What is the Law Regarding Employment in Palo Alto?
Employment law refers to the body of laws in Palo Alto that govern employees, employers, and independent contractors. Employment issues that are regulated by these laws include hiring policies, wage amounts, and termination procedures. Employers and their employees alike should be knowledgeable of Palo Alto employment laws.
"At-Will" vs. Contract Employment Terms
Sometimes an employment contract is used that sets a specific length of employment, but most of the times employment is considered to be on an "at-will" basis. "At-will" employment means that either the employer or the employee can terminate the position at any given time, even without a specific reason, so long as the termination does not violate the law When the parties use an employment contract, the terms of employment will be regulated by their state and federal laws, as applied to people living in Palo Alto.
Anti-Discrimination laws in Palo Alto
Palo Alto citizens must abide by laws which make discrimination illegal at all phases of employment, including hiring workers, wage disputes, and terminating procedures. Residents of Palo Alto are regulated by laws which make it illegal to discriminate against members of certain categories. These categories include race, age, gender, national origin, disability, and religion.
Claims for employment discrimination can be filed with an administrative agency such as EEOC. Lawyers often specialize in employment discrimination.