This post was authored by Megan Lewis.
A plaintiff who wants to file a lawsuit for a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (a claim of discrimination based on race, religion, sex, etc.) must first “exhaust administrative remedies” by filing a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity
This post was authored by Megan Lewis.
The Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) recently issued its 2017 Annual Report, which provides a fascinating glimpse into who is filing complaints and why.
The DFEH is the largest state civil rights agency in the country. Its stated mission is to protect the people
This post was authored by Erin Kunze.
Earlier this year, members of the State Senate and Assembly introduced bills that would expand protections provided by the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”). In its current iteration, proposed Senate Bill 1300 would alter the standard of review for harassment claims, limit the ability to summarily
This post was authored by Stefanie K. Vaudreuil.
It’s time to check your policies. New DFEH regulations (California Code of Regulations, title 2, sections 11027.1 and 11028) went into effect on July 1, 2018 that provide definitions on “national origin” and “undocumented applicant or employee,” in addition to outlining specific employment practices regarding language
This post was authored by Megan Lewis.
Since recreational marijuana was legalized in 2016, many have assumed that employment protections for marijuana users would likely expand, either via legislation or though litigation.
We are already seeing small steps in that direction. For instance, San Francisco recently amended its ban-the-box ordinance to, among other things,
This post was authored by Stefanie K. Vaudreuil.
There are a number of bills pending in the California Legislature this year that employers should be watching closely.
SB 1038 California Fair Employment and Housing Act: personal liability
Under existing law, individuals may be liable under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) for
This post was authored by Erin Kunze.
In 2009, Santa Barbara County, like many public agencies in California, faced a budget shortfall for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. In response, the County determined the need to lay off 35 employees, including employee Shawn Terris. Terris endeavored to exercise bumping rights, but it was determined that
It is that time again. These are actual employment cases. Really, they are.
Mad at your co-workers? Tell a friend, not Facebook
Jayne Brill sued her former employer and the Virginia Employment Commission because she was terminated and denied unemployment benefits. Brill was alleged to have violated the company’s social media policy when she made
The allegations of sexual harassment and assault levied against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein have been front page news for the last week. The board of directors of his company swiftly voted to terminate his employment, but only time will tell what impact Mr. Weinstein’s transgressions (and alleged criminal activity) will have on his former company.
In April, we reported on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Hively v. Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, which held that sex-discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act includes discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Like the California federal trial court in Videckis v. Pepperdine University, the