Although we often talk about racial discrimination in California, there is another, more insidious, type of discrimination that could be considered equally egregious: discrimination based on national origin. This larger umbrella captures discrimination against employees because they appear to belong to a certain ethnic group, but it also extends to those who hail from certain parts of the world, display an accent or even are married to a person of a particular ethnicity. You may be surprised to learn that discrimination may even occur between two workers who share the same national origin.
FMLA notice requirements
Thanks to the Family and Medical Leave Act, some employees are able to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave from their job over a 12 month period. Best yet, the leave is job protected, meaning that the employer must keep your position available until you return.
Am I an employee or an independent contractor?
As a worker, you may begin to wonder if you are an employee or independent contractor. There are many reasons why it is important to be accurately classified. For example, this will impact benefit eligibility, pay, and taxes.
California, others pondering new laws supporting FMLA
After years of dealing with recession-era job issues -- along with an increasingly dwindling middle class -- lawmakers along the West Coast are dedicating themselves to helping their states' employees balance work/life issues. California, for instance, is currently considering a law that would broaden Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provisions, bolstering the state's already strong family leave policies. In fact, California was the first state to pass such accommodating laws in 2002, leading other states such as Rhode Island and New Jersey to follow suit. The current California law has already been approved by the state Senate and is currently under consideration by the Assembly.
