San Francisco Employment Law Blog

For many women, the news that they are expecting a baby can cause them to be overjoyed. These days, it is certainly within the norm for Bay Area mothers to have a career. Even though there are laws in place to prevent pregnancy discrimination, a recent glance into the matter shows that it is still a major concern among working expectant mothers. 

One chief concern seems to be among women who work in a field that requires physical labor, such as lifting heavy objects. For many of these women, a task they were perfectly capable of doing upon hire becomes nearly impossible as pregnancy progresses, especially if such activity is discouraged by one's doctor. Some women ask their employers for light duty work until such time their regular tasks can be safely completed, but not all employers are happy to oblige. 

Donald Trump has made the headlines again, but this time, his politics are not the focus. California has its share of golf courses, country clubs and the like, and Bay Area residents can rest assured employees at such establishments are known to work very hard to provide patrons with an enjoyable experience. Recently, one such place, owned by the Trump Organization, has come under fire in an investigation focusing on wage and hour violations. 

The trouble began when a former employee, an undocumented worker, reported that he had worked long hours, including hours that should have been paid as overtime, and was not properly compensated. He stated that he was not the only undocumented worker at the establishment, and that many employees like himself were denied proper wages and many of the benefits that were offered to documented workers. According to reports, the undocumented workers were responsible for the same sort of tasks as the other employees but were not paid the same. 

Being hurt at work can be a stressful situation. When a Bay Area employee can't work due to an injury suffered on the job, bills and other regular expenses can stack up quickly. There are safety nets in place for injured employees, in the form if laws and labor standards, but sometimes an employer does the wrong thing, shown in a recent story of wrongful termination.

A man was performing his daily duties at the rail yard where he was employed. He suffered serious injury to his wrist and arm, and was unable to work as a result. The railway company, tried to hush it up and went so far as to terminate the man's employment. 

Pregnant women have the right to work in an environment that does not discriminate or harass them on the basis of their pregnancy. Federal and state laws protect Bay Area employees from pregnancy discrimination, yet some women still experience this type of unacceptable treatment. One California-based Netflix employee is accusing the large streaming service provider of treating her unfairly because of her pregnancy.

This employee worked with the company in a development capacity. When she informed her boss that she was pregnant, he began to treat her differently, ultimately terminating her at the end of last year. She believes that this was because of her pregnancy, yet the company claims that it reviewed the situation and determined the firing was based on legal grounds, not due to discrimination.