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California

Employment Lawyer Network:
California

Joseph L. Beachboard (Editor)

California Employment Law

Joe.Beachboard@OgletreeDeakins.com
(213) 239-9800

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Joseph L. Beachboard is a nationally recognized expert on employment law issues who speaks regularly at SHRM and other HR events. He also is a regular contributor to several national and California publications. In 2000, Mr. Beachboard sold The Labor Letters, Inc., a publisher of monthly employment law journals that he founded to advise human resource professionals. He is a founding member and executive director of the Management Employment Law Roundtable, a national, invitation only, organization of management labor and employment lawyers.

Worker has ADA-covered disability? Disclose only to those who need to know

02/20/2013

Employees asking for ADA disability accommodations often end up providing very private details about their health. Carefully guard that information so only those who have a real need to know about it are privy to the employee’s condition. That means you should establish a strict protocol for distributing health-related information.

Give HR the last word on terminations: Supervisor bias can taint firing decisions

02/20/2013
It’s never a good idea to “throw the book” at an employee just be­­cause a supervisor wants to get rid of her. Before approving discipline, check to make sure this isn’t an illegal effort to terminate. Ask why the supervisor wants to fire the employee.

‘Dodger Dog’ makers burned by DOL bias probe

02/20/2013
Cloherty Packing Co.—makers of Dod­­ger Stadium’s famed “Dodger Dogs” frankfurters—has agreed to settle federal charges it discriminated against women at its Los Angeles plant.

Bias complaint? Beware ‘helpful’ career advice

02/20/2013

It happens all too often: A supervisor hears that a subordinate wants to file a discrimination complaint and warns that following through might harm the worker’s career. It usually takes the form of a caution that complaining will brand the employee as a “troublemaker” and could cost promotion opportunities. The supervisor may genuinely believe that, but expressing it is a bad idea …

When discipline differs, be sure to document why

02/01/2013
Here’s a timely reminder that you should carefully document disciplinary actions and make sure there is no unintentional discrimination. The key is to thoroughly consider the appropriate punishment for each transgression, taking into account all the details.

Only employee–not his spouse–can sue for disability discrimination

01/22/2013
Only disabled individuals have the right to sue their employers for disability discrimination. A spouse or other family member, even if harmed by an employer’s discrimination, can’t bring his or her own claim.

For pay statements, does ‘total hours worked’ include vacation and PTO?

01/22/2013
Q. We realize that California requires pay statements to show “total hours worked,” but we’re confused about what exactly this means. Does this include vacation or paid time off that employees have earned?

What should we do? Client asked us not to assign employee who is now out on workers’ comp

01/22/2013
Q. Our company provides services to nursing homes. One of our therapists recently went out on wor­k­­ers’ compensation leave. The facility where she worked has since asked us not to reassign the employee back to its facility. However, we don’t have other placement options for this worker. Do we have any options?

What are California’s rules on employee access to personnel records?

01/22/2013
Q. An employee has asked to see his records. How soon do we have to respond?

Appeals court decision shows perils of pregnancy bias lawsuits

01/22/2013
A recent decision by the California Court of Appeal illustrates just how complicated and costly it can be to discipline an employee who is on protected leave.