When you were in school, you likely anticipated your lunch period. In addition to being hungry, you may have looked forward to taking a break from your studies and spending some down time with your friends. As an adult on the job, things have not changed much. Your...
It's Time To Level The Playing Field
Employees use class action lawsuits to obtain fair wages
It can be frustrating to deal with unfair treatment or other injustices in the workplace. In some cases, it may even be physically or emotionally dangerous when the workplace environment is hostile. One common illegal practice of California employers involves unfair...
Is your boss offering a fair severance package?
If your boss is offering you a severance, it is likely because you have lost your job. On the other hand, you may be hearing rumors about staff reductions and wondering how to get a fair severance if your job is on the chopping block. In this uncertain economic...
Does your employer steal from you by rounding down your time?
With computer technology readily accessible, many companies rely on digital timekeeping services that are accurate to the second. This helps to ensure that they have the most accurate information about when employees arrive to and leave work. It also helps prevent...
Is it legal for a company to make you work “off the clock”?
When you work through your lunch break or clock out and then continue to do your job, people will say that you are “working off the clock.” Common examples of off-the-clock work could include a manager telling a service worker to clock out because the company has...
Can you expect the last paycheck if you quit or are fired?
Some people might not expect to get that final paycheck. It may seem almost normal to kiss the last check goodbye. But California law is clear and serious about it. In virtually every situation, the employer must pay you every penny. What if you quit because you did...
Did you lose your vacation time unfairly?
When you accept a job that offers paid vacation, you may view that as part of your compensation. As you sacrifice your time and effort for your employer, you look forward to having a paid break. And when you leave your job, you expect to receive the value of vacation...
When nurses feel they can’t take breaks – and why it’s against the law
Nurses have fast-paced, chaotic and demanding jobs. Especially if you work in a hospital setting, your work pulls you in many different directions - your patients need you all the time, and you feel it’s impossible to take a meal break or even rest during your shift....
Can an employer ask an employee to do anything on a meal or rest break?
Rest and meal breaks can feel like a gray area. An employee isn’t done with their shift and often stays at their job during the break period. So can an employer ask that worker to be responsible for anything while on a rest or meal period? The law is pretty clear...
DOL raises threshold for salaried workers exempt from overtime
When you earn a salary instead of an hourly rate, your employer may expect you to work long hours for no overtime pay. As an exempt employee, your hours don’t matter to your total income. But with a new change to labor laws, you may now qualify for overtime. The...
