http://www.amandahill.com/blog Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:00:34 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Last week the federal minimum wage went up to $7.25 per hour. It is estimated that 4.5 million workers across the country got a raise last week, but that did not change anyone’s pay in California. California’s minimum wage at $8 per hour was already above the Federal ... http://www.amandahill.com/blog/2009/07/28/federal-minimum-wage-increased-but-did-not-help-california-employees/ The following article was posted on Variety.com http://www.variety.com/article/VR1500001200.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=brad+call Digital Domain loses termination suit "Button" vfx company to pay $2 million in damages By David s. Cohen In a verdict handed down Thursday evening in Malibu, Christian Bradley "Brad" Call has won his wrongful termination suit against visual effects shop Digital Domain and ... http://www.amandahill.com/blog/2009/07/03/varietycom-reports-that-digital-domain-loses-wrongful-termination-lawsuit-to-ex-president-christian-bradley-brad-call/ Allied Home Mortgage Corp. in Houston has paid $1,855,518 in back wages after the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division accused the company of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by failing to pay an overtime premium to commission-only employees. The Department of Labor says that the company ... http://www.amandahill.com/blog/2009/06/09/mortgage-company-paid-nearly-2m-to-settle-ot-complaint/ A new State Department report says some local employees hired by U.S. embassies and other posts around the world are so poorly paid they have to cut back to one meal a day or send their children to peddle on the streets. The report quotes some overseas employees as saying ... http://www.amandahill.com/blog/2009/06/09/some-employees-at-us-diplomatic-posts-earn-less-than-1-a-day/ On June 2, 2009, the Fourth District Court of Appeal in San Diego decided Starbucks can legally require its low-wage hourly coffee baristas to share tips with supervisors who also wait on customers. The appeals court reversed a $106 million award against Starbucks, which currently has over 1,300 locations throughout ... http://www.amandahill.com/blog/2009/06/09/starbucks-supervisors-are-allowed-to-take-from-the-tip-jar/ This article discusses general aspects of community property in California. The principles set forth below, however, can be changed by a premarital agreement. A premarital agreement is commonly referred to as a prenup or prenuptial agreement, and is often used by spouses to determine property rights during marriage ... http://www.amandahill.com/blog/2008/07/26/california-community-property-basics/ After someone is arrested there are several steps before they have a criminal record or go to jail. 1. The Arrest: The police arrest someone based on probable cause that the person has committed a criminal offense. 2. Filing the Complaint: The police provide reports and evidence to the ... http://www.amandahill.com/blog/2008/06/16/criminal-what-happens-after-a-criminal-arrest/ California Employment Laws are generally employee friendly. A prime example of this is the 2007 case Murphy v. Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. , where the California Supreme Court set forth the general principle that "statutes governing conditions of employment are to be construed broadly in favor of protecting employees" and ... http://www.amandahill.com/blog/2008/06/05/california-supreme-court-says-additional-pay-for-missed-breaks-are-wages/ Revocable Living Trusts are a popular tool in estate planning. One of the main reasons for this is the substantial tax savings that can be gained. You don't have to be "rich" to benefit from a Revocable Living Trust. Property owners in California are great candidates for this type of ... http://www.amandahill.com/blog/2008/06/05/revocable-living-trusts-101-2/ Welcome to the Law Offices of Amanda Hill's blog! You can subscribe to our blog for regular legal updates on a variety of issues. Keep in mind that although this website and blog may provide information concerning potential legal issues, it is not a substitute for legal advice from qualified counsel ... http://www.amandahill.com/blog/2008/06/04/welcome-to-our-blog/