What is the Law Regarding Employment in Santa Barbara County?

Employment law refers to the body of laws in Santa Barbara County 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 Santa Barbara County 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 implies that either the employer or employee may end the job at any time for any reason, so long as it is not illegal to do so In the instance that the employer and employee have an employment contract, regulations from both the state and federal government will apply to the city of Santa Barbara County

Anti-Discrimination laws in Santa Barbara County

The laws applicable for citizens of Santa Barbara County usually make discrimination illegal at any phase of employment, such as hiring, working environment, and terminations. Santa Barbara County residents must follow laws which prohibit employer discrimination against members of various classes. These classes include age, gender, race, religion, disability, and national origin.

Claims for employment discrimination can be filed with an administrative agency such as EEOC. Lawyers often specialize in employment discrimination.