Employee Justice Legal Group PCEmployee Justice Legal Group PC2026-07-17T09:48:20Zhttps://www.ejlglaw.com/feed/atom/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/sites/1503816/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32x32.pngOn Behalf of Employee Justice Legal Group PC<![CDATA[What to know after a work-related back injury]]>https://www.ejlglaw.com/?p=476262026-07-14T09:48:45Z2026-07-17T09:48:20ZConstruction work puts a lot of stress on your body. Years of lifting, bending and carrying heavy materials can take a toll on your back. Pain that starts as an occasional ache can become part of your daily life. You may develop chronic back pain or recurring disc injuries that make it hard to work, sleep or enjoy time with your family.
You might keep working through the pain because you need the income. You may hope the pain will improve with time. Sometimes it does not. Learning about your workplace rights can help you make informed decisions if your injury is related to your job.Once you grasp these rights, it is important to be aware of potential changes in your work environment.
Pay attention if your treatment at work changes
After reporting a back injury or asking for work restrictions, you may notice changes at work. Your supervisor may begin watching you more closely. You might receive write-ups for small mistakes that were never an issue before. In some cases, you could even lose your job after years of doing good work.These experiences can be upsetting. You may wonder if reporting your injury changed the way your employer sees you. It is important to recognize that California law protects you from retaliation for reporting a work-related injury or filing a workers' compensation claim.With the knowledge of your rights, you can take proactive steps to protect your claim.
Take steps to protect your claim
If you hurt your back at work, report the injury to your employer as soon as possible. Once your employer is aware of a work-related injury or claim, they must provide you with a Workers' Compensation Claim Form (DWC-1) promptly. Complete the employee section and return it promptly. You should also seek medical care. If your employer has a Medical Provider Network, you will generally need to use one of its approved providers unless you predesignated your personal physician before your injury.To create a clear timeline of what happened, keep copies of:
Medical records and treatment notes
Work schedules and job duties
Performance reviews
Emails, text messages or disciplinary notices related to your injury
Keeping these records together can help if questions come up later and you may also qualify for important benefits while you recover.
Know what benefits may be available
A work-related back injury can affect your health, your income and your future. California workers' compensation may cover reasonable medical treatment, provide partial wage replacement if you cannot work during your recovery and reimburse mileage for approved medical visits. Reviewing resources from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and California workers' compensation authorities will provide further clarity on the protections and financial assistance available to you.]]>On Behalf of Employee Justice Legal Group PC<![CDATA[Your rights when gender bias affects your career path]]>https://www.ejlglaw.com/?p=476192026-06-30T14:40:06Z2026-07-03T14:48:55ZRecognizing gender bias in your workplace
Bias in promotions is not always clear. It can show up as vague reasons why an employer passed you over. You might see employers promoting male coworkers with less skill faster. Or, your boss may give you fewer important projects. These subtle signs can be a major barrier to your career growth. Writing down these patterns is a necessary first step. This documentation establishes a base for future legal action.
Your legal rights under California law
California maintains strong legal protections. The Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits employers from discriminating based on gender. The California Equal Pay Act also requires employers to pay men and women equally for performing very similar work. Together, these laws establish the legal basis for a discrimination claim.
Steps to challenge promotion discrimination
Filing a claim requires several steps. The process involves organizing your proof, learning your company's complaint process and meeting strict legal deadlines. A standard approach includes:
Gathering performance reviews, emails and notes on conversations
Finding coworkers who witnessed similar patterns
Filing a formal complaint with the appropriate state agency
Taking these steps in order helps build a strong case.
Protecting your career and asserting your rights
Building a claim against gender bias takes time and effort, but you do not have to handle it alone. Lawmakers enacted these laws to protect you, and standing up for your rights is a protected act. An attorney can help you review your options, guide you through filing a wrongful termination or discrimination claim and explain the steps for exercising your legal rights.]]>On Behalf of Employee Justice Legal Group PC<![CDATA[How sexual harassment can trigger a workers’ compensation claim]]>https://www.ejlglaw.com/?p=476162026-06-17T09:22:27Z2026-06-22T09:21:47ZCan sexual harassment cause a workplace injury?
