Employment News

We told you last year about a disappointing federal appeals court decision that ended an attempt by the California Assembly to ban “forced arbitration” clauses. Workers who sign forced arbitration clauses can’t take their employer to court to seek remedies and compensation for violations of the law. Under forced arbitration, the employees’ only recourse is a secret proceeding often tilted in favor of the employer. It gets even worse. If your employer required you to sign a mandatory … [Read more...]

The new year will bring a higher California minimum wage in 2024 for many workers — as well as the potential for computer software engineers and health care workers to earn more. Starting Jan. 1, 2024, the California minimum wage will increase from $15.50 an hour to $16 an hour. (Some cities and counties already have higher minimum wages than that; UC Berkeley maintains a chart.) For comparison, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, but many states set their standards above that … [Read more...]

A recent public works prevailing wage settlement offers a hopeful view of government remedies for underpaid workers — and should serve as a warning to companies that turn a blind eye to fraud. The particular case involved public construction projects in Massachusetts, but California has similar laws — and a much bigger budget for these projects, thus more opportunities for violations by contractors — so the situation is a helpful example. The particular points at issue: Construction … [Read more...]

Electric car trailblazer Tesla has found itself in the spotlight, but not for its vehicles — rather, a federal workplace watchdog alleges that Tesla tolerated pervasive mistreatment of Black employees and retaliated against those who complained. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently filed a lawsuit against the automaker, saying that mistreatment of Black employees at Tesla’s Fremont, California manufacturing facilities had persisted at least since 2015. The employees faced … [Read more...]

The latest job figures reflect a still-strong labor market, with the U.S. economy adding a higher-than-expected 187,000 jobs in August. Amidst a controlled cooling in the bid to fight inflation, unemployment remains low and job seekers still hold a strong position. Many workers have been using current conditions to aim for better positions. But some employers have been cutting corners in the cutthroat race for workers, and job offer scams are part of the landscape too. Five Job Market … [Read more...]