Source: https://employeerightslawgroup.com/category/labor-law/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 20:21:17+00:00

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What’s AB 2069? Will California be Protecting Medical Marijuana Users?
California has developed a reputation as a sanctuary regarding immigration, and some cities more than others. Soon, however, you may be able to add medical marijuana users to the list of people seeking sanctuary. An active proposed bill could protect people who use medical marijuana from employment discrimination.
As of now, California employers can deny employment on the grounds of marijuana use, even for medical reasons. If you look back to Ross V. Ragingwire, you’ll see that the California Supreme Court does not have to accommodate medical marijuana use, disregarding the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) doesn’t bind employers to accommodate illegal drug use, and it was interpreted so employers can lawfully deny employment to people using medical marijuana, as it remains illegal under federal law.
In 2016, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act passed, and it codifies the employer’s choice to “maintain a drug and alcohol free workplace.” Health and Safety Code §11362.45(f).
What would AB 2069 Do?
What AB 2069 would do, if it makes it to law, would be to alter the entire legal environment. Employers will have to update their drug testing policies. Additionally, they’ll need to change the way they treat applicants and employees who test positive for marijuana. What AB 2069 would not do, however, is protect recreational use. If you’re a recreational marijuana user, California employers are still able to deny employment through drug testing policies.
This legislation raises a few concerns. Some question whether this is a reasonable accommodation, or if it’s an abuse of disability discrimination law. Additionally, the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) may still preempt the bill as it is a federal law, and still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug.
In the 2016 case from New Mexico, Garcia V. Tractor Supply Co., a federal district court held that the CSA preempted the state’s marijuana law. On the other hand, in a 2017 case in Connecticut, another federal district court held that a statute very similar to AB 2069 was not preempted by the CSA. In the Noffsinger v. SSC Niantic Operating Co. case, the court decided that the CSA does not specifically regulate an employment relationship, so it does not preempt the Connecticut law.
As always, if you have legal questions, you should consult with a lawyer directly. At the Law Offices of Cathe L. Caraway-Howard, you can count on them fighting for the little guy. You can call (310) 488-9020, or visit the website to see what Cathe can do for you.
As a restaurant server in California, you make the state’s minimum wage, unlike servers in other states. You may have heard that the Department of Labor plans to change the rules on tip-pooling. The purpose of this rule change is supposed to even out how front of house and back of house employees are paid. There’s no worry about this in California; however, critics say the rule goes too far, and legalizes what’s currently considered wage theft. There are many ways an employer can commit wage theft. When that happens, you’ll need the help of an expert labor attorney.
You can get overtime for additional hours worked over 40 hours in your full-time work week, whether you’re a blue-collar or white-collar worker, and unless you’ve been classified as exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act. The questions you’ll want to ask include who is exempt, and who is not. In addition, you’ll want to get a breakdown of overtime rules by occupation. Some occupations have different classifications and exemptions.
If you’re an employee of a company, you have rights that give you protection. As an employee, your payroll taxes are paid by your employer, and unemployment insurance as well. However, independent contractors do not get those rights and protections. Independent contractors are also on the hook for their payroll taxes. If you think this kind of wage theft is occurring, you’ll want to find out about your employee classification. Once you know your classification, ask your labor attorney if you should be classified that way.
This one may seem obvious, but if you’re being paid less than the highest minimum wage rate for your area, that’s a case of wage theft. There are federal and state minimum wages, and your city might even have minimum wage laws on the books. You’re entitled to the highest applicable minimum wage.
Work starts as soon as you go into work. If your employer isn’t paying you the time it takes to get into your protective gear, as well as the time you spend cleaning up after the day, that’s a working off the clock form of wage theft. Don’t let your employer get away with this. If you’re being asked to work off the clock, contact your labor attorney right away.
If your employer is taking unauthorized or illegal deductions from your paycheck, it’s wage theft, in the most literal sense. You should contact your labor attorney right away to get this resolved.
Perhaps the most obvious form of wage theft is when you aren’t even paid. If you aren’t paid you need to immediately contact your labor attorney and start recording everything.
If you fear that you’re suffering wage theft, The Law Offices of Cathe L. Caraway-Howard are here to fight for you. Call (310) 488-9020, email, or Fill out the contact form to get started on the path to justice. Cathe L. Caraway-Howard is always “fighting for the little guy”.
Are you Protected by New Rules About Non-Compete Agreements?
