New California Law Cracks Down on Non-Compete Clauses
California further tightens its grip on the use of post-employment non-compete clauses. Starting January 1, 2024, Senate Bill 699 allows lawsuits against employers attempting to include or enforce void non-compete provisions. The newly enacted law is in response to the increasing trend of employers, both within and outside California, incorporating such clauses in their contracts. […]
California Moves to Bolster Workplace Violence Prevention
California State Senator Dave Cortese (D-15) announced amendments to Senate Bill (SB) No. 553 on August 28, 2023. This bill, which gained approval from the California State Assembly’s Appropriations Committee on September 1, aims to enforce comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans across virtually all employers in California. These changes would come into effect starting July […]
New Labor Justice Unit Takes Aim at Wage Theft in LA
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced the formation of the Labor Justice Unit on Wednesday, spotlighting the pressing issue of labor violations in the county. The newly established unit wasted no time and immediately filed seven felony charges against garment industry business owners Soon Ae Park and Lawrence Lee. These employers allegedly paid […]
California Fights School Policy Outing Transgender Students
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has taken legal action against Chino Valley Unified School District’s controversial “forced outing policy” concerning transgender students. The school district, home to 26,000 students, has mandated that parents be informed if a student uses a different name or pronoun than what’s on official records. Additionally, parents would be notified if […]
California Moves to Outlaw Caste Discrimination
California’s legislature has made strides to combat caste discrimination by passing Senate Bill (SB) 403. The bill seeks official protection against caste-based prejudice, garnering support in the California Assembly with a 55-3 vote, and previously in the Senate with a 34-1 majority. Thenmozhi Soundararajan, a Dalit community and civil rights activist, praised the bill as […]
Lawsuit Targets Hooters Restaurant in Racial Discrimination Case Over Layoffs
A Hooters restaurant in North Carolina is finding itself embroiled in a legal battle as a US government body, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has filed a lawsuit against the establishment. The lawsuit alleges that the restaurant engaged in racial discrimination, specifically targeting women with darker skin tones during the course of pandemic-induced layoffs. […]
North Hollywood Strippers Unite as First Unionized Group in U.S.
Topless dancers from a North Hollywood bar have redefined the workplace landscape by becoming the first and only unionized group of strippers in the United States. The Star Garden Topless Dive Bar celebrated its reopening after an extended closure, marked by a solidarity rally attended by both dancers and their advocates. Notably, Tom Morello, the […]
Largest U.S. Healthcare Strike Looms as Kaiser Workers Rally for Fair Treatment
Frontline workers at Kaiser Permanente are gearing up for a potential strike, marking what could be the most extensive healthcare workers’ protest in U.S. history. The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents 85,000 workers, has announced strike authorization votes starting this Saturday over allegations of unfair labor practices. Kaiser Permanente, one of America’s most […]
SpaceX Faces DOJ Lawsuit Over Alleged Hiring Discrimination
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken legal action against Elon Musk’s SpaceX, accusing the rocket company of discriminatory hiring practices against refugees and those seeking or already granted asylum. According to the lawsuit filed by the DOJ, SpaceX cited federal export control laws as a justification for hiring only U.S. citizens and permanent […]
California’s Top Court: Third-Party Businesses Liable for Discrimination
The California Supreme Court has ruled that businesses performing employment-related tasks, such as U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group, which screens job applicants, can be held accountable under the state’s discrimination law. This unanimous decision came after claims that U.S. HealthWorks, a third-party medical screening service for employers, posed questions not in line with California’s Fair Employment […]
