Q: My employer pays me at one rate of pay for my regular work, but then pays me minimum wage for travel and attending seminars after-hours. How is my overtime supposed to be calculated?
–Bad at Math (CA)
A: Calculating overtime for an hourly employee who is paid at two separate hourly rates is [...]

Q: I quit my last job because my boss would not stop asking me out on dates. Now I am having a really tough time finding a new position. Every time I go through an interview they seem to love me, but then it falls through once they start checking my references. [...]

Q: I took a one-month FMLA medical leave for surgery, but my employer laid me off two weeks into the leave. I have always heard that an employer cannot terminate an employee who is on a medical leave. Is this true?
–Unemployed (CA)
A: It is a common misconception among employees that employers [...]

Q: I moved to California from Wisconsin six months ago to take a job with a company here. I quit a good job back home, my wife sacrificed a job she loved, and our kids had to leave all of their friends behind, and we moved our family to California. I was [...]

Q: One of my co-workers has asked me to testify for in her discrimination case against our employer. I want to help, but I am afraid that my employer will retaliate against me if I help her.
–Want to Help But Scared (CA)
A: Both state and federal discrimination laws prohibit retaliation by employers [...]

Q: There are rumors circulating at work that our boss is spying on employees with video surveillance. Is that legal?
–Private Eyes are Watching Me (CA)
A: The answer to your question is: it depends. Whether or not video surveillance at work is illegal depends largely upon the facts in a given situation. [...]

Q: I work from a home office in California, but my employer is based in Illinois. I have many business expenses I pay out of my own pocket but my employer refuses to reimburse me for them. Is this legal in California?
–Paying the Company’s Bills (CA)
A: In California, Labor Code § [...]

Q: My boss is a real jerk. She harasses me for no good reason, calls me names and belittles me in front of other employees. Today I finally told her not to treat me like that anymore, because it interferes with my work and it is unprofessional. She fired me on the spot for complaining. [...]

Q: I have worked for a company over 20 years and now I am retiring. I never took a vacation the last ten years I worked there. Each year I lost all of the vacation time I did not use. My son told me that is illegal in California. Is [...]