Under California law, an aggrieved person can bring a claim for defamation if the person is the subject of a false and unprivileged statement that is injurious to his/her reputation. Defamation can take the form of libel or slander. (Ca. Civ. Code Sec. 44.) Specifically “libel” is defined as a false and unprivileged publication by… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Retaliation and Wrongful Termination
Subscribe to Retaliation and Wrongful Termination RSS FeedNLRB Provides Guidance Regarding Permissible Policies – Are Your Policies Compliant?
Posted in Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationBack in December, Beth West informed our readers that the NLRB had issued new (and more realistic) guidelines for evaluating whether employment policies and rules violate the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”). As a reminder, the NLRB issued a new two-prong test for determining if facially neutral employment policies could interfere with the exercise of… Continue Reading
New California Regulations on National Origin Going Into Effect
Posted in Discrimination, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationAs any reader of our blog knows, California employers are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of national origin (among other classifications). The Fair Employment and Housing Commission (“FEHC”) recently issued new regulations, which go into effect on July 1, 2018, expanding the definition of “national origin” to include an individual’s or ancestors’ actual or… Continue Reading
Medical Cannabis Users May Soon be Protected Under FEHA – AB 2069
Posted in Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & HourAssembly Bill (“AB”) 2069 was introduced by the California Assembly on February 7, 2018. Currently, California employers can deny employment or impose discipline on cannabis users, regardless of whether such use is for medical purposes. AB 2069 would amend the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) to make it an unlawful practice for an employer… Continue Reading
Have You Ever Disagreed With An Employee About How They Should Do Their Work?
Posted in Discrimination, FMLA and Other Leaves of Absence, Harassment, Labor Law, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & HourBeware. Routine criticisms of job performance when directed to employees engaged in a caring profession, may subject you to retaliation and whistleblower claims. So you hire an employee, call her a brick layer. She is a horrible brick layer. You get in constant arguments with her concerning the quality of her brick laying. You say… Continue Reading
Protecting Your Religious Entity Exemption Under The FEHA While Complying With Other Laws
Posted in Discrimination, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & HourWe all understand the common meaning of the word “employer.” In California, “employers” need to keep track of the various rules and regulations, all of which have their own definitions of the word. Most frequently, the number of employees dictates whether a given statute or ordinance applies to the employer. In addition, California’s Fair Employment… Continue Reading
Trap for the Unwary: Elimination of the Position as Opposed to Termination for Cause
Posted in Labor Law, Reductions in Force, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationEmployers sometimes see a position elimination or reduction in force as a way of terminating employees that is kinder and gentler than termination for cause. Position eliminations and reductions in force allow an employer to say goodbye to an employee without having to lay out the reasons for the separation on the employee’s door step. … Continue Reading
Attorney Beth West Testifies Before the California Legislature
Posted in Discrimination, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & HourWeintraub Tobin Shareholder, Beth West, shared her expertise and testified before the California Legislature’s Subcommittee on Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response on February 15, 2018. The hearing focused on the legal issues surrounding sexual harassment and Ms. West’s testimony identified challenges employers face in having effective anti-harassment programs in place, as well as some legal… Continue Reading
Now Available! Weintraub Tobin’s 2018 Labor and Employment Seminar and Training Schedule
Posted in Disability Discrimination, Discrimination, Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Reductions in Force, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Trade Secrets and Competition, Uncategorized, Wage & HourWeintraub Tobin’s 2018 Labor and Employment Seminar and Training schedule is now available. Click here for a copy of the schedule. If you have any questions on any of our seminars or would like to inquire on private, custom-tailored training, please contact: Ramona Carrillo (916) 558-6046 rcarrillo@weintraub.com
SAVE THE DATE – Mandatory AB 1825 Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
Posted in Discrimination, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & HourWeintraub Tobin will be holding their final session of AB 1825 training for the year on December 14, 2017. If you are an employer with 50 or more employees, and have supervisors who have not been trained, or are in need of a refresher course, then don’t miss out. This training will comply with all… Continue Reading
DON’T FORGET…….California’s Transgender Identity and Expression Regulations Go Into Effect July 1, 2017
Posted in Discrimination, Employee Privacy Rights, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & HourThe new regulations that expand existing protections under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) for transgender individuals and others go into effect July 1, 2017. As California employers know, FEHA prohibits harassment and discrimination against individuals on the basis of many protected classes, including gender, gender identity, and gender expression. Below is a brief… Continue Reading
Texas Bus Monitor Termination For Incontinence Is Discrimination
Posted in Disability Discrimination, Discrimination, Labor Law, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationIn Green v. Dallas County School District, a Texas jury found that a Dallas County School District (the “School District”) violated Texas disability discrimination laws when it fired a bus monitor who lost control of his bladder on a school bus. The bus monitor, Paul Green, suffered a known disability – congestive heart failure –… Continue Reading
Neutral Solutions: Mediation
