Category: Firm News

How Non-Work-Related Injuries Can Impact a Workers’ Compensation Claim

Posted in Firm News,Wage & Hour Laws,Workers Compensation on December 29, 2020

Filing for workers’ compensation after a work-related injury should be a relatively straightforward process. Unfortunately, it is all too common for people to encounter all types of unique and complex variables that interfere with their claim. In some cases, injuries that occur outside of work may influence workers’ compensation benefits received for a prior work-related… read more

What You Need to Know About FMLA in CA During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Posted in Firm News,Wage & Hour Laws,Workers Compensation on December 12, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to influence the industries within our country, it has also greatly affected the workforce. When employees become infected with the virus or need to stay home for sick family members, they are faced with tough decisions regarding their employment. Generating income must be balanced with maintaining the health and safety… read more

California Expands Workers’ Rights to Protected Leave Under The California Family Rights Act

Posted in Firm News on October 5, 2020

Recently, California’s Governor signed Senate Bill No. 1383 into law, which expands the protections afforded under the California Family Rights Act to more California workers. Prior to this change, the California Family Rights Act generally applied only to employers that employed 50 or more employees.  Therefore, workers employed at smaller companies were not afforded the… read more

Are Rideshare Drivers Employees?

Posted in Firm News on June 19, 2019

Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies have been at the center of an employment law controversy almost since their inception. Unlike taxi companies, ridesharing services do not classify their drivers as employees. Instead, they classify them as independent contractors in all 50 states. This makes rideshare drivers ineligible to receive benefits promised to employees under… read more

What Do I Do If I Was Misclassified as an Independent Contractor?

Posted in Firm News on May 14, 2019

It is every employer’s legal duty to properly classify its workers as either employees or independent contractors according to certain criteria. The correct classification is important because it can determine your pay scale, taxes, benefits, rights, and responsibilities as a worker. If you believe your boss has misclassified you as an independent contractor when you… read more

Arbitration Agreements – Can Your Employer Make You Waive Your Rights?

Posted in Class Action,Firm News,Wage & Hour Laws on August 16, 2018

Arbitration Agreements Are Generally Enforceable An issue that sometimes comes up at work is an arbitration agreement.   What happens when an employer requires employees to sign an arbitration agreement? In general, if an arbitration agreement meets certain legal requirements, employers can require them and they can be enforceable. In those cases, any claim that… read more

Are Your Unpaid Wages Too Trivial? Maybe Not

Posted in Class Action,Firm News,Wage & Hour Laws on August 3, 2018

California Supreme Court Decision – Troester v. Starbucks The term “de minimis” is a legal concept. It basically means that the legal system does not deal with “trifles”, or trivial things.  That’s what Starbucks argued when a former Starbucks employee, Douglas Troester, brought a class action lawsuit for a few minutes of unpaid “off the… read more

HR group argues federal exempt overtime threshold should rise

Posted in Firm News,Wage & Hour Laws on October 4, 2017

A federal judge recently scuttled plans to raise the salary level that helps determine whether employees are entitled to overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Workers who are subject to the federal FLSA are generally entitled to overtime pay unless they meet a specific exemption from the law. The salary level is part of… read more

Is sexual orientation discrimination equal to sex discrimination?

Posted in Firm News,Workplace Discrimination on September 29, 2017

The Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing same-sex marriage represented a milestone for the LGBT community. Their long, hard-fought battle to be placed on legal footing with opposite-sex marriage culminated in a key victory. However, another fight continues. The hallmark achievement two years ago now serves as a prelude to ending discrimination in another setting. The Workplace… read more

Three tips for pregnant employees

Posted in Firm News,Workplace Discrimination on September 23, 2017

Getting a job in today’s marketplace may be easier compared to past years. But if you are a pregnant woman, the road to a job may still be as difficult as when the last depression killed jobs. This is because not every employer understands (or follows) the rules governing pregnant workers and may discriminate against… read more