San Mateo Labor and Employment Lawyer

Workers in California enjoy some of the broadest workplace protections in the United States. State and federal law both protect an employee’s right to pay and the right to be free from prohibited discrimination in the workplace (including pay discrimination, sexual harassment, and wrongful termination). Learn more about how the San Mateo labor and employment lawyers at Minnis & Smallets fight to protect employee rights in workplaces throughout California. 

Wage and Hour Disputes

The idea of paying an employee a fair wage for all hours they work does not seem complicated. Unfortunately, some employers work hard to find tricks and loopholes that will save them money on their payroll expenses. The law requires employees to be paid for all mandatory events (including training and other events outside the normal work schedule). 

California law also requires employees to be paid a higher minimum wage than the federal minimum. If an employee is not receiving fair pay for all hours required by an employer, the employment lawyers at Minnis & Smallets fight hard to ensure fair pay and an award of back wages owed. 

Discrimination

There are many forms of employment discrimination that are prohibited under the law. In general, discrimination occurs when an employer treats an employee differently because he or she is a member of a protected class. Protected classes under federal law include race, color, religion, national origin, or gender. California employment laws expand these protections to include gender expression and identity, as well as certain expressions of race and national origin (such as natural hairstyles). Here are some of the most common forms of workplace discrimination:

Pay Discrimination

Pay is one of the most important conditions of employment. If an employee is paid less than other workers because of their race, religion, or gender, the employer has acted unlawfully. Paying female employees less than their male counterparts is one of the most common forms of pay discrimination in America today. It is one of the key reasons why the gender pay gap has persisted in America for decades, and it is important for all employees to fight back against any instance of unlawful pay discrimination.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is considered a form of gender discrimination. This is because the target of discrimination is being treated differently because of his or her gender. Even if an employer does not condone such behavior, it can be held liable for allowing harassment to persist in its workplace. Holding employers accountable for sexual harassment ensures that all workplaces in California are safer for employees of all genders, sexual orientations, and gender identities

Wrongful Termination

An employer can lawfully fire an employee for many valid reasons. The law does, however, prohibit the firing of an employee for many reasons. If an employee is fired due to their race, religion, national origin, or gender, this is a form of unlawful employment discrimination. Employers will almost never admit that the employee was fired for an unlawful reason. This is why it is important to hire an experienced labor lawyer to look into your wrongful termination claim. Experienced employment attorneys know how to find evidence that a firing was simply a pretext for unlawful termination.

The Right San Mateo Labor and Employment Lawyers For All Workplace Disputes

Minnis & Smallets is a California employment law firm that protects workers’ rights under both state and federal law. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with an experienced Bay Area employment law attorney. The sooner you have the advice of an experienced San Mateo labor and employment lawyer, the better protracted your legal rights will be.