Posted in Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, Reductions in Force, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationThe Neutral Solutions Team at Weintraub Tobin specializes in Mediating employment disputes both pre and post litigation. Employment disputes are some of the most contentious and aggressively litigated cases in federal and state courts. The employee is adamant that the employer treated him or her unjustly and violated the law, and the employer reasonably believes that… Continue Reading
Employers May Be Liable For Violence Away From Work
Posted in Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationIntentional torts committed by employees are difficult for employers to both anticipate and protect against. When an employee commits a criminal act against another employee or a third party, the law generally considers whether the employer knew or should have known that the employee posed a danger in deciding whether a duty to protect against… Continue Reading
Neutral Solutions: Workplace Investigations
Posted in Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationThe Neutral Solutions Team at Weintraub Tobin specializes in conducting independent investigations into complaints of misconduct in the workplace. At Weintraub Tobin, we take pride in the top-notch investigations conducted by our experienced group of attorney-investigators. Our attorneys have conducted hundreds of investigations for private companies, for-profit companies, non-profit companies, cities, counties, and state agencies,… Continue Reading
Requiring Employees to Prove Eligibility to Work in the U.S. Can Lead to Liability
Posted in Labor Law, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & HourAs the national controversy continues to swirl around immigration issues, a federal appellate court this week faulted an employer for demanding that an employee provide information to prove “‘legal right to work in the United States … as required by the Immigration Control and Reform Act of 1986.’” The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for… Continue Reading
Neutral Solutions: We Help You Connect the Pieces
Posted in Labor Law, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationThe Neutral Solutions Team at Weintraub Tobin can help you avoid expensive and protracted litigation. We specialize in: Training supervisors on various workplace issues, including preventing harassment, discrimination, and retaliation; workplace health and safety; and managing leave laws. Conducting independent investigations into complaints of misconduct in the workplace. Mediating employment disputes both pre and post… Continue Reading
“From Hiring to Firing” – The Life Span of the Employment Relationship
Posted in Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Reductions in Force, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationDate: February 23, 2017 Time: 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Summary of Program The Labor and Employment Group at Weintraub Tobin is pleased to offer this informative seminar that will discuss applicable laws and best practices to help business owners, human resource professionals, and managers avoid liability when they hire, discipline, and terminate employees. Program… Continue Reading
Emotional Distress Damages Allowed Under FLSA
Posted in Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationCount the Fifth Circuit among the latest to allow emotional distress damages to employees who successfully sue for retaliation under the Fair Labor Standards Act. In a December 19, 2016 opinion, the Fifth Circuit held that the district court should have allowed the jury to receive an instruction on emotional distress damages when it was… Continue Reading
Top Reasons to Mediate Employment Disputes
Posted in Disability Discrimination, Discrimination, Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, FMLA and Other Leaves of Absence, Harassment, Reductions in Force, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Trade Secrets and Competition, Wage & HourAs an employment attorney and mediator, I believe mediation is a good alternative to protracted employment litigation. Below are the top reasons why. 1. Mediation is a Voluntary Process. Unlike litigation in which federal and state laws and court rules mandate the process (and often the outcome), mediation is a voluntary process. Thus, the parties… Continue Reading
Now Available! Weintraub Tobin’s 2017 Labor and Employment Seminar and Training Schedule
Posted in Disability Discrimination, Discrimination, Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, FMLA and Other Leaves of Absence, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Reductions in Force, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Trade Secrets and Competition, Wage & HourWeintraub Tobin’s 2016 Labor and Employment Seminar and Training schedule is now available. Click here for a copy of the schedule. If you have any questions on any of our seminars or would like to inquire on private, custom-tailored training, please contact: Ramona Carrillo 400 Capitol Mall, 11th Fl. Sacramento, CA 95814 916.558.6046 rcarrillo@weintraub.com
Texas Federal Court Permanently Blocks Persuader Rule
Posted in Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationAs previously reported here, earlier this year a federal district court in Texas issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Department of Labor (“DOL”) from enforcing the new Persuader Rule, which was to go into effect as of July 1, 2016. Last week, the court issued a ruling converting its preliminary injunction into a permanent one,… Continue Reading
New Marijuana Laws And The Workplace
Posted in Employee Privacy Rights, Employment Contracts and Agreements, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful TerminationLast week, voters in seven states passed new laws relating to marijuana use, both recreational and medical, which has left many employers wondering what this means to them. Can employers still enforce “zero tolerance” drug use policies? Do they have to allow employees to use marijuana in the workplace or during work hours, if they… Continue Reading
Beware – Reporting Wage & Hour Violations Just Got Easier
Posted in Disability Discrimination, Discrimination, Employee Privacy Rights, Harassment, Labor Law, New Legislation and Regulations, Retaliation and Wrongful Termination, Wage & HourThe California Labor Commissioner Launches New On-Line Reporting System On August 31st, the Department of Industrial Relations (Labor Commissioner) launched an online system allowing anyone to report a business’ alleged labor law violations. According to the Labor Commissioner’s Press Release, the new online reporting system is simple to use and enables the Labor Commissioner to… Continue Reading
Connect with Weintraub on LinkedIn
Follow Weintraub on Twitter
Like Weintraub on Facebook
Subscribe to this blog via RSS