News

“It’s My Word Against Theirs… Right?” After a termination, many employees come to us with a familiar concern: “It’s just my word against the company’s. How can I prove what really happened?” The truth is, most cases don’t come down to “he said, she said.” The strongest wrongful termination and discrimination cases are built on […]

“Your Case Is Closed — And So Is Your Job” Many injured workers in California hear some version of the same story. After months of treatment and workers’ compensation appointments, the doctor declares them “permanent and stationary” (P&S), also known as reaching “maximum medical improvement” (MMI). Shortly afterward, the employer announces: “We’ve reviewed your restrictions […]

“We Need Someone Who Can Do the Job” — A Common Post-Leave Justification Employees who return from medical leave often hear a version of the same line: “We need somebody who can do all the essential functions of this position. Since you can’t, we have to let you go.” On the surface, that sounds reasonable. […]

Two Laws, One Purpose: Protecting Employees Who Need Time Away When illness, injury, or family emergencies happen, most employees worry about one thing: Will I lose my job if I take time off? California has two overlapping laws that protect workers in these situations: the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Family Rights Act […]

The Common Mistake: “Your Leave Is Over, So We Had to Let You Go” It’s one of the most common — and costly — missteps employers make.Employees are told, “Your medical leave has expired, and if you don’t return by Monday, we’ll have to terminate you.” That kind of statement ignores one of California’s strongest […]

What is an Employment Lawyer? There are two main types of employment attorneys: one type who works with plaintiffs or employees (e.g. an employment discrimination attorney, employment rights attorney or federal employment attorney), and another type representing defendants or employers ( otherwise known as management attorneys). Most employment attorneys specialize in either working for employers or […]

A California labor board complaint is a process whereby employees can report their employers to a state agency for various labor law violations. The State of California has over 200 administrative agencies, of which only a small portion investigate and handle complaints of labor law violations. Employees often refer to agencies that handle workplace disputes […]

California Layoff Notice Requirements An employer is not legally obligated to employ a worker, nor to rehire an individual into another position in the company. Your employer is well within their rights to let go of their employees when financial times get hard. However, employers may be obligated to provide advance notice of a layoff […]

You should never have to choose between keeping your job and dealing with sexual harassment. In California, employees who are victims of sexual harassment in the workplace have the right to file a claim or lawsuit against their employer as long as the incident occurred within the statute of limitations (the time period in which […]

Navigating Damages in Employment Cases: Lost Wages vs. Emotional Distress In employment law cases, damages typically fall into two categories: lost wages and emotional distress. While both types of compensation aim to address the harm caused by workplace mistreatment, it’s important to note that claimants may not always receive both forms of damages. Depending on […]