at work? It may be tempting to wait. You think: “Let’s see how this plays out. Learn if the company will do the right thing. Maybe they will promote me, or transfer me, and maybe things will get better. I have a lot on my plate right now, and…
Ever since the Gold Rush of the mid-19th century, California has attracted a large number of job seekers. Silicon Valley is home to some of the world’s most valuable technology companies, and the Los Angeles area dominates the national media and entertainment industries. With these booming sectors come enticing professional opportunities that appeal to people all over the globe. But what happens when promised opportunities fail to…
Effective January 6, 2020, New York banned employers from asking job seekers and employees about their compensation history. The same law, Labor Law § 194-a, prohibits employers from relying on salary history in deciding whether to offer employment to an applicant as well as in determining salaries for applicants and employees. The law also prohibits the employer from seeking salary history…
As long as there has been discrimination in the workplace, courageous employees have spoken up about it. In the past year, employees have pushed hard for workplace equity, as examples from the Audubon Society, Google, Pinterest, and elsewhere show. Unfortunately, many employers have reacted with retaliatory firings. The story of AI Ethicist Timnit Gebru at Google is perhaps the most recent, well-publicized example…
In the wee hours of December 21, 2020, Congress passed a COVID-19 stimulus package following months of wrangling and stalemates. After nearly a week and much criticism, President Trump signed the bill into law. Despite its massive length—almost 5,600 pages—the bill falls far short of fully meeting the urgent needs of American workers. Congress last provided relief in late March…
We are workers’ rights lawyers pursuing a Private Attorney General Act enforcement action against Aurora Santa Rosa and Signature Healthcare for California Labor Code violations occurring from April 2016 to the present. In this whistleblower lawsuit, our client, Plaintiff Teresa Brooke, is seeking an award of monetary penalties on behalf of Aurora/Signature employees and the State of California. In addition, she seeks what is…
A ground-breaking lawsuit against Cisco tests this novel question. On June 30, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (“DFEH”) filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of a Dalit Indian (“untouchable” caste) engineer who alleges that he was discriminated against by high-caste Indian supervisors and coworkers.[1] The suit alleges that Cisco management was on notice of this discrimination…
As the recent murders of innocent African American civilians like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others remind us, the United States has a long way to go in its struggle for racial justice. While current efforts against racial inequality are rightfully focused on police brutality, race discrimination in employment has a long and ignominious history in this…
Fired? Laid off? I’m sure you have so many things running through your mind right now. Here are a few things to consider when reviewing your severance agreement. DON’T be pressured to respond or sign immediately. Your employer must give you time to review the agreement. I frequently hear of employers trying to pressure or bully employees into signing severance agreements…
The past few weeks brought mixed results for plaintiffs at the Supreme Court. Although the Court surprisingly extended Title VII’s protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation in Bostock v. Clayton County, the Court wrapped up its term by extending the so-called “ministerial exception”—which exempts certain employees of religious institutions from employment protections—to a seemingly broader swathe of employees. What…