Alameda County

Located in the Bay Area, with a population of 1,682,353 spread out over 821 square miles, Alameda County is the seventh-most populous county in California. Additionally, it’s the fourth most diverse county in the country, according to The Atlantic. Major employers include Alameda Health Systems, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, BART PD, California State University East Bay, Caltrans, Dell EMC, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Ross Stores, UCSF Benioff, and the University of California, Berkeley. If you are confronted with a dispute with your employer, you’ll need a strong ally. Retain the seasoned Alameda County employment lawyers of Calderone Law Firm. We have many years of experience representing workers.

Whistleblowers are those who notify authorities about an employer’s misconduct. It is a difficult decision to report your employer. As a whistleblower (or a prospective one), you may be worried about retaliation and job safety. However, a number of statutes protect workers who blow the whistle on an employer’s illegal actions in good faith, including against retaliation. If you were retaliated against, our attorneys may be able to bring a claim under California Labor Code section 1102.5, under which your employer cannot retaliate against you for reporting actions or other information that the employee reasonable thinks are legal violations. Other laws that can be helpful are the California False Claims Act and the California Whistleblower Protection Act. A number of federal laws provide for other types of protection. It’s important to seek counsel.

You have the right not to face discrimination at your Alameda County workplace. Discrimination is prohibited by federal, state, and local laws. Not every negative action taken by an employer, even one that is insulting or cruel, counts as actionable discrimination, however. Rather, courts find discrimination if an employer has taken an adverse employment action because an employee has a protected trait like national origin, race, religion, sex, or others. Examples of discrimination include firing, laying off, failure to hire or promote, paying workers disparately, and failure to provide opportunities such as mentorship or training on an equal basis. In most cases, plaintiffs obtain greater relief under the California Fair Employment Housing Act (FEHA) than federal laws; a wide range of traits are protected. FEHA applies to your workplace if your company has at least 5 employees.

Your employer should pay you according to legal requirements spelled out under federal, state, and local laws. The most group governed by the strongest laws when it comes to issues of compensation and exploitation are nonexempt workers. Employers are expected to follow strict rules in connection with minimum wage, overtime, uniforms, and meal and rest breaks. Generally speaking, nonexempt employees are paid on an hourly basis and cannot control how they perform tasks on an employer’s behalf. Nonexempt employees and gig workers have more control about how they do their work, but do not receive wage and hour protections. There are situations in which a company misclassifies its workers in order to avoid the rigor of wage and hour laws or to avoid providing other things like workers’ compensation coverage. It’s crucial to consult counsel rather than assume you’ve been classified correctly.

If the damages in your case seem minimal, it may be appropriate for us to pursue damages in a class action lawsuit. These are lawsuits in which employees experiencing similar mistreatment (such as being asked to work off the clock) may joint together to bring a class action suit.

Call the trustworthy Alameda County attorneys of Calderone Law Firm to learn about your legal options whether you are in a conflict with your employer that concerns minimum wage, overtime, discrimination, or retaliation. Our firm’s years of experience and combined knowledge allow us to provide strong representation to safeguard your rights in the workplace. Complete this online form or call us at (424) 348-8290 for a free initial consultation.