San Francisco Employment Law Blog

Nobody likes a tattletale, but Bay Area employees were likely taught growing up that there is a difference between tattling and calling attention to a dangerous or unjust situation. In the workplace, people who take this sort of action to protect other employees and alert authorities to danger or crime are often referred to as whistleblowers. Often, hard-working employees may be aware of a problem on the job that should be reported to authorities but fear that an employer will take retaliatory action against them if they do. 

Recently, an employee at technology giant Tesla became aware of certain business practices that seemed to endanger both people and the environment. The employee felt that it was right to speak up and did so bravely. The SEC began to look into the whisteblower's claims, but in the meantime, other Tesla employees bear witness to the fact that the man was the victim of bullying and harassment by the company. 

Having a baby is typically an exciting, joyful time in a woman's life. It can definitely be challenging, as well, in more ways than one. However, a problem no pregnant woman in California or elsewhere should have to face is losing a job because of pregnancy discrimination.

Employers who discriminate against pregnant women are violating U.S. employment laws. It is often a struggle to balance family life and career simultaneously. The last thing an expectant mother needs is to worry that she will lose her job if she tells her boss she is pregnant. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act protects pregnant women from negative workplace treatment that impedes their ability to earn a fair wage based on a temporary condition.

Bay Area residents probably frequent local supermarkets to pick up a weekly supply of food and other household supplies. While most shoppers may think that an employee is properly paid for his or her hard work, this assumption is not always true. Recently, one supermarket was found to be in violation of laws meant to protect employees, including wage and hour violations.

The details of the violations were recently made public after the Department of Labor determined that several hard-working employees had been wronged by the company. Employees were paid a salary instead of an hourly wage. Unfortunately, the salary did not equate to the minimum wage when investigators calculated their labor hours versus a standard hourly wage.

Pregnancy and childbirth are among the most natural life events a woman can go through. With slight adjustments to their environment and routine, most women can continue with normal life throughout most of their pregnancies. Still, women in the workplace continue to face examples of unfair treatment despite the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act over 40 years ago. Understanding how the law protects them is the first step for California women to ensure they are receiving fair treatment in the workplace.

An employer may not base unfair treatment -- such as firing, demoting or cancelling her health insurance -- on a woman's pregnancy or any related medical conditions. Terminating employment or forcing a woman to take unpaid leave after learning of her pregnancy is a violation of her rights. As long as the woman is able to perform her duties with reasonable accommodations, she has a right to continue working.