Attorney Toni Jaramilla Discusses 2020 Legislation Improving Workplace Protections

Jaramilla, an active #MeToo advocate and current member and past Chair of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA), recently did legislative work alongside CELA leaders and helped draft laws inspired by the #MeToo movement and her own clients. They were signed into law in 2018 by then California Governor Jerry Brown. Governor Gavin Newsom signed additional laws in 2019, effective 2020.

In her Daily Journal article, Jaramilla writes that the legislation has significantly improved workplace protections for California workers. “In particular, the #MeToo Movement has inspired legislation that seeks to remedy the societal culture of silencing and punishing targets of sexual harassment and assualt who have the temerity to seek justice for the harms caused to them,” said Jaramilla, who was also featured in the December, 2019, issue of Angeleno magazine.

It was a blockbuster year, but just some of the legislation that came into effect in 2019 and 2020 are:

AB 9 which extends the deadline to file a complaint of discrimination and harassment from 1 year to 3 years with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing.  This bill was vetoed by Brown but signed into law by Newsom in 2019, giving targets of sexual harassment and discrimination more time to take legal action. 

Under SB 188, the CROWN Act, California is the first state to ban discrimination based on natural hairstyles.  “Race” under the Fair Employment and Housing Act now includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles such as locks, braids, and twists.   

Senate Bill 820, which created Code of Civil Procedure §1001, bans Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA’s) or “gag” provisions in settlement agreements entered into after January 1, 2019, involving claims of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, or retaliation. Assembly Bill 749 bans “No Rehire” clauses in settlement agreements that restrict employment opportunities for women and workers who bring claims of discrimination, harassment, or other employment disputes. Stated Governor Newsom, “Work is about more than earning an income. For many, a job can provide a sense of purpose and belonging – the satisfaction of knowing your labor provides value to the world. Everyone should have the ability to feel that pride in what they do, but for too many workers, they aren’t provided the dignity, respect or safety they deserve. These laws will help change that.”

For more than 24 years Jaramilla, who was recently named to the Daily Journal’s Top 75 Labor & Employment Lawyers list, has practiced employment law exclusively. She has litigated hundreds of cases of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and unpaid overtime wages, resulting in millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts. In addition to practicing employment law, Jaramilla is a frequent speaker at educational programs and radio shows and recognized as an employment law expert on various employment law topics, including legislation spurred by the #MeToo movement.

About Toni Jaramilla, A Professional Law Corporation

Toni Jaramilla is committed to achieving the best possible results for employees who have experienced problems in the workplace. Serving clients throughout Los Angeles, her focus is on achieving positive social change for workers. Through zealous and ethical advocacy, lawyers at the firm have built a reputation for excellence in the practice of employment and labor law. For more information, please call (310) 551-3020, or visit www.jaramilla.com. The office is located at 1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90067. To read more about Toni Jaramilla in the news, visit https://thenala.com/media-room/media-room-detail/toni-jaramilla-a-professional-law-corporation. 

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