A series of sex scandals in California last month has spurred the conversation about women’s employment rights and protections.
Needless to say, California employment law has been plagued by certain flaws for decades, and now Governor Jerry Brown has finally addressed some of them to make the lives of California women easier and get rid of some of the archaic gender and sex discrimination issues in the workplace.
The new laws, which go into effect on January 1, 2018, were signed last month to strengthen protections for female employees and mothers requiring some time off work for baby bonding.
Our employment attorneys here at the Kaufman Law Firm have explained how the new employment protections will affect California women starting next year.
First of all, the new laws are set to affect several millions of California women seeking new employment opportunities, as Gov. Brown signed the so-called salary privacy bill, which will once and for all prohibit California employers from inquiring into or relying on the salary history of an applicant to reject his/her employment.
Also, it will be illegal to decrease compensation for the position just because the employee used to make less money on a similar position in the past (meaning: it will no longer be legal to pay the new employee less than the company initially budgeted for his/her position).
The new law will also require employers to disclose a salary range for a particular position to an employee upon request. Statistics show that women working full time in California and all across the U.S. are typically paid 80% of what men are paid.
The new law is supposed to reduce the gender wage gap and make the employment process fairer to those who used to make less money in the past, but want to earn more.
Under current California employment laws, both male and female employees in Los Angeles are allowed to take the so-called “baby-bonding” leave for the birth or adoption of a child but only if the employee is working at a company with at least 50 employees.
The new employment laws reduced that number to at least 20 employees, a sweeping change that is estimated to make the lives of nearly 3 million California workers easier when giving birth or adopting a child.
However, it would be naive to believe that all employers will comply with the new employment laws right away or that they won’t attempt to get round the laws that may eliminate some of their most profitable practices to pay less to employees.
Some employers may also attempt to override the new employment laws in Los Angeles by introducing their own policies. But this could be an illegal endeavor that could get them employers in legal trouble.
Trying to evade the law and denying employees of fair salaries is a punishable offense. If you believe your employer is trying to cheat the system and evade laws, don’t hesitate to consult our Los Angeles employment attorney right away.
Call the Kaufman Law Firm at 310-981-3404 today to get an initial consultation. Our experienced attorney will explain the new employment laws and help you take legal action against employers who don’t obey the law.
Your job is more than just a source of income. It is a major part of your lifestyle. If you have been the victim of wrongful termination, wrongful demotion or any kind of discriminatory business practices, it is time to take action and contact a Ventura employment law attorney that can help. Attorney Matthew A. Kaufman and the team at The Kaufman Law Firm bring experience and a vast arsenal of legal resources to help clients recover the money they deserve.
To learn more, contact our California law office today and schedule an initial evaluation to discuss your case.