Across the country, at all levels of government and industry, artificial intelligence (AI) is the source of intense focus as the machine learning technology has advanced leaps and bounds in just a couple of years. AI uses specialized tech to write and learn algorithms. It’s more than just a single…
Employers in California can’t be held legally responsible if workers contract COVID-19 on-the-job and then spread it to people they live with. In the case of Kuciemba v. Victory Woodworks, Inc., the California Supreme Court ruled that while take-home COVID claims filed by employee spouses aren’t barred by the exclusivity…
As longtime advocates for fairness in the workplace, our Los Angeles employment attorneys primarily devote our energies to representing employees on the receiving end of inequity on-the-job. But there’s also value in explaining to employers how they can sidestep some of the most common issues that lead to California employment…
Employers have been increasingly leaning on artificial intelligence (AI) screening tools to help sort through long lists of job applicants for various positions. But a growing number of California employment lawsuits allege the technology skews against people who aren’t young, white, healthy, cis-gendered males. In a recent employment lawsuit filed…
“The customer is always right.” That’s the longtime adage, anyway. But it’s dead wrong when it comes to workplace harassment. Both California and federal laws protect employees against workplace harassment by customers, as well as colleagues and supervisors. This is true whether your clients are high-level investors, bar patrons, retail…
It’s common practice for employers accused of discrimination against their workers to try to dig up dirt about the workers’ past – anything that might help bolster their case. But can the evidence acquired after the employee had been disparately treated be used to justify those actions? “After-acquired evidence” is…
Non-compete clauses (also called California non-compete agreements) affect roughly 25 percent of the U.S. working population – but they aren’t enforceable in California. Meanwhile, they’re a major issue for workers throughout the rest of the country. But that could soon change. For those who may be unfamiliar, a non-compete clause…
The surge in remote work arrangements had led to questions about the kinds of expenses for which California employers are responsible and which they aren’t. The trend of remote work was already climbing before the pandemic hit, with 43 percent of workers saying they worked from home at least some…
New protections are now in place for workers who are pregnant or nursing. These federal protections were signed into law as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act). As our Los Angeles employment attorneys can explain, these statutes expand…
A California law that prohibits employers from forcing workers to resolve major workplace disputes in private arbitration is a violation of federal statute – according to a recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The 2-1 ruling addresses conflict over California’s AB51, which criminalizes the…