Under California law, a workplace injury is not limited to physical accidents on a job site, but can also include emotional and physical symptoms that disrupt daily life. Severe workplace harassment regularly triggers:
Anxiety or panic attacks
Depression
Trouble sleeping
Difficulty concentrating at work
Physical symptoms linked to stress
While these symptoms can be serious, California law applies specific standards when determining whether a mental health injury qualifies for benefits.
What limits apply to mental health claims?
California law imposes specific requirements for work-related mental health claims, including minimum employment requirements in certain situations. Understanding these limitations can help workers evaluate whether a claim may qualify for benefits.
How can one situation lead to multiple claims?
A single situation may create more than one legal issue. Workplace harassment can affect both an employee's legal rights and their physical or mental health. A sexual harassment claim may seek compensation and other remedies related to the misconduct. A workers' compensation claim may help address medical treatment and mental health care resulting from a workplace injury.
In some situations, workers may pursue both types of claims at the same time. Because these claims can involve different legal issues, they may not always follow the same process or seek the same type of relief.
What steps can employees take?
No employee should have to endure ongoing harassment that affects their health. When workplace stress begins to cause anxiety, sleep problems or other serious symptoms, taking action may help protect both your well-being and your workplace rights. It's your right to take a stand.]]>On Behalf of Employee Justice Legal Group PC<![CDATA[Can I be forced out of work due to pregnancy?]]>https://www.ejlglaw.com/?p=476142026-06-05T12:12:10Z2026-06-10T12:11:09ZWhat does California law say about this?
California protects pregnant employees under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Pregnancy Disability Leave Law (PDLL). These laws prevent employers’ from treating pregnant employees unfairly at work. The FEHA ensures that employees are at ease during pregnancy and can ask for less strenuous or hazardous work. Meanwhile, employees can take up to four months of protected pregnancy disability leave (PDL) to avoid or manage complications under the PDLL.
What qualifies you for pregnancy disability leave (PDL)?
Usually, expecting mothers opt for a leave one or two months before their due dates. However, the leave duration is adjustable based on their health. You qualify for the PDL if you are:
Having severe morning sickness
Suffering from gestational diabetes
Having hypertension disorder
On bed rest, as per the doctor’s order
Having other severe medical conditions that needs frequent monitoring
There are other reasons that can allow you to take a pregnancy disability leave, such as pre-term labor, prenatal care or pregnancy loss. Apart from the disability leaves, regular sick leaves are also an option for prenatal checkups.
What to do if your employer does not comply with law?
Despite strict laws, expecting mothers often face harassment both physically and mentally at work or are forced to quit. If your employer used such tactics during pregnancy there are many legal routes available to you. To ensure your legal and financial safety, you can start documenting your work and any recurring issues. If the harassment is extreme and a civil resolution is out of option, consulting an attorney for legal options might be helpful.
How to manage unfair grounds for termination
Uncertainties, like employers compelling you to resign during pregnancy, can cause stress and dread. It also puts strain on your finances, especially before your baby is born. It may be beneficial for you to review your offer letter or contract and refrain from signing any documents.]]>On Behalf of Employee Justice Legal Group PC<![CDATA[What happens during the 90-day workers’ comp review?]]>https://www.ejlglaw.com/?p=476112026-05-19T16:27:51Z2026-05-22T16:27:12Za completed DWC-1 to your employer. Your employer should complete its section, give you a copy and send the document to the claims administrator. Generally, they should mail you a written notice within the time limits set by state regulations stating whether the case is accepted, denied or delayed for investigation.
A delay notice is not a denial. It usually means the administrator needs more time to investigate.
Medical care during the investigation
During the investigation, the administrator may look at several details, including:
Your medical records and treatment notes
How, when and where the injury happened
Statements from your employer, supervisor or coworkers
Whether your condition arose out of and occurred in the course of your employment
You may need a qualified medical evaluation (QME) if a dispute develops over medical issues related to your injury.
State law does not require you to wait for a final decision before receiving care. Within one working day after you file the DWC-1, your employer or the claims administrator must authorize appropriate treatment while the case remains pending. This coverage continues up to $10,000 or until the administrator accepts or denies it.
What happens after the 90-day deadline?
If the administrator does not reject liability within 90 days after you file the DWC-1, California law generally presumes the injury is compensable. This means the claim is treated as covered unless the employer rebuts that presumption with evidence that could not have been found earlier through reasonable diligence.
