OVER THE BORDERLINE State Agency Settles Sex and National Origin Discrimination Case for $450,0000 On July 26, 2019 the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) announced the $450,000 settlement of a sexual harassment, national origin and retaliation case against Pioneer Pines Mobile Home Park. The complainant, a female employee of Mexican descent who…
Read moreOrder Our 2019 Updated Model Employee Handbook and Hire-to-Fire Forms An outdated workplace policy manual can cause its own set of problems. In employment law, the only thing constant is change. Our 2019 model employment handbook and forms contain significant revisions to keep pace with new laws and recent case decisions, many motivated by the…
Read moreHOLD THE PRESSES Deadline Now Jan. 1, 2021 for Sexual Harassment Prevention Training to Rank-and-File Employees By last month’s amendment to California’s Government Code, there is now a one-year extension to January 1, 2021 for all employers with five or more workers to first provide at least one hour sexual harassment prevention training to all…
Read moreDON’T BE COLD TO THE OLD Google Settles Age Discrimination Case for $11 Million Federal age discrimination protections, including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), apply to companies with 20 or more on payroll. California’s workplace anti-discrimination law, the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), applies to employers with five or more…
Read moreProtections for People Needing Assistive Animals A recent settlement extends California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) disabilities protection to rental applicants seeking to move in with emotional support pets. In a complaint filed with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) against Adams West Associates, Ltd. and Bedford Group of Companies, LLC, a…
Read moreLaundry workers, c. 1920 Order Our 2019 Updated Model Employee Handbook and Hire-to-Fire Forms “The employee manual creates very clear-cut policy and stable data for staff. Individuals know the rules of the game because they are written. It makes it easier to correct people. Management can refer an erring or complaining employee to specified standards…
Read moreLISTEN Don’t Turn a Deaf Ear to Employee Disabilities The goal of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) “is to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.” Sometimes, however, companies need a not-so-friendly reminder from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) of their reasonable accommodation obligations for ADA-protected…
Read moreEMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION FORM I-9 EXPIRES AUGUST 31, 2019 The federal government requires all U.S. employers to verify identity and work authorization for each employee hired within the U.S., including citizens and non-citizens, using “Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification” (the I-9 Form or Form). The I-9 Form directs the employee to present specified documents evidencing…
Read moreAll Employees Must Complete Training by December 31, 2019 California Government Code section 12950.1 requires all employers with five or more employees to provide sexual harassment prevention training no later than December 31, 2019. Managers are to receive a minimum of two hours of training. All non-supervisory employees must complete a one hour minimum. All…
Read moreCHOKE THE “JOKES” EEOC Settles Tex-Mex Restaurant Servers’ Sexual Harassment Case for $40,000 The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination and harassment based on sex, including sexual orientation. On August 9, 2019, the EEOC announced the $40,000 resolution of its harassment lawsuit against Virginia-based El Tio Tex- Mex Grill…
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