We invite you to review our newly-posted March 2024 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
Title VII
Terminating Sanctions Entered Against Employee Who Deleted Relevant Text Messages
Jones v. Riot Hospitality Group LLC, 2024 WL 927669 (9th Cir. 2024)
Alyssa Jones, a former waitress at a Scottsdale, Arizona bar, sued the owner of the bar and his company (Riot) for violations of Title VII and common law tort claims. After two of Jones’ coworkers testified in their depositions that they had exchanged text messages with Jones about the case, the district court…
Fire Chief Was Terminated For Misconduct Not Because Of His Religion
Hittle v. City of Stockton, 76 F.4th 877 (9th Cir. 2023)
Ronald Hittle served as the City’s Fire Chief before he was fired (following an investigation by an outside investigator) because he lacked effectiveness and judgment in his ongoing leadership of the Fire Department; used City time and a City vehicle to attend a religious event and approved on-duty attendance of other Fire Department…
Employer Must Prove “Substantial Increased Costs” Would Result From Religious Accommodation
Groff v. DeJoy, 600 U.S. ___, 143 S. Ct. 2279 (2023)
Gerald Groff, an Evangelical Christian, took a mail delivery job with the USPS at a time when postal service employees were was not required to work on Sundays. However, when the USPS began facilitating Sunday deliveries for Amazon, he was called upon to work Sundays, which ultimately resulted in his resignation from his…
September 2023 California Employment Law Notes
We invite you to review our newly-posted September 2023 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
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Employers Owe No Duty Of Care To Prevent The Spread Of COVID To Employees’ Household Members
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School District Employer Did Not Violate The Law By Requiring COVID Vaccination/Weekly Testing
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Employer Must Prove “Substantial Increased
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July 2023 California Employment Law Notes
We invite you to review our newly-posted July 2023 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
- Enforcement of PAGA Carve Out Suggests Need For New Revisions To Arbitration Agreements
- PAGA Debt Not Dischargeable in Bankruptcy
- Distributors Not Liable For Unpaid Wages Of Agricultural Workers
- Exemption of Financial Professionals From ABC
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Court Recognizes “Music As Harassment” While Rejecting “Equal Opportunity Harasser” Defense
Sharp v. S&S Activewear, LLC, 69 F.4th 974 (9th Cir. 2023)
Fed up with hearing “very offensive” songs like Eminem’s “Stan” and Too $hort’s “B*job Betty” on the job, Stephanie Sharp and several other employees (including one male) filed a hostile work environment claim against their employer under Title VII. Plaintiffs claimed they could not escape the music because it was “[b]lasted from…
January 2022 California Employment Law Notes
We invite you to review our newly-posted January 2022 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
- Manicurist Can Proceed With Hostile Work Environment Claim
- “Volunteers for Nonprofits Are Not Employees” – Court Affirms Order In Favor Of The American Film Institute
- Nurse’s Discrimination Claims Against Hospital Were Properly Dismissed
- Security
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Manicurist Can Proceed With Hostile Work Environment Claim
Fried v. Wynn Las Vegas, 18 F.4th 643 (9th Cir. 2021)
Vincent Fried, a manicurist at a salon in the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, was sexually propositioned by a customer. Fried immediately went to his manager to report the customer, at which point the manager allegedly told him to “just go [finish the pedicure] and get it over with” despite the lewd comments.…
May 2019 California Employment Law Notes
We invite you to review our newly-posted May 2019 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
- Strict Independent Contractor Test Applies Retroactively;
- California Employee Is Compelled To Litigate His Employment Claims In Indiana;
- Employee Could Rely Upon Former Supervisor’s Statement About Existence Of Discrimination;
- Former Employee’s Claims Against The Salvation
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