In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Governor Gavin Newsom issued shelter-in-place orders requiring various businesses to shutter their doors. Despite these orders, some employers continue to require employees to show up to work. If the employees refuse, some have been terminated. Governor Newsom’s shelter-in-place orders supersede any demand from an employer to show up... Read...
The Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) authorizes workers to file claims against their employers for violations of the Labor Code. Multiple failures to enforce labor code violations prompted the creation of PAGA in 2004. Under California law, PAGA permits employees to act as private attorneys general and pursue civil penalties as if they were a... Read...
Class-action lawsuits in California are encouraged for the advancement of public policy goals. A group of individuals files a class-action lawsuit to resolve a complaint they share against an employer. There are some differences between class-action requirements in California and those for filing a federal class-action lawsuit. The assistance of experienced class-action attorneys is essential... Read...
If an employee signs an agreement waiving the right to file suit against an employer, the employee may think he or she is barred from filing a PAGA lawsuit. However, that’s not the case. Public policy makes agreements not to sue unenforceable when it comes to suits under California’s Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act... Read...
Filing an employment claim can result in lengthy legal battle. But, for employees bringing claims under the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), their legal resolution may come faster and more efficiently. The Mechanics of a PAGA Settlement A court must approve any settlement of a claim or claims brought under California’s Labor Code Private... Read...
PAGA, or the Private Attorneys General Act allows an employee to file a claim against their employer if the employer violated employment law What is PAGA? That’s a common question that employees and employers have. We’ll discuss PAGA in-depth here. Who Does PAGA Cover? Under PAGA, an “aggrieved” employee—who is defined as any current or... Read...
An employee who was unlawfully fired or laid off may be entitled to financial compensation and/or equitable relief through a wrongful termination lawsuit. This is a complicated question; there is no true straightforward answer. Some wrongful termination claims are settled for around $10,000, while others are eventually resolved for multi-million dollar awards. Every California wrongful... Read...
California is an at-will employment state. That means that, as a general rule, employers have the right to hire and fire workers at any time and for any reason. But, there are limitations to an employer’s discretion: companies cannot discharge workers for an unlawful reason. As an example, the California Fair Housing and Employment Act... Read...
What Does “At-Will” Employment Mean in California? According to California law, “at-will” employment in the state of California defines a working relationship with an employee that can be terminated for any reason by their employer. This can happen without any type of warning from the employer in the state of California. An employee under the... Read...
What is considered a hostile work environment in California? It goes by many names, but the conditions and impact are the same: a workplace is so stressful that it begins to impact employees’ physical and mental health, instills fear, and causes decreased job satisfaction. Many people have challenging jobs, and many more probably feel as... Read...