fter more than $500,000 in payouts, California’s top judge has ordered a review of harassment, discrimination and inappropriate conduct in the state judicial branch.State Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye ordered the review after it was...
Legal Protection For Workers
What is retaliation and what can be done about it?
Employees in Fresno enjoy protection from discrimination under both federal law and California law. As this blog has discussed previously, these laws protect employees with certain characteristics from employment discrimination in hiring, firing and just about every...
Prison guard suing after losing her baby while on the job
A prison guard who had a history of struggling to conceive is suing her employer, one of California's state prisons, after she lost her baby. The woman said that the loss occurred while she was trying to break up a fight between two prisoners. The woman was seven...
There is no bad joke defense to sexual harassment
To put matters bluntly, the fact that a statement, email or gesture was just a bad joke or one that was misunderstood is simply no excuse for sexual harassment.Although previous posts have explained that there is no bright line rule for when inappropriate jokes cross...
Discrimination in the course of layoffs
Unfortunately, many residents of Fresno, California, know all too well that layoffs are a part of the economic cycle. From time to time, even the healthiest companies must adjust to market conditions by letting workers go.This is not wrong per se, as employers have...
Some people with Down’s syndrome struggle to find work
As a parent with an adult child diagnosed with down syndrome, it is concerning when he or she struggles to find adequate work. You may see other parents with children who have graduated and gone into the workforce. They may be advancing quickly while your child is...
What exactly is a hostile work environment?
Although the concept can apply to any type of discrimination, the phrase hostile work environment is often used in reference to claims of sexual harassment. To review, there are two basic types of illegal sexual harassment. One is called quid pro quo, in which an...
IBM slapped with another age discrimination suit
Another lawsuit, this one involving a group of employees, has been filed against International Business Machines, a technology company at one time known as "Big Blue" on the stock market. There have been allegations swirling around the Company since some internet news...
Lesser known California anti-discrimination laws
In light of recent news reports, a lot of people in the Fresno area probably recognize that their employers cannot discriminate against them based on race, gender, and membership in other protected classes. Employers must also take reasonable steps to keep their...
California gives additional rights to pregnant workers
As this blog has discussed on previous occasions, employers in the Fresno area must afford pregnant workers certain rights and protection, including the right to be free from discrimination based on pregnancy.A previous post went over some of these rights as they are...