Useful information

Statutory Employee — "Who qualifies?"Watch this video on YouTube A statutory employee in California is a worker whose job is classified as that of an employee by state statute. The jobs that are listed in these statutes cannot be done by independent contractors. Instead, the law states that any worker who performs these jobs under …

Nepotism in the Workplace — "Is it legal?"Watch this video on YouTube In California, nepotism itself is generally permissible in the private sector workplace. Though in the public sector, it is unlawful. Even in the private sector, nepotism can be the grounds for a variety of discrimination claims under state or federal law. When your …

Alternative Workweek Schedule — "What is it? And is it legal?"Watch this video on YouTube An alternative workweek schedule, or AWS, is a set workweek in California that requires you to work over 8 hours in a 24-hour period, but has fewer days in the workweek. You can decide to use an AWS by voting. …

Adverse Employment Actions — What are they???Watch this video on YouTube In California, an adverse employment action is a change in the terms and conditions of your job that puts you in a worse position. It includes anything from termination to something that reduces your benefits, lowers your rank or decreases your chances of a …

Workplace Retaliation — "Can I Sue?"Watch this video on YouTube Retaliation in the workplace happens when your employer takes an adverse action against you for exercising your rights or for engaging in a legally protected activity . Those adverse actions can be overt, like firing or demoting you, or less obvious, like taking away workplace …

Reporting Time Pay — "Should I get paid just for showing up to work?"Watch this video on YouTube In California, you may be entitled to reporting time pay if you show up to work but get sent home before working half of your shift, or if you work a second shift of under 2 hours. …

California Employee Rights — Rules Every Employee NEEDS to knowWatch this video on YouTube Ten of the most important rights that you have under California employment law include: Overtime pay, Meal and rest breaks, Anti-discrimination rights, Protection from sexual harassment, Family and medical leave, Minimum wages, Protection from workplace retaliation, Workplace safety and privacy, Sick …

Can My Boss Force Me to Work 7 Days a Week?Watch this video on YouTube Generally, it is not illegal for your employer to require you to work 7 days in a week. However, some states forbid this practice. Where it is allowed, you may be entitled to overtime pay. In some cases, you may …

In California, an employee misclassification lawsuit is a civil case where you argue your employer misclassified you to avoid paying overtime or other payroll benefits. If your lawsuit is successful, you can recover your unpaid wages as well as the benefits that you did not receive. In this article I discuss what you need to …

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that a normal work shift is no more than 8 consecutive hours in a day, with each shift split by at least 8 hours of rest. A normal workweek is 5 such US Labor Department’s OSHA cites 50 safety violations, proposes $917,000in fines against Bostik Inc. following …

Forced Overtime — Is it Legal in California?Watch this video on YouTube If you are a non-exempt employee in California, you must receive overtime pay for exceeding certain thresholds of “hours worked.” Specifically, your employer owes you overtime in the following three circumstances: Time-and-a-half pay when you work more than 8 hours in a workday …

In California, you are considered a full-time employee if you work 40 or more hours in a week.1 This entitles you to certain workplace benefits. However, some federal laws define “full-time work” in a way that requires fewer hours on the job. Under these laws, you could be entitled to healthcare or retirement benefits without …

 If you have been wrongfully terminated, you may be able to get your job back by way of legal action. If you can prove that the discharge was illegal, the court may order the employer to reinstate you, in addition to compensating you for lost wages. In this article I discuss how you can …

A right to sue letter by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) gives you permission to file your employment discrimination lawsuit in federal court. Receiving a right to sue letter means that you have exhausted your administrative remedies, which is often necessary for bringing a private lawsuit. It is as if the EEOC says to …

In California, employers are required to fully reimburse you when you use your personal vehicles for business purposes. In total, there are 4 ways to calculate your reimbursement: Lump-sum payments, Actual mileage, Actual expenses, or A mixture of fixed and variable rates. Many employers adopt the IRS’s reimbursement rates, which go by actual mileage, as …

Child Labor Laws in California – 5 Key Facts Every Parent & Employer Should KnowWatch this video on YouTube California’s child labor laws regulate the circumstances under which minors (persons under the age of 18) can work in the state. The state laws are supplemented by federal laws that restrict what occupations can employ minors in …

You generally only have First Amendment rights at work if your employer is the government. The First Amendment does not apply to private actors, such as private businesses. However, some state and federal employment laws protect some of your speech in the workplace. If you are a public employee, your speech can still be limited so …

Commission-Based Pay Laws in California – Know Your RightsWatch this video on YouTube Commission-based pay is workplace compensation based on an employee’s sales productivity. It can be tied to the overall quantity of sales or the value of the things sold. The commission agreement sets out how your particular commission pay is generally calculated. State and …

Employers who offer a severance agreement to induce you to waive your rights must follow special rules if you at least 40. Federal law requires these severance agreements to be clearly written and explicit. You must be given adequate time to review the agreement and cannot be pressured into signing it. Violations can amount to …