Los Angeles Employment Law Blog

It’s no secret that some employers in California and elsewhere across the country fail to provide adequate accommodations for breastfeeding. When this happens, nursing employees often face potential health risks and other challenges. According to a new study focusing on this topic, two-thirds of breastfeeding discrimination cases over the past decade resulted in employees alleging this type of discrimination being terminated.

General Motors is a very familiar brand in California and nationwide. The company employs thousands in many locations, but a specific plant in the Midwest appears to be a hotbed of racism. Three lawsuits targeted the same plant where African American workers claimed that the workplace tolerated racial slurs, verbal attacks, racist graffiti, and the display of nooses.

In 2000, individuals over the age of 65 made up about 12 percent of the United States population. By 2050, it is expected that roughly 22 percent of those living in California and throughout America will be over the age of 65. Therefore, it may be necessary for individuals to spend additional years in the workforce. However, most people still prefer to start collecting Social Security benefits at age 62.

California employees may be familiar with forced arbitration clauses in employment contracts. These clauses require workers to resolve disputes with employers by going before an arbitrator. In many cases, employees’ odds of winning are lower when compared to taking a case to court. They may also receive less compensation than they might be entitled to in a court case. A group of Google employees is looking to call attention to the issue of forced arbitration through a social media event.

Older workers in California and around the country have voiced complaints in recent years about age discrimination in the technology center. International Business Machines Corporation is known more for blue suits than beanbag chairs, but it too has been accused of treating its older workers unfairly. On Dec. 21, a 57-year-old former IBM sales director filed a lawsuit alleging the New York-based company has a longstanding and pervasive culture of discrimination that targets employees over 50 years of age.

While most sexual harassment lawsuits in California and around the country are filed against male coworkers or supervisors, this isn’t always the case. One such recent case involves a middle-aged man who was fired by the Disney Cruise Line after working for the company for 18 years as a labor analyst. Disney claims the man was terminated for using illegal substances, but he says that he lost his job after complaining about the way he was being treated by his younger female manager.