Los Angeles Legal Blog

Do you know if they are recording the call?

On behalf of Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. on Thursday, January 17, 2019.

You receive a call from a company – a creditor or collections agent, perhaps. In most of these calls, they will ask you some questions, and some of these questions will involve very personal information about your finances. But what if that call is being recorded without your knowing it? And what if something happened to compromise the safety of that information?

While most people simply assume that their calls are not being recorded. But the truth is, companies know that the practice of recording calls is illegal, but they do it anyway. This practice puts your financial security in jeopardy. In fact, a recent class action suit tells this familiar story.

When might plaintiffs reasonably pursue a class action lawsuit?

On behalf of Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. posted in Consumer Fraud on Thursday, January 10, 2019.

Personal-injury litigation has often been characterized as formalized battle.

And for good reason. It can especially seem that way for a plaintiff seeking justice after being harmed by, say, corporate behavior in the consumer fraud realm or concerning an on-the-job issue like harassment or discrimination.

Sexual harassment changes may be coming to Congress

On behalf of Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. on Friday, December 21, 2018.

In the wake of the #MeToo movement and increased scrutiny for sexual harassment, the U.S. Congress has decided to act. In this case, it’s against themselves.

Both the House and Senate passed a bill that reforms the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA). That law dictates how Congress handles its sexual harassment claims, among other things. The bipartisan bill is now on its way to President Donald Trump’s desk, where he is expected to sign it.

Sexual harassment remains an issue for flight attendants

On behalf of Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. on Thursday, December 20, 2018.

Flight attendants are at a major risk of sexual harassment in the workplace. According to the Association of Flight Attendants, 20 percent of flight attendants had been victims of sexual assault. Additionally, over two-thirds of those who had been sexually assaulted said the incidents occurred on a flight.

Flight attendants said they have been assaulted by passengers, as well as pilots. According to National Public Radio (NPR), over 90 percent of pilots are males and 80 percent of flight attendants are females. Unfortunately, flight attendants believe this gender imbalance creates situations where sexual harassment is more likely to occur.

Women leadership and sexual harassment in the workplace

On behalf of Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. on Wednesday, November 21, 2018.

To anyone in the workforce at any level who is paying attention, it is obvious that gender politics play an important role. With the emergence of the #MeToo movement, the deeper and more disturbing issue of sexual harassment in the workplace have been brought to the forefront, as well. As a law firm, we have been on the forefront of helping women who have suffered sexual harassment and other forms of harassment and mistreatment in the workplace. Our white paper (Fighting Back: The Changing Landscape of Workplace Harassment) discusses this issue at length, and anyone who has experienced harassment should fight back.

The Global Issue

What is "new"? What is an "authorized Dealer?" Avoid craigslist scams.

On behalf of Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. posted in Consumer Fraud on Friday, November 2, 2018.

Retailers are selling their products on craigslist with increasing frequency. More than ever before, buyers can find deep discounts on cars, appliances and other big-ticket items from companies selling multiple items.

However, in many cases, these retailers are using craigslist to defraud their customers. Ads that claim to come from an "authorized dealer" selling "brand new" items are often false. What can you, the customer, do to protect yourself?

New law protects consumers from hidden automatic renewals

On behalf of Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

It’s one of the easiest ways to accidentally spend money – start a free trial of a service, then forget to cancel until you find a strange charge on your credit card when the trial period ends. Then when you try to cancel you discover the subscription can only be cancelled over the phone, even though everything else is online.

Hidden charges and complicated cancellation processes have frustrated consumers for years, but in 2018 the California legislature fought back. Consumers now have even greater protection from confusing business practices by online subscriptions.

Governor signs new protections against sexual harassment at work

On behalf of Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. on Friday, October 19, 2018.

California Governor Jerry Brown recently signed several pieces of legislation to protect workers from sexual harassment and help sexual assault victims get justice.

The bills followed on the heels of revelations of widespread abuse by producer Harvey Weinstein and other Hollywood insiders. The accusations have created a discussion about the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment in the U.S.

Fighting For Women's Rights In The Workplace

On behalf of Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. posted in Employment Law on Thursday, October 4, 2018.

For many years, women in the American workforce have simply accepted lower wages for the same work as their male counterparts. The truth is, there wasn't much choice for them. Their employers would offer them less money, take it or leave it.

However, this situation is changing for the better. Due to recent case law, employers are restricted in their reasons for giving women lower pay than their male counterparts. At the Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C., we represent women who have been discriminated against in the workplace.

People with disabilities have rights in the workplace

On behalf of Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C. on Tuesday, September 25, 2018.

For many years in our country, people with disabilities have struggled in the workplace. If you had a physical, mental or psychological problem that prevented you from doing your job, you could be fired and would need to find a different job, if you could.

But times have changed. There is an expectation in our country now that employers provide their workers with reasonable accommodations if they have disabilities. If you have been discriminated against in the workplace because of your disability, you need to know your rights and understand how the law protects your right to work.