Articles Posted in Employment Law

Wrongful termination is one of the most stressful issues an employee can face, and in California it happens more often than many people realize. Losing a job is always difficult, but when the firing is illegal, the law provides powerful protections. If you believe your employer is about to fire you unfairly, knowing your rights…

Immigrant employees in California are often vulnerable to abusive or exploitative employers who attempt to use immigration status as leverage in the workplace. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for unscrupulous employers to threaten workers with immigration consequences if they complain about unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions, or unlawful termination. These actions are not only illegal…

Constructive discharge, also referred to as constructive termination, occurs when an employee resigns due to working conditions so intolerable that a reasonable person in the employee’s position would have felt compelled to resign. Under California law, a resignation under such conditions may be treated as an involuntary termination, allowing the employee to pursue legal claims…

In a significant legislative development, California has enacted substantial reforms to the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) through Assembly Bill 2288 (AB 2288) and Senate Bill 92 (SB 92), both signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on July 1, 2024. These amendments address longstanding criticisms of PAGA by refining standing requirements, adjusting penalty structures,…

As California strides into 2025, the state has enacted a series of new employment laws aimed at enhancing workers’ rights, promoting fair wages, and adapting to the changing dynamics of the workforce. Below is a comprehensive overview of these significant changes, backed by the relevant statutes and codes. 1. Minimum Wage Increases: California has mandated…

Increased Statewide Minimum Wage Beginning January 1, 2024, all employers operating in California will be required to pay a minimum wage of $16 per hour, regardless of their size. Note that several cities in California, such as Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Francisco, and West Hollywood, have their own minimum wage requirements that exceed the…

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chamber of Commerce v. Bonta, 20-15291 held yesterday in a 2-1 decision that California businesses may require an agreement to arbitrate employment disputes as a condition of being hired or continued as an employee. The Court affirmed a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of AB 51. This bill…

On June 28, 2022, the Court of Appeal in the matter of Seviour-Iloff v. LaPaille held that a Chief Executive Officer was personally liable for the wage and hour violations of the corporate employer. The Plaintiffs in this case originally filed a claim for unpaid wages and Labor Code penalties with the Division of Labor…

Beginning July 1, 2022 employers in jurisdictions of either Los Angeles City or the unincorporated cities of Los Angeles County will need to increase their pay to minimum wage employees at or near the current $15 per hour wage. Under the the Los Angeles Minimum Wage Ordinance, the minimum wage will increase from $15 an…

What Are My Rights Under California Law if I Earn Commission Wages? Commission wages are compensation in the form of a percentage of the price of the product or service which is sold by an Employee. Alternatively, commission wages may be based proportionally on the number of products or services sold. California law (Labor Code…