2011 March | Los Angeles Top Attorneys Blog: (310) 826-6300

Former Manager Sues Southern California Edison for Retaliation

Mar 31

Los Angeles LawyerDiscrimination, Employment Law, Wrongful Termination Discrimination, los angeles employment lawyers, whistleblowers, wrongful termination No Comments

Under the law, it is illegal for employers to fire, demote, harass, or otherwise “retaliate” against employees or applicants for filing or participating in a discrimination complaint, exercising their rights (ex. asking for reasonable accommodation for a disability), or for engaging in a protected activity relating to workplace safety and health.

There are several laws that prohibit retaliation against these brave employees or applicants who are generally referred to as whistleblowers. Despite the presence of these laws, there are still employers who willfully and maliciously retaliate against whistleblowers.

Take for example, a recent lawsuit filed by the former manager of Southern California Edison, who claimed he was fired for reporting safety concerns at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspector.

Supreme Court to Decide Gender Discrimination Lawsuit against Wal-Mart

Mar 29

Los Angeles LawyerDiscrimination, Employment Law gender discrimination, sex discrimination lawsuit No Comments

Wal-mart may be the country’s largest non-government employer and is the 2nd richest corporation as listed in the Forbes 500 but all that money isn’t really going anywhere, least of all, to the pay of their female employees.

A 7-year sex discrimination lawsuit has been pending since a judge in California allowed 6 former employees to represent around 1.6 million female employees with similar complaints in what would be the largest class action lawsuit in history – but naturally, Wal-mart appealed, and all the way to the Supreme Court.

The decision is still pending but the corporation has argued that it is “too big to be sued.” But as alleged in the case of Dukes v. Walmart, figures clearly show that the “pattern and practice” of gender discrimination at work and that back pay and promotions should be awarded to the company’s female employees.

Child Safety is Our Priority – Transportation Chief LaHood

Mar 25

Los Angeles LawyerPersonal Injury, Product Liability, Uncategorized, Vehicle Accident child safety, product liability lawyers, vehicle accidents No Comments

New child seat guidelines have been adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to bear with the most modern research and innovations on child safety on vehicles. The guidelines, released Monday, recommended parents and caregivers to hold children in each restraint type as long as they fit in before using the next type of seat.

The updated guidelines are in compliant with the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics that suggest keeping children in rear-facing restraints up to two yrs. old or until they already attained the maximum weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of the safety seat. Parents need not have to rush their children’s transition to the next restraint type.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood also exclaimed, “Safety is our highest priority.” “The ‘best’ car seat is the one that fits your child, fits your vehicle and one you will use every time your child is in the car,” he further said.

Charlie Sheen Files $100 Million Wrongful Termination Case Against Warner Bros.

Mar 15

Los Angeles LawyerEmployment Law, Wrongful Termination breach of contract, employment law attorney, employment relationship, wrongful termination No Comments

Charlie Sheen is obviously a very troubled celebrity – with a reputation for drugs and alcohol abuse as well as domestic violence allegations – but it didn’t keep him from being television’s highest paid actor for his hit TV show, Two and a Half Men. Or at least it didn’t, until he was recently fired by CBS and Warner Brothers from his role.

Sheen, who’s earning $1.8 million per episode, has filed a $100 million lawsuit against Warner Bros. and the show’s creator/producer Chuck Lorre for wrongful termination. In his lawsuit, Sheen claims that he was terminated in violation of his contract and that he is seeking to recover unpaid wages as well as compensatory damages. In his complaint, he alleged that Lorre and Warner Bros. unilaterally decided not to pay him as well as the cast and crew for the remainder of the season. That further, Sheen not only sought to pursue payment for his compensation but as well as for the entire cast and crew who are supposed to be paid for 24 episodes.

Buying A Safe and Budget Friendly Car

Mar 01

Los Angeles LawyerCar Accident, Personal Injury car accident, car crasworthiness, car defects, Product Liability, top car picks for 2011 No Comments

Buying a car is a serious decision that needs to be carefully planned so that you can maximize your budget for the best car possible. One way of ensuring that you pick a high-quality, safe, but budget friendly is by checking out recommended lists or reviews from qualified sources.

The Consumer Reports is a reliable source of information especially since they annually come up with a list of top motor vehicles. In fact, it recently released its top car picks for 2011 and this is a rundown of it:

• Ford Mustang, a popular brand among many consumers made its debut on the list and nabbed the plum for the Top Picks for Sporty Car category.
• Strangely enough, Toyota, whose fall from the pedestal in 2010, had several entries in the list. It’s Sienna is the Top Pick for Family Hauler while Toyota’s RAV4 got listed as the Top Pick in the Small SUV category.
• In the Green Car category, the Toyota Prius (which have been subjected to unintended acceleration complaints) was Consumer Reports’ Top Pick.