Kaiser Permanente employs hundreds of thousands of people and is responsible for the health and well-being of millions of Americans. Unfortunately, this company does not have the best track record when it comes to treating employees fairly. At Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers, our knowledgeable and experienced team is ready to help if you or a loved one have been wronged and needs a Long Beach Kaiser Permanente attorney. We will investigate your case and work to secure any compensation you are entitled to.
Kaiser Permanente And Their Affiliates Have A History Of Employment Violations
Kaiser Permanente is a massive health care organization based in Oakland, California, and has more than 200,000 employees throughout the United States. Many of these employees are right here in Long Beach. The team at Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers has vast experience handling employment law violations at Kaiser Permanente and their affiliates, including:
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
- Kaiser Foundation Hospitals
- Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG)
- The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG)
Employment Law Violations
It is common for larger organizations like Kaiser Permanente to violate employment laws. Some of the common employment law violations include:
- Minimum wage violations
- Failure to provide a safe working environment
- Failure to provide workers’ compensation insurance
- Employee misclassification
- Overtime violations
Minimum Wage Violations
Every state is required to pay its employees a minimum wage rate for any work performed. When an employer intentionally pays an employee less than the minimum wage, that employer is committing wage theft. Employers can also be liable for wage theft if an employer willingly deducts improper costs from an employee’s pay. Improper costs can include expenses such as cash register shortages or financial losses due to the employee’s negligence. These deductions are unlawful, and if an employer is guilty of deducting these costs from an employee’s pay, the employee is entitled to recover these costs from the employer.
Failure To Provide A Safe Working Environment
There are federal and state laws that require employers to provide a safe workplace for all employees. When employers fail to uphold their duty in providing a safe working environment, they are in violation of several federal and state laws. In these conditions, employees have the right to either report their employer for unsafe working conditions, refuse the right to work, or both. Employees have the option of reporting their employer to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal agency responsible for enforcing the protection and regulations of safe working conditions for all employees.
Failure To Purchase Or Provide Workers’ Compensation Insurance
All employers with a certain number of employees are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. Workers’ compensation insurance is necessary insurance for employees who have been injured while on the job. Under this type of insurance, employees are able to be financially compensated for any medical wages or lost wages related to the work injury. When employers fail to carry this type of insurance, they are liable to be held for serious consequences. Employers can be held criminally liable for failing to carry workers’ compensation insurance and face heavy fines.
Employee Misclassification
In certain occupations, employees will deliberately misclassify their employees as independent contractors for financial reasons. The reasons for employee misclassification are usually for the employers to save on labor costs and taxes. When an employer intentionally misclassifies an employee as an independent contractor, the employer is at risk of facing hefty fines. In addition to fines, employees who have been misclassified have the right to pursue legal action against their employer for the deliberate misclassification. Employees can file legal claims against their employers to recuperate any compensation that was due to them, like overtime wages and back pay.
Overtime Violations
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes clear rules concerning overtime pay in the United States. In general, employees are entitled to overtime pay if they have worked over the time periods of
- Eight hours a day
- 40 hours a week
- 6 days in a row for one week
When an employer refuses to pay employees overtime wages that they are entitled to, they have a couple of legal actions that they can take. They can either file a claim through the Wage ad Hour Division or pursue compensation with an employment lawyer.
What Can Happen At Kaiser Permanente
There are various types of employment law violations that can occur within Kaiser Permanente organizations. Many of these violations are issues that can occur in any workplace. However, due to the nature of the type of work Kaiser Permanente is involved in, there are specific violations of law that can occur, specifically those revolving around healthcare worker protections.
Some of the most common violations our kaiser wrongful termination lawyer help employees with include discrimination or harassment based on a person’s:
- Age
- Disability
- Equal Pay/Compensation
- Genetic Information
- Harassment
- National Origin
- Pregnancy
- Race/Color
- Religion
- Retaliation
- Sex
- Sexual Harassment
However, we also help protect healthcare workers within the Kaiser Permanente organizations who raise alarms about patient care and workplace safety conditions. There are various laws in California to protect these workers, including the following:
- California Health & Safety Code Section 1278.5. Protects healthcare workers who face retaliation for complaining about suspected unsafe patient care
- California Business & Professions Code Section 510. Protects licensed healthcare workers (including nurses) who face retaliation for complaining about inadequate patient care.
- California Business & Professions Code Section 2056. Protects doctors and surgeons who face retaliation for complaining about inadequate patient care.
Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers has an in-depth understanding of the structure, arbitration clauses, and union issues facing Kaiser Permanente employees.
We Are Here To Help You Through This
If you or somebody you love has been treated unfairly while working for Kaiser Permanente, seek legal assistance immediately. At Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers, our qualified and experienced team thoroughly understands how this company operates and already investigating your case. Our goal is to secure any compensation you may be entitled to, including the following:
- Recovery of income and benefits (past and future)
- Reinstatement to your job (if necessary and desired)
- Court costs and legal fees
- Pain and suffering damages
- Possible punitive damages against Kaiser Permanente
When you need a Long Beach Kaiser wrongful termination attorney, you can contact us by clicking here or calling us at 310-527-6994 for a free consultation.