California Labor Law: 60 and White spells Age and Race Discrimination
Emma worked as a server at the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) for the past 10 years and you'd think after a decade of service, maybe a raise or a nice present would be in order. Instead, she was fired, at the age of 60. Emma believes she was fired because of race and age discrimination—a blatant violation of the California labor law. [
MORE: LABOR LAW DISCRIMINATION]
California Labor Law: Get Your Last Check on Time
"When my boss fired me I asked for my last two paychecks," says Ben J. His boss told him that the checks would be directly deposited to his bank account, but Ben knew something about the California Labor Law. "I told him that is a violation of the state labor law and I am to be paid immediately upon termination, with no waiting period." [
MORE: GET YOUR CHECK]
California Labor Law: Is Sick Time Covered?
Diane Martinez is still working at Kaiser hospital, even though she has chronic, persistent asthma and severe back problems. "I know they are going to fire me and my union won't step in to help," she says. If Martinez is fired while under doctor's orders, this may be a violation of the California labor law.
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MORE: SICK TIME]
California Labor Law: We were Silicone Valley SlaveGirls

Because Janet Glenn was hired as a salaried manager for the retailer Anne Taylor, she understood that she was exempt from overtime. That was 20 years ago. If she was working in those same conditions today, the company would be violating the California Labor Law.
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MORE: LABOR LAW ABUSE IN SILICONE VALLEY]
California Labor Law: “On Valentine’s Day, instead of a pink box, I got a Pink Slip!
"I have been a victim of wrongful termination and age discrimination," says Brian Smith. The company he worked for has blatantly violated two California Labor Laws: age discrimination and wrongful termination and Smith is entitled to compensation. "On Valentine's Day, I was expecting chocolates!" says Smith.
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MORE: VALENTINES WRONGFUL TERMINATION]
California Labor Law: Verbal Abuse leads to Personal Injury

Lisa D. put up with verbal abuse and harassment from her manager for two years. The situation got so out of control that she it now on disability. "I was making $16 per hour and I'm not sure yet what percentage I will get on disability," says Lisa, "but I'll be able to pull through this, as long as I am secure in knowing I have a job to go back to." Although verbal abuse can be intolerable, Lisa suffered slander and personal injury. The California labor law protects employees and its laws are intended to guarantee their basic rights and comfort.
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MORE: VERBAL ABUSE AND PERSONAL INJURY]
Racial Discrimination and Harassment at US Mail
Chris was looking forward to a rewarding career as a postal worker when he began six years ago in Burbank, but a transfer has turned the past two years into a battle against discrimination. After buying a house in the high desert he transferred to a postal outlet in Hesperia. All went well at first until the person who hired him was fired and the new postmaster subjected Chris to systematic harassment which cost him his health, rightful hours and a good chunk of his salary. [
MORE: US MAIL RACIAL DISCRIMINATION]
California Labor Law - Nobody should have to go through this
"I know the law requires a break before the end of the fifth hour worked," she said. "I didn't get a break until well into the sixth hour of work because they didn't want to pay for more management." [
MORE: CALIFORNIA OVERTIME ABUSE]
California Labor Law: One employee cites three Violations
Brenda Cain worked the nightshift at a bank for eight years. For the first five years she and her co-workers didn't get a lunch break—ever. "We could have breaks, long enough to smoke a cigarette but then we had to get back to our desks because they had deadlines to meet," says Cain (not her real name). It is unbelievable that the bank didn't know they were violating the California labor law. [
MORE: OVERTIME ISSUES]
Lawyer Discusses Overtime in Food Distribution Industry

Many employees are unaware that they are owed overtime compensation, or they don't know where to get help. Wage and hour attorney, Kim Anglin discusses overtime issues in the food distribution industry. [
MORE: OVERTIME ISSUES]
Interview with California Labor Lawyer Kim Anglin
California labor lawyer Kim Anglin discusses the creative ways that employers pass on their cost of doing business—often to the detriment of their employees. [
MORE: LAWYER INTERVIEW]
California Labor Law: Overtime does Apply
David Salas worked at a small 'Mom & Pop" plumbing company for about 10 years. According to Salas, everything was going well until Frassica Plumbing hired an outside company to handle its payroll. [
MORE: APPLY LAWS]
California Labor Law: "Respect the People Who Work for You"

