Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Former Employee Sues Department of Transportation for Racial Discrimination
If you have ever safely arrived home after traveling on a California road, it is because employees of the Department of Transportation have maintained it in safe condition. Rain, snow, wildfires, earthquakes, and high winds are no match for the courage and perseverance of Caltrans employees. One would expect that such dangerous work, intended… Read More »
Lawsuit Alleges That Ostensibly Disability-Friendly Employer Fired Employee in Retaliation for Taking a Medical Leave
Federal law requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, but the definition of “reasonable accommodation” varies according to the employer and the job description. An accommodation is a modification to the work environment that enables the employee to perform the essential functions of the job. For example, it might be a… Read More »
Employees of Company That Makes Popular App File Sex Discrimination Lawsuit
Making smartphone apps sounds like a dream job. You get to create and solve technical puzzles with like-minded people, and the finished product is part of the fabric of people’s daily lives. Tech jobs are not always the paradise of nerdy fun that they sound like. Employment discrimination lawsuits tell of many tech companies… Read More »
Asylum Seeking Restaurant Worker Claims That Employer Fired Her After She Reported Sexual Assault by Coworker
The worst cases of workplace sexual harassment involve more than just coworkers making comments about your appearance or flirting with you. Sometimes they involve coworkers threatening to get you fired from your job or even threatening to jeopardize your immigration status if you do not date them or engage in sexual activities with them. … Read More »
Former Security Guard Sues Celebrity Employer for Racial Discrimination
Recently, employers have begun to adopt company policies that acknowledge that racial discrimination can manifest itself in rules about employees’ hairstyles. As for state laws, California enacted the Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act in 2019; it prevents discrimination based on hair texture and prohibits employers from refusing to… Read More »
Is It Still an Adverse Action If It Comes With a Fancy New Position Title?
When is a promotion not a promotion? Employers often pile additional job duties on top of the ones in your original employment contract; this type of employee mission creep tends to happen when businesses are on a tight budget and want to get more work done without having to spend the money to hire… Read More »
Probation Officers Sue Probation Department for Reassigning Their Duties against Their Will
You may have the right to file an employment discrimination claim if your employer demotes you or transfers you to different duties when you did not request this transfer. Undesired reassignment of duties, work schedule, or work location counts as an adverse action, no matter how much your employer may try to sell the… Read More »
Employee Sues University That Allegedly Fired Her in Retaliation for Taking Students’ Discrimination Complaints Seriously
As every faculty member of every university knows, students complain a lot. Faculty members quickly learn which complaints to ignore, such as “[name of subject you teach] is too hard,” and which to correct; it only makes sense to exclude a test question from the test score if it is truly unanswerable, as students… Read More »
Dysfunctional Workplaces May Be the Norm, but You Have the Right to Speak Up About Bullying and Harassment
In a recent article on the Walrus website, Samia Madwar ponders whether workplaces are inherently toxic. She details a variety of perverse interpersonal dynamics which are, unfortunately, so common in work environments that no one who has ever depended on employment income is surprised to hear about them. Entry level employees bend to the… Read More »
California State Parks Employee Files Lawsuit About Discriminatory Behavior and Supervisor
Working for the California State Parks system sounds like an ideal job. You get to spend your entire workday enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery on Earth and ensuring that it stays safe for future generations to enjoy it. Of course, it only takes one bad boss to ruin a dream job. When… Read More »