Did you sign a non-compete agreement when you were hired? You should probably have an employment lawyer verify if it actually applies or not. Lots of people think that the protections given by California Labor Code section 925 apply to everyone. However, section 925 went into effect January 1, 2017. Section 925 forbids employers requiring that Californian employees agree to “foreign choice-of-forum” and “choice-of-law” agreements as a condition of unemployment. Your California labor attorney should be familiar with the case law on this subject.
Why Did We Need This?
California’s Business and Professions Code section 16600 says that “every contract by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade or business of any kind is to that extent void.” They enacted this to make sure you can work in your profession, even when you stop working with a particular company.
Historically, California has usually enforced section 16600 very strongly. Employers from other states usually couldn’t get around the rule. Sometimes however, they used “choice-of-law” portions in their non-compete contracts.
A good example of a choice-of-law provisions failing is Arkley v. Aon Risk Services Companies, Inc. Aon Risk Services Companies, Inc. is an Illinois based company, and they made employees sign non-compete agreements with that choice-of-law provision. In Illinois, non-compete agreements are enforceable. The Central District of California however, found that California law should apply over Illinois law in the state of California. The reason for this was California’s “materially greater interest” to protect California residents with their own laws.
How Can Employers Get Around Section 16600?
There have been a few recent cases that got around these protections. An employment lawyer can tell you about cases like the one with Synthes, a medical device company. Synthes tried to enforce the non-compete agreement against Peter Harrison, a former employee living in California. Harrison signed an agreement that had both choice-of-law and choice-of venue provisions. When Harrison went to work with a competitor, he filed a declaratory judgment action in the Eastern District of California. Synthes followed up by filing a breach of contract claim in Pennsylvania courts.
The California Court Dismissed Harrison’s action in favor of the action Synthes filed. After appeal and remand, Harrison got an injunction from the Pennsylvania Trial Court.
Another case, also involving Synthes, played out in April of 2017. Another California employee, Gregory Knapp, went to work with a competitor in California. Even though he filed a declaratory judgment action right after resigning, the Eastern District didn’t exercise jurisdiction, and let the case be held in the Eastern district of Pennsylvania. The case transferred to the Eastern District of California, but the Pennsylvania choice-of-law rules still apply.
Because of this unfair “loophole” California is taking measures to close it. Because section 295 forbids employers from requiring employees who primarily live and work in California to agree on foreign choice-of-forum and choice-of-law provisions, it deems these kinds of provisions voidable by the employee. Section 925 also provides for the fees of hiring an employment lawyer to enforce your rights under this statute.
Because section 925 only applies to contracts entered into or modified after January 1, 2017, you should talk to your employment lawyer. The Synthes opinions did not consider this new statute because they were not entered or modified after January 1st. It’s also important to note that there haven’t yet been any cases where a court invalidated the forum-selection clause under section 925.
As always, if you have any questions you should contact an employment lawyer to discuss your individual circumstances. The Law Offices of Cathe L. Caraway-Howard have been fighting for the little guy since 2009. Cathe makes sure average American’s rights are protected everyday. You can call (310) 488-9020, email cath@carawaylaw.com, or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation.
Employment lawyers are well versed in the numerous and varied employment laws. An employment law attorney usually handles cases involving these laws on a daily basis. Employment lawyers usually have several years of prior experience dealing with employment issues such as workplace harassment and workplace retaliation, gender discrimination or hostile work environments, so it’s familiar territory.
One of the earliest laws geared towards employers and their workers is the Fair Labor Standards Act. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed this act into law in 1938. It addressed poor working conditions, mostly in factory settings. As a result, this law significantly improved working conditions for millions of Americans.
The law further prohibited employers from hiring employees younger than 14 years of age. It also prevented those under the age of 18 from working in jobs considered dangerous, such as coal mining. Prior to 1900, employers often preferred to use children as a labor source. Factory owners viewed them as more manageable, cheaper, and less likely to strike. The law allowed children to stop working in factories from dawn to dusk and encouraged compulsory free education for all children.
The FLSA also sets minimum standards for employee wages, and it limited the number of hours a worker could work in a seven-day week. When President Roosevelt signed the law, he set the minimum wage to $0.25 per hour, and he set the working week to no more than 44 hours. Since that time, lawmakers have amended the act numerous times to increase the minimum wage. In 1940, lawmakers amended the law by shortening the work week from 44 hours to the current 40 hours per week.
