Civil Rights Act of 1866 Discrimination based on race is prohibited in the formation and enforcement of contracts.
Civil Rights Act of 1991 Allows for punitive damages to be recovered in cases of deliberate job discrimination.
Equal Pay Act of 1963 Prohibits wage discrimination based on gender between men and women working in the same establishment under identical circumstances.
Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 Establishes minimum salaries, overtime pay, record-keeping, and child labor requirements for private sector and government employees.
Family Medical Leave Act Provides eligible workers with immediate, unpaid leave for medical reasons, the birth or adoption of a child, or the treatment of a child, spouse, or parent with a serious health condition.
Piece-Rate Compensation Requirements Piece-rate compensation is based on paying a specified sum for completing a particular task or making a particular item.
The Domestic Worker Bill of Rights (AB 241) This law extends overtime pay rights to certain personal attendants working in the home who were not previously entitled to overtime pay under California law.
California Wage and Hour Laws Minimum wage, different forms of employee leave, overtime, meals, and breaks are all covered by state wage and hour legislation.
Federal Government Agencies Enforcing Employment Laws
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights The United States Commission on Civil Rights investigates, analyzes, and reports on civil rights issues in the United States, as well as the enforcement of civil rights legislation and regulations by federal agencies.
Employees who disclose violations of various trucking, airline, nuclear power, pipeline, environmental, rail, consumer goods, and securities laws are covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the whistleblowing provisions of sixteen other regulations administered by the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice prosecutes criminal civil rights violations and enforces federal laws banning discrimination based on race, color, sex, disability, faith, and national origin.
Merit Systems Protection Board The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) is an independent, bipartisan watchdog of the merit systems that federal workers are subjected to.
Office of Special Counsel The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) of the United States protects federal employees and candidates from illegal hiring practices, including retaliation for whistleblowing. The Hatch Act is also enforced by the OSC, and the Uniformed Services Job and Reemployment Rights Act guarantees the rights of federal employees who are military veterans or reservists.
Organizations Supporting Employee Rights
American Bar Association: Labor & Employment Section Lawyers on both sides of the labor and job bar are included in this section of the American Bar Association website. Their portal has a wealth of information on a variety of employment-related and other legal topics.
American Rights at Work American Rights at Work is a non-profit organization that fights for workers' rights, encourages workplace democracy, and calls for better labor laws.
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund is a national civil rights law and policy center dedicated to advancing people with disabilities' civil and human rights through legal advocacy, training, education, and legislation.
Equal Rights Advocates Equal Rights Advocates, a non-profit organization that uses impact litigation and advocacy to benefit women workers, in particular low-wage workers, women from immigrant communities and women of color.
National Partnership for Women and Families The National Partnership for Women and Families promotes workplace diversity, quality health care, and policies that help women and men balance work and family life through public education and advocacy.
National Women’s Law Center An association that works to advance opportunities for women and girls in education, jobs, family economic protection, and health by lobbying for and enforcing laws.
WorkPlace Fairness A non-profit group dedicated to defending and strengthening the rights of workers.
California Employment Law Resources
LawHelpCa.org: Work Unemployment benefits, workers' compensation, pensions, unfair termination, and working conditions are all covered on this platform.
Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center This website contains details about the Employment Law Center's services that help low-income Californians with problems such as workers' rights, disability rights at work, unemployment benefits, wage and hour claims, and more.
"How to Prepare for Your Appeal Hearing" video The California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board has prepared this guide to assist you in preparing for your hearing to challenge a denial of unemployment benefits.
Workplace and Employment Issues for People with Disabilities - Video Series Six videos in American Sign Language (ASL) with English captioning about your rights. Deaf interpreters clarify concepts such as discrimination, fair housing, unemployment insurance, involuntary disability care, and leaves of absence to staff who are deaf or hard of hearing in the videos. Two of the videos are aimed directly at domestic abuse, sexual harassment, and stalking survivors. The Employment Law Center of the Legal Aid Society.
The content of this web site, including all materials, links and resources contained herein, is intended for informational purposes only. None of the information contained on these pages is intended to be legal advice or opinion. Likewise, nothing on this web site constitutes an offer of legal representation, nor does it serve to establish an attorney-client relationship between site visitors and the Law Office of Scott R. Dallas. All information is provided “as-is” and may not necessarily be accurate or reflect the most current legal developments. You should contact an attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal issue or problem.
