Everybody uses a cell phone now. They are simply a necessity of living in an age of emails, texting, and social media. But smart phones are expensive, so are monthly plans. And have you ever gone over your data limit? It can get ridiculously expensive. Which brings me to my next point: cell phones have become an essential work tool for many employees. Your employer may require to be on call, to receive and send emails through your phone, to text or use social media, or even to purchase expensive apps. So what are you supposed to do when use your personal cell phone for work and end up running up your bill? California Employers Responsible For Employee Expenses If you were not aware, California employees are entitled to reimbursement for employment related expenses. Specifically, the California Labor Code states that: “An employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by…Read More
Consumer fraud has risen sharply in recent years. This is no real surprise, as Americans have begun to use more and more technologies – tablets and smartphones, PayPal and Venmo – to conduct transactions, leaving themselves vulnerable to more and more types of theft. Yet the most prevalent form of fraud is one that has been perpetuated for decades. According to a recent report issued by the Federal Trade Commission, the most common consumer complaint stemmed from illegal practices undertaken by debt collection agencies. The FTC received nearly 900,000 complaints to this end. Now the question is what they might do about it. What Is The Government Doing About It? While some debt collection agencies comply with federal laws, many engage in illegal activities in order to obtain what they’re owed. They will harass and threaten debtors, demand excessive payouts, and share consumers’ private financial information. The effects can be disastrous. Consumers are often coerced…Read More
In California, most employees are considered to be “at will” employees. Specifically, California Labor Code Section 2922 states that “An employment, having no specified term, may be terminated at the will of either party on notice to the other. Employment for a specified term means an employment for a period greater than one month.” In other words, an employer can fire an employee without cause, or in the alternative, employees can quit whenever they want. While this may seem like a pretty cut and dry concept, there are situations where an at will termination is improper or unlawful. Exempt Employees Employees may be exempt from at-will employment by agreement. This generally applies to the following categories of employees: (1) Employees with an employment contract that requires some sort of cause to be fired; (2) Union employees, who have some form of collective bargaining agreement that requires “good cause” or “just cause” to fire an employee;…Read More
