Discrimination and COVID-19

Vaznaugh Weekly Weekly

Topic of the Week

How Interns Are Protected In the Workplace

Blog of the Week

Why It’s Important To Have an Employee-First Mindset with Business Decisions

Putting employees first in business decision-making is integral to the stability and longevity of a
company.

Thought for the Week

"If the intern performs work that benefits the employer and that would otherwise be performed by a regular employee, it is unlikely to be an internship. Interns are not a way to get free labor."

–Brandon Ruiz, Attorney

List of the Week

from Workplace Fairness

Did you know that:

1/3 of internships are unpaid
interns cannot legally perform the tasks of employees without compensation

Top Five News Headlines

The Law Office of Richard Vaznaugh

Experts in Workplace Rights for Bay Area Workers

505 Sansome Street, Suite 850
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 593-0076
Fax: (415) 653-8935

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in some types of harassment. Antidiscrimination laws protect you from being harassed at work because of your national origin; race; color; religion; older age (age 40 and older); sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity); genetic information; or disability. Regarding COVID-19, they are especially important if you are being harassed, if you are “high-risk” and need extra protection from getting sick, if your employer is not allowing you to work, or if you need a modification of your employer’s COVID-19 safety requirements.

1. Are there federal laws protect you against employment discrimination because of COVID-19?

Yes. Federal laws Federal laws protect you against employment discrimination because of COVID-19. They are especially important if you are being harassed, if you are “high-risk” and need extra protection from getting sick, if your employer is not allowing you to work, or if you need a modification of your employer’s COVID-19 safety requirements. See the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission webpage for more information.

For more information about your rights, call the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at 1-800-669-4000 (voice), 1-800-669-6820 (TTY), or 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone), or see the Workplace Fairness directory of attorneys

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has also posted a pre-recorded webinar addressing questions arising under any of the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws and the COVID-19 pandemic. The video can be seen on YouTube. A transcript of the webinar is also available.

2. Have people of color been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19?

Yes. These groups are at much greater risk of contracting COVID-19 and having serious complications from the virus. The resources below more information on COVID-19 and heath equity.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups.

Harvard Gazette “With COVID Spread, Racism – Not Race – is the Risk Factor.”

Practice Areas

The Law Office of Richard Vaznaugh assists plaintiffs in the following areas of employment law: Stock Option Disputes, Age Discrimination, Pensions and Benefits, Trade Secrets, Severance Packages, Physical and Drug Tests, Gender and Sex Discrimination, Libel and Slander, Defamation, Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Family and Medical Leave, Race or Nationality Discrimination, Covenants Not to Compete, Wrongful Termination, Workplace Disputes, Disability Discrimination, Reasonable Accommodation, Pregnancy Discrimination, Pregnancy Leave, Sick Leave, Gay and Lesbian Rights, Wages and Overtime Pay.