Increased Protections for Employees Who Exercise Rights Under California Labor Code Section 98.6

As of January 1, 2014, employees in California enjoy greater protections for exercising their rights under California Labor Code Section 98.6, which previously prohibited employers from discharging or discriminating against employees for exercising their rights, now also prohibits employers from retaliating or taking any adverse employment action for doing so. The new law now also protects employees from retaliation because they have made an oral or written complaint that they are owed unpaid wages. The penalty for violating this section is $10,000 per employee for each instance of retaliation.