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California workers entitled to paid break after 5 hours

Many hard-working employees in California find a respite in their daily grind during lunchtime, when obligations come to pause and one’s well-being becomes the primary focus. Indeed, state law mandates that employers provide a meal break no shorter than 30 minutes for every 5-hour shift.…

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What is the Fair Employment and Housing Act?

The Fair Employment and Housing Act is California’s non-discrimination statute. Tracking closely with and sometimes expanding upon the provisions of federal civil rights laws, FEHA prohibits discrimination in employment and housing based on a person’s membership in a legally-defined protected class. The protected classes of…

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Federal discrimination laws extended to transgender people

On Dec. 18, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Justice Department is now interpreting workplace discrimination laws as prohibiting discrimination against people who are transgender. Consequently, transgender people who have been subjected to discrimination in California state and local public employer workplaces may now…

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Laws mandating paid sick leave may catch on

Following a recent initiative by the city of San Francisco, the California Legislature passed a bill in August mandating paid sick leave for all workers in the state, effective in 2015. A few other states have picked up the idea, and some authorities suspect paid…

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California office of Zillow sued for age discrimination

A Zillow employee recently filed a lawsuit against the company for age discrimination at its Irvine office. This lawsuit is one of four that have been brought against the company for employment practices exhibited at this particular office. The age discrimination lawsuit states that a…

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Legal protections from sexual harassment

Sexual harassment can take many forms in the workplace. One type, which is commonly referred to as quid pro quo harassment, occurs when a person is offered more favorable employment benefits, such as a promotion and increased pay, in return for sexual favors. However, a…

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Judge upholds $185 million pregnancy bias award against AutoZone

On Nov. 18, a federal judge upheld a jury’s $185 million punitive award to a former AutoZone store manager for pregnancy bias, discrimination and retaliation she experienced at one of the retailer’s San Diego locations. The judge rejected AutoZone Stores Inc.’s assertion that the punitive…

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National origin discrimination and California workers

If an employer treats employees or job applicants differently due to their country of birth, that is considered national origin discrimination that is prohibited under federal law. Employers who discriminate based on an individual’s accent or because an individual seems to be from a particular…

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Bullying in the Workforce

In California, a proposed law aims to stop harassment and bullying behaviors in the workplace. It seeks to prevent managers from berating their subordinates and creating hostile work environments. Unlike other legislation that protects certain subsections of the population, such as minorities and women, this…

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Overview of harassment in the workplace

Under California law, harassment in the workplace is considered a type of discrimination. When an employer engages in harassment that is based on sex, race, color, religion, age or disability, they may be found to be in violation of the Civil Rights Act, the Age…

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What is classified as disability discrimination?

In California, an employer may be engaging in disability discrimination by treating a worker with a disability unfairly. The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act list all disabilities that are covered. However, only certain employers are subject to these laws, and the number…

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Former campaign worker claims he was sexually harassed

In early October, a former campaign worker for California congressional candidate Carl DeMaio began speaking publicly about what he claims was sexual harassment. Although the 28-year-old man’s attorney says that he has not yet decided whether or not to file a civil lawsuit against DeMaio,…

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