Los Angeles Employment Law Blog
The Fair Pay Act and Gender-Based Wage Discrimination
Wage discrimination based on the gender of employees is illegal in California. People whose jobs require similar work must be paid equal amounts as those of the opposite gender unless an exception applies. Under the Fair Pay Act, both private and public employers are prohibited from discriminating against workers in their pay on the basis of their genders.
Ageism and Age Discrimination
Most older employees in California work hard to further their careers. Yet, despite putting forth their best efforts while on the job, these workers aren’t able to secure promotions, raises, or other opportunities. While there are many reasons that a career may stall, age discrimination is sometimes a factor. Unfortunately, some companies have developed a youth-oriented culture that can translate into an ageist workplace.
Will Equal Pay for Equal Work Ever Become a Reality?
A couple of years ago, a new law went into effect that was meant to ensure that women were being paid equally compared to their male counterparts. But is it working, and what exactly is the pay differential between men and women? A recent article in the Los Angeles Times shows that, despite advances, female employees with the state of California have salaries that trail their male colleagues by just over 20 percent.
Race and Wage Discrimination Very Prevalent
Some Californians believe that racial discrimination in the U.S. has declined. However, a meta-study indicates that racism is alive and well in America, and discrimination against blacks and Latinos has continued unabated for decades. According to researchers at Harvard, Northwestern University and the Institute of Social Research in Oslo, Norway, discrimination against blacks in hiring has not changed in the last 25 years.
DACA Dreamers With Valid Work Permits Still Have Rights
For generations, many immigrants have made homes in California, and in recent years the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program protected young people brought to the country without documentation. Although many of these people, known as dreamers, obtained work permits under the program, a decision from the Trump administration has endangered the future legality of their employment. Despite the shifting political landscape, dreamers with valid work permits continue to have legal protection from discrimination at work.
Are Dads Entitled to Equal Parental Leave Benefits?
Typically, people think of new mothers when they consider a company’s parental leave benefits. However, fathers are also affected by the event of a new child, and are entitled to parental leave. Fathers do not require the physical rest that new mothers do, but they have a right to bonding time with their baby. In fact, the same is true for new adopted children or children born through surrogate mothers.
Employee Rights Remain the Same During Disasters
From wildfire evacuations in California to hurricane devastation in coastal regions, natural disasters and other crises impact employees and employers in many ways. Serious disruptions like these, however, do not exempt employers from following wage and hour laws or honoring employees’ rights to take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
New Online Whistleblower Complaint Form Available for Workers
California workers may be interested to learn that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration released a revised whistleblower complaint form online. According to the announcement made by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, the online form allows whistleblowers to file their complaints quickly and safely.
Women of Color Confront Discrimination in Tech
Women of color in California have spoken about their experiences at tech industry giants in confronting the hydra of race and sex discrimination on the job. Far from being separate concerns, these forms of workplace discrimination have been pernicious for women of color, even those who have achieved success at some of the world’s largest companies.
California Cracks Down on Alleged Employee Misclassification
Employers in California seeking to classify employees as independent contractors should take note of a recent lawsuit filed by the Labor Commissioner’s Office. Companies that intentionally misclassify employees as independent contractors may subject themselves to substantial back payments and heavy fines.