The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing announced that eight Napa Valley vineyard workers will share $65,000 as part of the settlement of a sex discrimination and retaliation lawsuit. The complaint was filed against a vineyard owner, a management company and a farm labor contractor.
Facebook sued for gender and race discrimination
On March 16, a former Facebook employee filed 11 complaints against the social network in a California court. The woman's claims stemmed from her time working for Facebook between June 2010 and October 2013. She alleges that race and gender discrimination were pervasive in Facebook's work environment, and her claim charges Facebook for various offenses including national origin discrimination and sexual harassment.
Wellness programs could lead to workplace discrimination
Some California residents may be employed at places that promote wellness for their employees. While this can be positive, it may also leave employees vulnerable by requiring them to share health information that their employers may later use to discriminate against them.
Supreme Court puts dress code on trial for discrimination
Although discrimination based on religion is one of the things prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, previous cases ruled in favor of allowing employers to discriminate against visibly religious applicants based on the dress code or "look" enforced by the business. In late February, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that challenges this practice, which may be good news for highly diverse states like California.
Sex discrimination alleged in Silicon Valley
As many California workers may know, workplace discrimination may be cited when an employee is treated unequally due to his or her sex. A case in Silicon Valley that began jury selection in San Francisco on Feb. 23 involves this issue. According to legal sources, the fact that the case has gone to court is unusual since lawsuits at this level are often settled out of court.