President Nixon signed OSHA into law in 1970, responding to the rising number of employment related deaths in the late 1960s. Lawmakers designed the act to introduce important safety standards for many businesses. Since the signing of the OSHA, the number of employee-related accidents has dropped dramatically.
For example, industries with heavy machinery have standards of working and requirements for protective gear for workers. Even white collar employees benefit from this act, under ergonomic standards for seating and desks. OSHA also provides that employers educate their employees about hazards in the workplace, and how employees can take preventive steps to minimize the risk of accidents. The act also initiated standards on filing, documenting, and posting workplace hazards, injuries, and complaints.
This important piece of legislation is one of the most well known by employment lawyers and their clients. This law is the foundation of basic civil rights for all Americans, and it was grounds for many future workplace laws.
The law, in its most basic form, abolishes segregation in all public places. It also made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of religion, race, or gender. For example, businesses could not deny a person a service based on skin color. These provisions also prohibited employers from hiring, promoting, or firing employees based on their race, religion, or gender. The act gave every American equal protection and access to law, including the right of all Americans to vote.
Since the law’s inception, lawmakers have added onto these basic protections to reinforce workplace protections against discrimination. In 1967, lawmakers added the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, prohibiting discrimination against those over the age of 40. Lawmakers amended the act again in 1972 to create the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC regulates and enforces civil rights and defines what constitutes discrimination. Further additions to the act covered pregnant women (Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978) and disabled workers (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
President Clinton signed the Family Medical Leave Act into law in 1993. The Federal Government passed the act to protect employees who need time off from work to take care of a serious medical condition. It also allows for time for parents to bond with a new child. If an immediate family member also has a serious health condition, you can also request leave under the FMLA. Employees can be eligible for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave while keeping their health benefits.
Reports of employer threats to fire or discipline an employee based on a request for leave have been on the rise in recent years. Employees should be mindful of this important law to make sure that they can enforce them if they have any issues with their employer due to a long-term injury or illness.
With a little knowledge on their side, employees can help protect their rights and the rights of co-workers. Of course, if an employee has difficulty in enforcing their rights, they might want to speak with competent employment lawyers. If you’re in Los Angeles, contact the the Law Offices of Cathe Caraway-Howard for more information about your rights under these important employment safeguards.
The Final Approval Order and Judgment in our Supreme Court victory has been approved by the Court. This win for hourly workers will prevent future employer wage theft and protect “on-call” workers throughout California from unfair workplace policies. For more information, please visit our Mendiola v. CPS information page.
The Law Offices of Cathe L Caraway-Howard and the Employee Rights Law Group – Fighting for the little guy!
You may receive conflicting reasons for your termination. Employers sometimes use pretexts to fire employees for reasons they’d rather keep hidden. A wrongful termination lawyer can see if you’ll be able to take action against a former employer if their reasons for letting you go don’t check out.
First of all, it’s smart to request a Letter of Termination within a few days of your employment dismissal. This helps to document the decision-making process that led to your termination. That’s crucial if you plan to take legal action over your job loss.
A Service Letter is another useful document. Some states require a Service Letter from employers. A Service Letter must clearly state the reason for your dismissal, specify your salary or wages, and list your job duties. This information will be especially useful when your lawyer is building a case, and for determining the amount of damages you deserve.
Send a Letter of Understanding if your former employer refuses to send you a Letter of Termination or a Service Letter. State the reasons for your termination as you understand them. Your former employer must respond to your version of the facts if they disagree.
First, look for an employment contract. A written contract that promises you job security is probably the best proof that you were not an at-will employee. Employment contracts and offer letters may state that you can only be fired for a good reason.
It’s always a good idea to collect paperwork related to your job termination. These will often serve as ironclad proof in a dispute. These can include performance reviews, commendations, reprimands, salary changes, and emails. Make sure you have the legal right to use these documents. You could find yourself in legal trouble if you decide to file a lawsuit using confidential information from your employer.
Make a record of each work-related event that led to your wrongful termination. This can include performance actions and informal comments that your employer makes to you, or about your work. Keep track of detailed information about dates, times, locations, and persons involved. It’s useful to note any witnesses who were present, too.
A labor law attorney can help you navigate your way through the complex process of filing a wrongful termination suit. In California, the Law Offices of Cathe L Caraway-Howard specialize in wrongful termination lawsuits. They’ll be able to determine if your case has merit, and they’ll help you recover all the lost wages and benefits you deserve.

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