Sexual harassment is a pervasive problem nationwide, and it happens in every industry. In the wake of the #metoo movement, employees have become more aware of their rights when it comes to sexual harassment in the workplace, and many workers have also become less...
Watkins & Letofsky, LLP
Correctly categorize your California employees
Categorizing employees correctly under state and federal law can help businesses avoid serious legal sanctions. However, it can be challenging to understand whether a worker qualifies as an employee or an independent contractor. Review these factors to make sure you...
Severance agreements, older employees and OWBP requirements
If the company you are leaving offers you a severance agreement as a departing employee aged 40 or older, the agreement must meet certain requirements. For example, severance agreements offered to older employees have to comply with the Older Workers Benefit...
What to consider before firing an employee
If you are considering firing one or multiple employees, you may be doing this for financial reasons or because you are not satisfied with these individuals' performance and their attitude to work. Firing an employee is never a pleasant experience. You may feel guilt...
Wrongful termination and at-will employment
When a person is employed at-will, it means that they can be dismissed from their role without warning at any time. They will not be entitled to any form of compensation as a result of being fired, and they do not need to have done something wrong to be fired....
Understand the types of pregnancy discrimination
Many women in the workplace can fall victim to pregnancy discrimination, regardless of whether they are pregnant or not. This is because a person can be discriminated against if they are perceived to be pregnant, or if another person in the workplace believes that the...
Your basic rights to privacy in the workplace
Workplace cultures can shift over time. While traditionally it was expected that employees make a strong distinction between their personal life and their working life, today many companies try to encourage employees to express aspects of their personal life, whether...
5 possible reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, there were nearly 3.8 million births in the United States in 2018. That means there were roughly 10,400 babies born every single day. Accordingly, whether you are a business owner, company executive or manager,...
Why is sexual harassment so common in restaurants?
As someone who makes a living working in a California restaurant, you may understand all too well just how common sexual harassment is within your particular line of work. If you work in a restaurant and are also female, African American or Latina, your chances of...
Does reasonable accommodation include service animals?
People get hurt, physically and emotionally. Sometimes, these injuries are severe enough to qualify as a disability by medical and legal standards. When you return to work after suffering an injury, you may need some adjustment in your duties. Perhaps you cannot live...