The Legal Juice

California is known for its robust labor laws that provide extensive protection to workers. One crucial aspect of these laws is the establishment of protective categories that safeguard employees' rights and ensure fair treatment in the workplace. In this blog, we will explore the various protective categories under California labor law and understand their significance. 1. Protected Categories: Under California labor law, several protected categories ensure that employees are not discriminated against based on certain characteristics. These categories include: a) Race and Ethnicity: California labor law strictly prohibits discrimination based on race or         ethnicity. Employers must provide equal opportunities and fair treatment to all individuals, regardless of their racial or ethnic background. b) Gender and Sexual Orientation: Employees in California are protected against discrimination based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. Employers cann...

Under California labor law, employers are required to reimburse their workers for any business expenses they incurred, including the use of their personal vehicle or cellphone for work-related purposes. This law is designed to protect employees from bearing the burden of work-related expenses and to ensure that they are fairly compensated for their work. Failure to comply with this law may result in legal consequences, including wage and hour lawsuits. The law defines necessary expenditures or losses to include all reasonable costs, including attorney's fees if the employee needs to enforce their rights. Reimbursable expenses include driving costs, mileage reimbursement for the mileage driven, paid tolls, and other work-related expenses such as uniforms and conference fees. Employers can calculate the employee's reimbursement using one of four approved methods: reimbursing mileage driven, reimbursing actual expenses, making lump sum payments, or using the fixed and variable rat...