Orange County Employment Lawyers Blog

Stronger Protections Needed for Pregnancy Discrimination

April 21, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

In California, it is illegal for employers to refuse to provide “reasonable accommodation” for employee conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. If an employee requests reasonable accommodations upon the advice of a healthcare provider, the employer must act.

Unfortunately, while the Pregnancy Discrimination Act is supposed to ensure that pregnant women do not face discrimination or abusive employment behavior, there are problems with this 35-year-old Act. Loopholes have allowed courts to uphold an employer’s right to fire a woman after she sought reasonable accommodations during her pregnancy. California state has passed some laws designed to address the employment problems pregnant women face and to provide added protection, but the state’s efforts have been imperfect. This is why many women’s rights activists are supporting the Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act and urging lawmakers to pass it.

Because so many pregnant women do face unfair treatment on the job, this Act could go a long way towards improving conditions and making the workplace a better and safer place. For women who are victimized, a Los Angeles employment attorney can provide legal representation.

Health Insurance Benefits After Termination: Obamacare and COBRA Problems

April 17, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

Employers may offer severance packages to employees upon termination or layoff, sometimes in exchange for an employee waiving any claims or liability against the employer. In the past, these severance packages frequently included payment of one or more months of COBRA. COBRA allows an employee to stay on an employer’s health insurance for as long as 18 months, provided that the employee pays 100 percent of the insurance premium costs.

While an employer agreeing to pay COBRA premiums used to be a major advantage, it can now create some problems for workers because of provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Maintaining health insurance after a termination is essential for employees and you need to ensure you make an informed choice regarding whether you should take COBRA benefits.

Because your severance package can have a strong impact on your future financial situation, it is advisable to speak with an Orange County employment law attorney for assistance before entering into an agreement with an employer. Your attorney can help you to understand the impact of employer-paid COBRA premiums on your right to obtain coverage under the PPACA.

EEOC Amplifies Its Focus On Religious Discrimination

April 15, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

In a recent move the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has announced that it will increase its focus on Religious Discrimination.

Our employment lawyers in Los Angeles know that workers are experiencing religious based discrimination on a daily basis.

California workers are likely familiar with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) signs and posters that are displayed in most workplaces. The EEOC protects California workers from discrimination of all sorts, including discrimination based on religion. A recent report indicates that in 2013 alone, more than 3,700 religious discrimination claims were made to the EEOC.

California’s DFEH Report Highlights Discrimination Trends

April 12, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing recently released a report regarding discrimination trends.

An experienced Costa Mesa employment lawyer can help you determine if you have been the victim of discrimination in employment or housing.

California employers likely know the serious nature of discrimination claims and how they can affect the lives of everyone involved. California law is very strict regarding discrimination and the state is consistently working to develop better laws and regulations to protect workers from being discriminated against for any reason.

Administration is Pushing for an end to LBGT Discrimination

April 10, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

The administration is calling for an end to LBGT discrimination at the federal level. The administration, particularly Vice President Joe Biden, is calling for an end to workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Our Costa Mesa LBGT discrimination attorneys can help you understand your legal rights and what you should do if you have fallen victim to LGBT discrimination in the workplace.

At the recent Human Rights Campaign located in Los Angeles, Biden spoke out against organizations that may terminate, or otherwise discriminate against employees who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT).

Termination of Highly Paid Employee Could be Age Discrimination

April 8, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

An older employee may be discriminated against in a number of ways. If a an employer terminates a highly paid employee they could be guilty of age discrimination.

A California age discrimination lawsuit may be necessary to protect the rights of an older worker who has been fired.

Take the example of one California woman who was “let go” from her long-time employer because the company stated that budget requirements demanded a reduction in the workforce.

SCA 5 Abolishes Californians’ Civil Rights

April 6, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

California could set race discrimination laws back significantly if a new bill is passed. The proposed bill is Senate Constitutional Amendment 5 (SCA 5) would overturn the previously passed initiative known as Proposition 209. Proposition 209 was said to abolish discrimination in public education. Opponents of the measure state that the proposed Senate Constitutional Amendment could essentially take the Civil Rights Movement back to a time when race determined success.

A consultation with an experienced Costa Mesa employment lawyer could help determine if you’ve been illegally discriminated against because of your race.

Proposition 209, or the California Civil Rights Initiative, was passed in 1996 when voters across California declared that they had enough of discrimination in the public school systems. Since that declaration and the passing of Proposition 209, there has been a 150 percent increase in enrollment, and a 100 percent increase in graduation rates among minorities. For California students, Proposition 209 gave them a chance to reach new opportunities and better the lives of families across the state.

Gender Bias Negatively Impacts Hiring Decisions

April 4, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

Women seeking jobs in math dependent professions are discriminated against regularly by biased employers.

Our employment lawyers in California know that gender bias is a real problem for female employees in the workforce.

A recent report in the Washington Post discusses just how severe gender bias can be in relation to women and mathematics. According to the report, a recent experiment assessed the verbal and mathematical ability of young people all over the world in an effort to determine just how real gender bias is in regard to mathematical ability.

EEOC Files Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart

April 2, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) has filed a disability discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart.

A consultation with an experienced Costa Mesa employment lawyer could help you decide if you have been illegally discriminated against by an employer because of a disability.

According to a report on the lawsuit, Wal-Mart violated federal law after refusing to hire a prospective employee who suffers from renal disease and required “reasonable accommodation” to perform during the application process.

Southern California Port Truckers Allege Labor Exploitation

March 31, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

A recent article revealed that a number of port truck drivers in California are alleging they were exploited by a trucking company in California.

Our Costa Mesa employment lawyers know that workers are often taken advantage of when they are new to the country.

Some employees have hauled goods between Los Angeles and Long Beach port for as long as two years. During that time, some of these these drivers were working as independent contractors but were prohibited from driving for any other trucking company. In addition, if the drivers ever turned down a job the trucking company would retaliate against him.