Blog
EMPLOYER WINS BATTLE BUT LOSES WAR
Company Ordered To Pay Worker’s $700,000 Attorney Bill United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) essentially “won” an age discrimination case when a California jury awarded an ex-employee only $27,280 in damages. That relative victory was short-lived, erased by the trial judge awarding the worker $700,000 for her attorney fees. The appeals court recently upheld this decision. […]
COPYRIGHT PROTECTION
How Long Are Copyrights Protected? Not So “Elementary, My Dear Watson!” Copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and patents are “intellectual property,” as compared with “real property” or real estate –land and buildings – or “personal property” – other physical property. A company’s intellectual property is often its most valuable asset. Thus of course, ensuring maximum protection […]
EEOC’S RECORD YEAR
More Than $372 Million Recovered In Workplace Discrimination Claims Despite staffing cuts, hiring freezes and sequestration woes, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recovered a record $372.1 million for its private sector workplace discrimination charges — $6.7 million more than it recovered the year prior. The EEOC enforces federal anti-discrimination in employment laws. According […]
SENIOR EXECUTIVES MUST RECEIVE HARASSMENT PREVENTION TRAINING
City Settlement of Suit over Former San Diego Mayor Filner’s Conduct is a Case in Point As relayed in our August 30, 2013 blog, San Diego Mayor Bob Filner left office in disgrace last summer on the heels of multiple allegations of sexual harassment. In damning defense, Mr. Filner claimed the City never provided him […]
FAMILY FRIENDLY WORKPLACES
San Francisco Adopts a “Right to Request” Workplace Flexibility Ordinance (for employers with 20 or more on payroll) On January 1, 2014, San Francisco enacted a “right to request” ordinance which gives certain employees working in the City the right to seek flexible work arrangements to address family needs. The City has since amended the […]
CALIFORNIA’S EXPANDED IMMIGRATION-RELATED PROTECTIONS
New for 2014 While employers are barred by federal law from knowingly employing unauthorized immigrants, companies are also barred from treating any immigrant unfairly, whether or not authorized to work in the U.S. New California laws for 2014 provide the strongest anti-retaliation protections for immigrant workers in the country. This legislation penalizes employers who threaten […]
HELENA KOBRIN
Now Associating With The Firm “Of Counsel” We are extremely pleased to announce that Helena Kobrin is now “of counsel” to our firm. Helena was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1978, first specializing in transactional and commercial matters, as well as governmental regulation and real estate and probate work. Helena was then in-house attorney […]
IRS MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR 2014
IRS Decreases Rate by One-Half Cent to 56 The IRS issues annually its optional standard mileage reimbursement rates for an employee’s business use of his or her vehicle. The IRS has decreased the rate from 56.5 in 2013 to 56 cents per mile in 2014. The government calculates the mileage rate by an annual study […]
A CALIFORNIA EMPLOYER’S GUIDE TO NEW LAWS 2014: OVERTIME RIGHTS FOR NANNIES AND PERSONAL ATTENDANTS
Domestic Worker Bill of Rights Extends Wage Order Protections to Caregivers Our articles “Caring for Caregivers” and “Private Household Workers in California” caution that misunderstandings about California’s rules for household employees can be expensive. California’s Domestic Worker Bill of Rights (DWBR), effective January 1, 2014, drives home the need to properly pay the wages and […]
A CALIFORNIA EMPLOYER’S GUIDE TO NEW LAWS 2014: MILITARY AND VETERAN STATUS
Protected Against Workplace Discrimination, Harassment Beginning on January 1, 2014, California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) will protect an individual’s “military and veteran status” against employment discrimination and harassment. This new FEHA provision defines military and veteran status as “a member or veteran of the United States Armed Forces, United States Armed Forces Reserve, […]