If the administrator denies your claim during the review period, they may stop authorizing additional treatment. However, you generally do not have to repay the cost of medical care authorized during the investigation.
The 90-day window can feel uncertain, but it follows specific rules. Keep copies of your DWC-1, letters from the administrator and treatment records. Clear documentation can help you understand where things stand while the administrator decides whether to accept, deny or continue investigating.]]>On Behalf of Employee Justice Legal Group PC<![CDATA[Can LA employees request remote work as a job accommodation?]]>https://www.ejlglaw.com/?p=476132026-06-05T21:33:31Z2026-05-20T21:33:04ZRemote work rarely causes company hardship
Employers who are subject to the provisions of the ADA and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) generally need to grant reasonable accommodation requests from employees who have disabling medical conditions. Many professionals who onboarded in recent years may have accepted a job on a remote or hybrid basis due to companies decentralizing to operate efficiently in 2020.
Now that return to office orders are increasingly common, many Los Angeles professionals who may not have previously disclosed their need for accommodations to an employer might find themselves worried about asking to continue remote or hybrid work. Workers who have disabling medical conditions and a recommendation from a licensed professional for remote work as an accommodation can typically ask their employers to allow them to work from home.
For an employer to legally refuse an accommodation request, they typically need to show that the request creates an undue hardship for the business. Remote work arrangements for employees already doing their jobs from home are unlikely to meet the relatively high standard for an undue hardship for an employer.
Especially when an employee already has a track record of success working remotely for the company, refusing to let them continue to do so due to a blanket RTO order could be a violation of that worker’s rights. The refusal to accommodate workers can actually constitute disability discrimination.
Workers concerned about protecting their careers may want to consult with a disability discrimination attorney. Fighting back against blanket return to office orders and denied accommodation requests can help people protect their careers despite their medical limitations.]]>On Behalf of Employee Justice Legal Group PC<![CDATA[When the hostile work environment follows you home]]>https://www.ejlglaw.com/?p=476002026-05-14T14:29:46Z2026-05-19T14:29:12ZFor many Los Angeles employees, the idea of a hostile work environment is still tied to a physical office—comments in a meeting, behavior in a breakroom or conduct on a job site. But the modern workplace does not always stop at the office door, and neither does work-related harassment.
It is, therefore, important for workers to understand that harassment that occurs through text messages, email, video calls, or workplace chat platforms can be just as serious and, under California law, just as actionable.
Online work-related harassment is legally prohibited
A hostile work environment exists when unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic—such as race, gender, disability, religion or sexual orientation—is severe or pervasive enough to become either a condition of one’s job or “severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive,” according to the EEOC. That standard does not depend on where the conduct occurs. Remote and digital communication have expanded the ways harassment can occur. Repeated inappropriate messages after hours, offensive comments in group chats, exclusion from virtual meetings or harassment during video calls can all contribute to a hostile environment. Even conduct that takes place outside traditional work hours can be relevant if it is tied to the employment relationship and creates ongoing stress or intimidation.One common misconception is that harassment must happen during official work time or on company property to “count.” In reality, courts and enforcement agencies look at the totality of the circumstances when determining if certain kinds of misconduct are actionable. If a supervisor sends inappropriate messages late at night or a coworker uses a company platform to target someone repeatedly, that impact can follow the employee home and affect their well-being and job performance.A hostile work environment is not limited to a physical location. When workplace conduct crosses into your home through digital channels, you have rights. If you believe that you are experiencing this kind of harassment, speaking with a skilled legal team can help you understand your rights and determine the best way forward. ]]>On Behalf of Employee Justice Legal Group PC<![CDATA[Some workers classified as exempt deserve overtime wages]]>https://www.ejlglaw.com/?p=475732026-05-12T18:35:42Z2026-05-12T18:34:14ZManagers should perform different functions than their teams
Managers oversee scheduling matters and handle other aspects of business management that non-exempt hourly workers typically do not address. They may need to work overtime to complete all of the various responses related to employee scheduling and other aspects of management, and they usually do not receive extra pay for that additional work.
