San Francisco Civil Rights Lawyers
Is disability discrimination a problem at our nation’s airports? If one were to ask Michelle Gilstrap, she would no doubt answer with a resounding yes. Her experience with airlines – specifically United Airlines – left much to be desired in the area of customer service. Circumstances: Ms. Gilstrap has a broad range of medical problems, […]
Published on March 27, 2013In March of this year, in the matter of Melissa Ignat v. Yum! Brands, Inc., the California Court of Appeal recognized that in addition to other forms that are required for proving a breach of privacy occurred, privacy can also be breached verbally. The court held that “disclosure in writing is not required to maintain […]
Published on March 25, 2013As a retired couple from Chico, Tom and Donna Crook love taking vacations to San Francisco. So four years ago, they thought it appropriate to buy a timeshare from Wyndham Vacation Ownership for a room at the company’s Canterbury Hotel. “If you buy a timeshare, take time to read through all the documents and see […]
Published on March 1, 2013Sexual harassment can now be classified as a hate crime. According to a recent ruling in the matter of Ventura v. ABM Industries Incorporated, the California Court of Appeal upheld upheld a lower court’s verdict, concluding that “hate is not an element” in determining whether the section of the Ralph Act (Civil Code § 51.7) […]
Published on February 20, 2013In a highly anticipated decision last week, the California Supreme Court handed down its ruling in Harris v. City of Santa Monica. Terminated a mere eight days after informing her employer that she was pregnant, Ms. Harris sued the City of Santa Monica for pregnancy discrimination under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). In […]
Published on February 12, 2013Whistleblowers tend to get a bad rap in this country and around the world. From the employers exposed by their refusal to stand idly by to a media culture that tends to view them as traitors or worse, whistleblowers face an uphill battle as soon as they resolve to break the silence. Instead of being […]
Published on February 1, 2013It’s officially 2013. And as the resolution-making (and breaking) season comes into full swing across the country and around the world, the State of California is ringing in the New Year with its own tradition – new legal protections for employees. Officially taking effect on this, the first day of 2013, these new laws offer […]
Published on January 1, 2013For those who were unsure whether federal employment law extends to domestic violence victims, a new Q&A fact sheet from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) may provide some clarity. Released in October, the brief publication explains that both Title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) “may apply to employment situations involving applicants […]
Published on December 10, 2012You know what they say: All good things take time. After 13 years of groups lobbying on behalf of vulnerable workers who might blow the whistle on their federal employers, President Obama signed a bill into law meant to alleviate that longstanding concern. In addition to creating newer, wider protections for federal employees, the Whistleblower […]
Published on November 28, 2012Attorney Robert Fordiani is currently representing former Positive Resource Center (PRC) attorney Jane Gelfand in a whistleblower retaliation case. After bringing the non-profit agency’s attention to a potentially harmful contract involving the agency’s Ticket to Work program, Gelfand maintains that she was constructively terminated as a result of her concern for her clients. Meanwhile, PRC […]
Published on August 12, 2012Representing a former operating nurse for ValleyCare Health Systems, Mr. Organ worked to secure a decisive verdict in a whistleblower case that would serve to expand employee rights in the future. Resigning in distress after reporting numerous patient safety and state regulatory violations to hospital managers, 15-year veteran Kristeen Klaas filed a lawsuit against the […]
Published on July 24, 2010In a landmark case, Mr. Organ represented a reservist in the first-ever discrimination lawsuit in California to be brought against an employer for discriminating against an employee due to his military status. In the first case of its kind in the state of California, Army Reserve Captain Steve Lively filed a discrimination lawsuit against his […]
Published on September 8, 2009