Francis Mohr (not her real name) was hired as the opening chef of a California restaurant. She says that she signed a contract with her employers, who would also become her business partners, in December 2006. Mohr, who also invested $25,000 in the restaurant, became immediately involved in the process of opening the new restaurant. [
MORE: RESPECT EMPLOYEES]
California Labor Law: Know Your Rights

Ron Green has researched the California labor law and has a few issues with his former employer. The amount of money owed him in overtime isn't the main point, Ron explains. "It's the way this company treats its employees and that is why I want to pursue this lawsuit," he says. [
MORE: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS]
California Labor Law: Wrongful Termination

For Guadalupe Cofer, 10 years of hard work and dedication to her job meant nothing: she was fired because she went home from work early one day—with permission. Wrongful termination is a violation of California's labor law. [
MORE: WRONGFUL TERMINATION]
An interview with wage and hour claims attorney Jose Garay

An interview with wage and hour claims attorney Josie Garay, Carter and Garay [
MORE: JOSE GARAY, P.I]
Interview with Labor Lawyer Jose Garay, Part 2
In the second part of our interview, lawyer Jose Garay answers some of the most commonly asked questions by employees regarding California labor law. [
MORE: JOSE GARAY, P.II]
Fired Without Cause

Iglesias was involved in a car accident and had to take time off work. Even though his doctor provided HR with a note, he was fired. Even though his company manual said that time off with a medical note, was justified. This is another example of a violation of the California labor law. [
MORE: FIRED WITHOUT CAUSE]
CA labor law: From Insult to Injury and More

Not only was Kathy Niccolai sexually harassed at work, she was also injured on the job. When she came back to work, the man who harassed her had taken her job and she was fired! According to California Labor Law, both incidents violate the Fair Labor Standards Act. [
MORE: SEXUAL HARASSMENT]
California Labor Law: Flat Rate Below Minimum Wage

Pamela and Martin have similar jobs: Pamela is a caregiver and Martin is also a caregiver—for dogs. They also have a similar problem regarding California labor law: both work 12-hour shifts and get paid a flat rate below minimum wage. [
MORE: FLAT RATE / MINIMUM WAGE]
California Labor Law: "I'm a victim of Harassment"

Elisabeth Ingram was fired from her job as a server with the Black Angus restaurant in Pleasant Hill, California. The reason? The restaurant claims she violated their policy with regard to explicit language in the workplace. What she can't figure out is why all the other employees were not fired too. California labor laws also have policies... [
MORE: VICTIM OF HARASSMENT]
California Labor Laws: Getting Burnt in the California Sun

Overtime is a particularly sharp thorn in the state - especially in view of the proliferation of high-tech hardware and software companies that swell through the Silicon Valley. Computer programmers earning above a certain level ($47.81 per hour) are exempt from the normal state overtime regulations, as well as commissioned personnel. [
MORE: YOUTH EMPLOYMENT WAGES]
California Labor Law - Immigrants Taken Advantage Of

Diana Meera had a difficult pregnancy, particularly the night she almost gave birth in the large retail store where she works. Diana wasn't allowed any time off, until her baby was born prematurely at 7.5 months. [
MORE: TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF]
Work Environment Breaks Several California Labor Laws

Not only was Jose Velasquez subjected to working in a hazardous environment, he wasn't paid overtime for working through lunches and breaks. This went on for almost four years, until he finally quit on December 1, 2006. Needless to say, his family didn't have a Merry Christmas. [
MORE: LABOR LAWS BROKEN]
Fired without Cause? Appeal!
Lou Ron's boss wanted to fire him but he couldn't think of a reason that would satisfy the California labor law, so he was fired for misconduct. Fortunately for Ron, his scheme backfired, but it isn't over yet. [
MORE: FIRED WITHOUT CAUSE]
Verbal Abuse Rampant at Work

Tina Robbins suffered so much verbal abuse at LA County that she left town. The final straw came when her supervisor planned on phoning the child abuse hotline to report Tina - to her co-workers! Even employees in the public sector don't abide by California's labor laws. [
MORE: VERBAL ABUSE AT WORK]
Verbal Abuse Intolerable

"I just got so fed up with my boss calling me names, always yelling and screaming at me," says Brian Huggins. "I tried to walk out so many times and then he would just say sorry, as if apologizing would solve everything." [
MORE: VERBAL ABUSE INTOLERABLE]
Confronting Harassment at Work

"I dealt with verbal abuse from a fellow worker for almost four years until I couldn't take it anymore," says Michael Low. "I filed a harassment complaint with the general manager and two days later I was suspended." [
MORE: HARASSMENT AT WORK]