Managers are typically exempt from overtime pay requirements so long as they spend 50% or more of their time performing tasks that differ from the standard job responsibilities imposed on the hourly workers at the company. If a manager spends much of their time cleaning, assisting customers and otherwise performing the same tasks as the hourly workers they oversee, they may not truly be exempt employees.
As such, they may have a legal right to overtime pay for the hours beyond 40 that they work per week. Evaluating job responsibilities and determining if an allegedly exempt manager spends 50% or more of their time performing unique functions or the same tasks as hourly employees can give workers denied overtime pay insight into their legal rights.
Professionals misclassified by their employers may have grounds for a wage and hour lawsuit that can lead to the payment of the overtime wages they should have received while performing the same functions as the hourly workers who do receive overtime pay.]]>On Behalf of Employee Justice Legal Group PC<![CDATA[What should you review before signing a severance agreement?]]>https://www.ejlglaw.com/?p=475742026-05-05T14:20:12Z2026-05-08T14:19:41ZStart with the claims you may release
Many severance agreements offer money or benefits in exchange for a release of claims against the employer. That release may cover bias, harassment, retaliation, wage claims or other disputes tied to your job.
Review whether final wages, unused vacation, commissions or bonuses are separate from severance. Earned pay is not the same as extra severance offered in exchange for signing a release.
Check whether the agreement includes a non-compete clause or language that limits where you can work next. In California, most employment non-compete agreements are void unless a narrow statutory exception applies. Even if the clause appears in the agreement, that does not mean it is enforceable.
Check confidentiality and non-disparagement language
California’s Silenced No More Act, also known as Senate Bill 331, limits how far employers can go with confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses. A severance agreement typically cannot stop you from discussing unlawful workplace acts, including harassment, discrimination or retaliation. If the agreement includes a non-disparagement clause, it should preserve your right to talk about illegal workplace conduct.
Many separation agreements that release job-related claims must state that you may consult an attorney and give you at least five business days to consider the offer.
Review how the payment may affect benefits
In California, true severance pay is usually not treated as wages for unemployment insurance. However, some payments may be treated as wage continuation based on how the employer structures them.
Severance pay is also taxable income, and the IRS treats severance as wages subject to withholding. If the payment is treated as supplemental wages, federal withholding may be calculated differently from a regular paycheck.
A severance agreement can affect far more than your final payment. It can shape what claims you release, what you can discuss, where you can work next and what options remain open after your job ends. Before the signing deadline passes, consider having a legal professional review the exact language so you understand what the agreement asks you to give up.]]>On Behalf of Employee Justice Legal Group PC<![CDATA[3 common myths about sexual harassment in California]]>https://www.ejlglaw.com/?p=475722026-04-24T11:53:31Z2026-04-29T11:52:30ZSexual harassment only involves physical contact
You might believe sexual harassment only occurs through physical contact. However, sexual harassment takes many forms. Verbal comments, inappropriate jokes and patterns of unwanted romantic advances may all be considered harassment.
California law generally requires your harasser’s conduct to be sufficiently severe or pervasive enough to qualify as sexual harassment. An isolated minor incident is usually not enough, but a single severe act – such as groping – may count.
You lose your rights if you do not report harassment immediately
It is a common myth that if you fail to report sexual harassment right away, you lose your ability to take action later. While it is generally advisable to report discrimination as early as possible, you do not have to do it immediately.
California law recognizes that reporting sexual harassment can be difficult and provides reasonable timeframes for filing complaints.
You typically have three years to file with the Civil Rights Department (CRD) from the date of the last incident, and up to 300 days to file with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If the CRD issues a “Right-to-Sue” notice, you may want to file your lawsuit by the deadline stated on the notice, which is often one year.
Only women can be victims of sexual harassment
Despite the belief that only women can face sexual harassment, it is not limited to one gender. The law protects all employees. You may also face harassment from a person who shares your gender, regardless of your sexual orientation.
You could still have a valid claim if you were harassed by a supervisor, coworker or client. However, your employer is only liable for client harassment if they knew or should have known about the conduct and failed to take immediate, appropriate action to stop it.
Protecting yourself and your workplace
Understanding these facts could help you recognize sexual harassment, making it easier to take appropriate action. Reporting inappropriate conduct may prevent it from happening in the future, potentially making your workplace safer for you and the people you share it with.]]>