We invite you to review our newly-posted May 2024 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
Plaintiff’s Attorneys Denied Additional Interest On Attorneys’ Fees
Vines v. O’Reilly Auto Enterprises, LLC, 2024 WL 1751760 (Cal. Ct. App. 2024)
Renee Vines filed an action against his former employer alleging discrimination and harassment under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) based on his race and age; that he was retaliated against when he was wrongfully terminated after he complained about the discrimination and harassment; and that his employer failed to prevent
Court Properly Dismissed Lawsuit Of Employee Who Failed To Exhaust Administrative Remedies
Kuigoua v. Department of Veteran Affairs, 101 Cal. App. 5th 499 (2024)
Arno Kuigoua, who worked as a registered nurse for the Department of Veteran Affairs, alleged in the complaint he filed with the EEOC and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (the “DFEH”) that he was discriminated against on the basis of his sex (male). He also alleged retaliation for reporting the
NASA Scientist’s Hostile Work Environment Claim Should Not Have Been Dismissed
Mattioda v. Nelson, 98 F.4th 1164 (9th Cir. 2024)
Dr. Andrew Mattioda, a NASA scientist, sued the agency for discrimination and hostile work environment that allegedly began after he informed his supervisors of a disability to his hips and spine and requested upgraded airline tickets for work-related travel. The district court dismissed on summary judgment both the discrimination and hostile work environment claims, but
New Trial Of Sexual Harassment Claim Ordered Following Admission Of Evidence Of Other Employees’ Complaints Against Plaintiff
Argueta v. Worldwide Flight Servs., Inc., 97 Cal. App. 5th 822 (2023)
Eunices Argueta worked as an agent in the import department of the employer, a freight operations company, reporting to Dzung Nguyen whom she claimed had sexually harassed her. A jury returned a defense verdict, and Argueta filed a motion for new trial and for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, both of which
A Single Incident Of Harassing Conduct May Create A Hostile Work Environment
Beltran v. Hard Rock Hotel Licensing, Inc., 97 Cal. App. 5th 865 (2023)
Stephanie Beltran, a server at the Hard Rock Hotel in Palm Springs, alleged she had been sexually harassed by Juan Rivera, the former General Manager of the hotel. Beltran reported to Human Resources that Rivera had “grabbed or slapped her ass.” Beltran also testified in her deposition about “multiple incidents
November 2023 California Employment Law Notes
We invite you to review our newly-posted November 2023 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
- Company That Hired Competitor’s Employee Was Not Entitled To Arbitrate Claims
- Disability Discrimination Claim Was Properly Dismissed On Summary Judgment
- Employee’s Attorney’s “Pervasive Incivility” Justified $460,000 Reduction In Fees
- Employees Were Properly Awarded $7.2 Million
Disability Discrimination Claim Was Properly Dismissed On Summary Judgment
Martin v. Board of Trustees of the Cal. State Univ., 2023 WL 7537694 (Cal. Ct. App. 2023)
Following the termination of his employment as director of university communications at CSUN’s Marketing and Communications Department, Jorge Martin sued the university for race, gender and sexual orientation harassment and discrimination because he is a “middle-aged, light-skinned Mexican-American, heterosexual and cisgender male.” The trial court granted the
$137 Million Racial Harassment Verdict Against Tesla Slashed by New Jury!
An astronomical $137 million jury verdict against Tesla has again been reduced, for a second (and potentially final) time. Last Monday, following a five-day trial on damages, a federal court jury awarded Owen Diaz, a former Tesla elevator operator, $175,000 in emotional distress damages and $3 million in punitive damages, totaling nearly $3.2 million—almost $134 million shy of the award he originally obtained in 2021.
March 2023 California Employment Law Notes
We invite you to review our newly-posted March 2023 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include:
- No Claim By Employee Who Was Friends With Alleged Harasser
- Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit Was Properly Dismissed
- Employer That Failed To Layoff Employee Before She Became Disabled May Have Discriminated
- Court Compels Individual But Not