The protections provided by the California Whistleblower Protection Act could be expanded further if a bill currently in the California Senate makes it through both chambers of the legislature and is signed into law. The legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 947, would give...
Year: 2022
Age shouldn’t be why you get fired
You may have a few gray hairs, but they only show you are wise beyond your years. You bring vital work experience to the table that younger generations can’t provide. However, your employer may not see it that way. They may behave as if the only thing that matters is...
Should my employer pay me for travel time?
You love your job, and one of the perks is that you get to travel around the world. The only thing that you haven’t appreciated is that you’re not paid for the time you spend traveling to the destination, only for the time you spend there after you arrive. To you,...
What if your employer won’t let you breastfeed at work?
If you ask your California employer if you can breastfeed at work and they tell you no, you need to understand whether they are within their rights or breaking the law. Here are some things to understand: First, you need to differentiate between breastfeeding, with...
You become a whistleblower when you won’t break the law
Many people don't understand whistleblower protections. There are a lot of myths floating around about whistleblowing that affect who speaks up and also who gets the protection offered by federal whistleblower laws. One coming misconception about whistleblower...
What pay does my employer owe me upon termination?
In California, you are entitled to your entire final paycheck for hours worked. In addition to this final paycheck, you are owed unused vacation pay. If you have unused sick time, your employer is not required to pay you for it. Some employers do pay for unused sick...
How should you handle sexual harassment by a customer?
Maybe you work at a popular hotel bar, and there is a businessman who comes every month and makes inappropriate advances like leaving his room keycard as a tip. Perhaps you work at a restaurant and have a table of drunk people making comments about your appearance or...
Can you get fired if you don’t return to work after maternity leave?
If you are planning to have a child, one of the things you may be wondering about is how long you can take for maternity leave. Your employer provides you with some paid maternity leave, but you want to stay out of work for longer than that. You’ve saved, so you want...
Are you being targeted for workplace retaliation?
You are an employee who has just complained to your company’s human resources department, as well as your supervisor, about mistreatment you are receiving from one of the organization’s higher-ups. This person has been rude and condescending to you on a number of...
What can you do if you suspect your pay was short?
There are a few work-related conversations as emotive as what a worker is being compensated for work done. Of course, money is never everything, but it is one of the primary reasons why you wake up to go to work every morning. So, what can you do if you suspect you...