California’s Hourly Minimum Wage Set to Rise to $16 in 2024
Effective January 1, 2024, the California hourly minimum wage will increase from $15.50 to $16, according to a finance department official. This change comes as part of the state’s annual adjustments to the minimum wage, tied to fluctuations in the consumer price index over the prior year. Looking forward, a November 2024 ballot initiative could […]
LA Media Company Loses Appeal, Must Pay Whistleblower $7M in Retaliation Suit
A whistleblower retaliation lawsuit involving a Los Angeles-based media and entertainment firm culminated in a successful appeal for the plaintiff. The California appellate court upheld a whopping $7 million jury award for the employee, who the company dismissed for raising ;concerns about unsafe working conditions. The company, initially focusing on internet programming, pivoted to hologram […]
Grammy Star Lizzo Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Workplace Misconduct
Grammy-awarded artist Lizzo, known off-stage as Melissa Viviane Jefferson, and her production enterprise, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., are facing a legal storm as three of her former backup dancers launched a lawsuit against them. The complaint also involves Shirlene Quigley, head of Lizzo’s dance crew. The plaintiffs, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, […]
Starbucks Workers United Joins Hollywood Unions in Fight for Better Work Conditions
In a powerful show of solidarity, Starbucks workers stood alongside actors and writers on picket lines as part of the Starbucks Workers United 13-city “Union is Calling” bus tour. The Starbucks Workers United (SWU) union, which has garnered massive support from thousands of Starbucks employees, reports that 440 locations in 46 states have already filed […]
Bay Area Caregivers Get $373,471 in Back Pay After Unfair Treatment by Agency
In a victory for workers’ rights, the U.S. Department of Labor has successfully recovered $373,471 in back wages and damages for 23 caregivers in the Bay Area. An investigation revealed that Creative Living Solutions Inc., a staffing agency based in Union City, denied overtime wages to its employees, some of whom toiled for 12 to […]
Elon Musk’s X Faces Dual Lawsuits over Unpaid Benefits
Elon Musk’s X, previously Twitter, is being sued in two federal class-action lawsuits over unpaid severance benefits following massive layoffs after Musk took over. The layoffs, occurring in four waves from November 2022 to February 2023, affected approximately 4,000 employees. The first Twitter X lawsuit, filed in California, alleges X violated the Employee Retirement Income […]
Hotel Workers Urge Taylor Swift to Back ‘Swift Lift’ Strike for Fair Pay
Facing low wages and unaffordable “junk fees,” Unite Here Local 11, a Los Angeles hotel workers’ union, is turning to pop sensation Taylor Swift for support. The group has requested Swift to postpone her upcoming SoFi Stadium shows, intensifying their month-long demands for better compensation. According to the union’s open letter in the LA Times, […]
Discrimination Lawsuit Targets Global Corporation’s ‘Diversity’ Program
Compass Group USA is facing a lawsuit over alleged religious discrimination and wrongful termination, filed by former employee Courtney Rogers. According to Rogers, she was fired after refusing to participate in a “diversity” program dubbed “Operation Equity” — a program allowing only women and people of color to receive training, mentorship, and guaranteed promotion. Rogers, […]
Sonoma County Farm Workers Triumph in Lost Wages and Retaliation Lawsuit
A recent settlement saw Mauritson Farms in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, agreeing to compensate 21 former farmworkers with a total of $328,077 for lost wages. The decision came after these employees, associated with the H-2A visa program, alleged retaliation when they voiced concerns over poor working conditions. The complaints ranged from unsanitary restrooms to denied meal […]
LA McDonald’s Workers Walk Out of Job Over Broken AC Amid Sweltering Heat
Cooks and cashiers at a McDonald’s in Los Angeles staged a walkout on July 20, protesting the restaurant’s broken air conditioning system, which subjected them to unbearable conditions during Southern California’s scorching heat wave. Workers complained of extreme temperatures in the kitchen due to additional heat from grills, fryers, and ovens. Maria Rodriguez, a cook […]
