Consumer Information

Walt Disney World to Pay $433,819 in Back Wages

Insurer may pay $250,000 to settle sexual harassment case

Class-Action Lawsuits Over Unpaid Overtime

Some bounce houses contain unsafe levels of lead

Attorneys Helping Employees,
Policyholders & Consumers

700 N. Central Avenue, Suite 235
Glendale, California 91203
818-291-0088

CONSUMER INFORMATION
For your convenience we have listed these articles in topic categories. Click a topic to view the available topics, or scroll the page to view all.

Topics:
Employment Consumer Rights Insurance Seniors & Annuities

I. INSURANCE

A. Homeowners Insurance

1)	Obtaining Insurance Protection for Your Home
2)	Dealing with Insurance Companies When Wildfires or Other Disasters Strike Your Home
3)	Dealing with Your Insurance Company if Your Home is Damaged

B. Automobile Insurance

1)	When An Auto Accident Happens to You
2)	Uninsured Motorist Coverage Protects You & Your Family
3)	Is Your Auto Insurance Coverage Enough?
4)	Pursuing Personal Injury Claims with Insurance Companies
5)	Helping You Get Paid in Your Accident Claims

C. Rights of Policyholders

1)	The Insurer’s Duty to Defend You
2)	Helpful Tips for Your Insurance Claims
3)	Protecting Your Rights Under Your Disability Insurance
4)	Handling Health Insurance Billing Problems & Claims Denials

D. Insurance Bad Faith

1)	What is Insurance Bad Faith and How Are Consumers Protected?
2)	Do Insurance Companies Engage in Fraud?
3)	Unfair Tactics Worsen Consumers’ Financial Hardships
4)	Confusing Insurance Provisions Should Not Defeat Insurance Claims
5)	The “Top” Ten Insurance Companies in America (AAJ Study)

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II. EMPLOYMENT

A. Wage Claims, Overtime & Other Employee Compensation

1)	FAQ on Minimum Wage that Took Effect in 2008
2)	Have You Been Paid for All The Hours You Worked
3)	Keep Accurate Time Records at Work to Protect Your Rights
4)	Are You Entitled to Additional Pay for Work Time?
5)	Determining An Employee’s Compensable Hours
6)	Being An Independent Contractor or 1099 Worker: Good or Bad for You?
7)	Misclassifying Employees as Independent Contractors Can Be Risky & Expensive
8)	Employee Compensation During Holidays
9)	Employees Should be Paid for Working Before or After Their Scheduled Shift
10)	Overtime Law and the Pre-filled Time Sheet
11)	Should Employee Travel Time Be Compensable?
12)	Should Employees be Paid for Work Done “Off The Clock”?
13)	Work-Related Activities That Employees Should Be Paid For
14)	Misclassifying Nurses, Caregivers, Couriers & Janitors
15)	Are Accountants Unlicensed as CPAs Entitled to Overtime Pay?
16)	Are Assistant Store Managers Entitled to Overtime Pay?
17)	Are Computer Technicians Entitled to Overtime Pay?
18)	Are Employees Required to Share Their Tips?
19)	Are Managers Entitled to Overtime Pay?
20)	When Salaried Employees Become Entitled to Additional Wages
21)	Employment Contracts for Nurses & Other Employees Cannot be Less Than the Prevailing Wage Rates
22)	Is A Two-Rate System of Paying Nurses and Health Personnel Legal?
23)	Should Live-In Employees Be Paid for Sleep Time?
24)	Should Resident Employees Be Paid for Stand-by Time?
25)	How Wage And Hour Class Actions Benefit Employees
26)	Can The Government Help You Recover Unpaid Wages and Overtime?
27)	Should Employees File Their Own Wage Claims?
28)	Should Employees Be Paid for Commute Time?
29)	Are You Being Paid for All Your Work Time?
30)	Are You Being Paid Properly for Working Split-Shifts?
31)	Overtime Violations Can Occur in Small and Big Companies
32)	Should Employees Be Paid for Work Related Wait Time?
33)	Proving Your Wage Claims When the Boss Did Not Keep time Records

B. Meal & Rest Periods

1)	Business Necessity is No Excuse for Denying Lunch & Rest Breaks
2)	Violations of Employee Meal & Rest Breaks Can Be Expensive
3)	Are Part-Time Employees Entitled to Meal & Rest Periods?
4)	Meal Breaks verses Rest Breaks: What's the Difference?

C. Discrimination & Retaliation

1)	Protecting Disabled Employees
2)	Protecting the Pregnant Employee
3)	David Letterman Confession: When is Sex in the Workplace Unlawful?
4)	Employees Who Complain of Discrimination Are Entitled to Protection
5)	What Should I Do if My Boss Violates the Law? (Protecting the Whistleblower)
6)	Employee Whistleblowers Caused Employer to Pay 2.3 Billion for Marketing Fraud
7)	Protecting Employees When They Assert Their Rights

D. Employee Rights

1)	When & How Often Should Employees Be Paid?
2)	Is Your Employer Making Lawful Deductions from Your Paycheck?
3)	On Employee Pay Stubs & Payroll Records
4)	Are Employers Mandated to Give Vacation Leave Benefits?
5)	Are Employers Mandated to Provide Sick Leave Benefits to Employees?
6)	Are Employees Entitled to Privacy At Work?
7)	When Employees Take A Pay Cut
8)	Labor Violations Usually Victimize Low-Wage Workers
9)	Even Undocumented Workers May Claim Wage Law Protection
10)	How Your Internet Presence May Affect Your Lawsuit
11)	Employee Rights When Leaving Employment
12)	Overtime and Other Wage Violations Are Rampant in Los Angeles (Part1)
13)	Overtime and Other Wage Violations Are Rampant in Los Angeles (Part2)
14)	Overtime and Other Wage Violations Are Rampant in Los Angeles (Part3)
15)	Are You Getting Lesser Wages Due to Illegal Deductions?

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III. CONSUMER RIGHTS

A. Consumer Safety

1)	Helping the Seriously Injured
2)	Being Injured on Someone Else’s Property
3)	Unfit Trucks on Our Roads Threaten Public Safety
4)	Lawsuits Make Products Safer
5)	The Importance of Access to the Courts (The Story of Dennis Quaid’s Children)
6)	When Drugs Harm Patients (The Story of Vioxx)
7)	The Toyota and Honda Recalls: Protect Yourself from Defective and Dangerous Products
8)	Who is Responsible for Dog Bite Injuries?

B. Consumer Protection

1)	“No Recovery, No Fee” System: Is it Good for You?
2)	Why Punitive Damages are Important to Consumers
3)	Is Arbitration Favorable to Consumers & Employees?
4)	When the Jury Speaks, Corporate America Listens! (The Dominos Pizza Case)
5)	When the Jury Speaks, Corporate America Listens! (The McDonald’s Coffee Burn Case)
6)	The So. Cal. Wildfires: General Consumer Tips to Prevent Fraud
7)	Dealing with Serious Personal Injuries or Wrongful Death
8)	Dealing with Injuries Caused by Toxins
9)	Lawsuits Promote Safety in Cars and Other Products

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IV. SENIORS & ANNUITIES

1)	Protecting Our Seniors Against Elder Abuse
2)	Protecting Our Seniors from Financial Abuse
3)	Avoiding Consumer Scams that Target Seniors & Retirees
4)	Seniors Beware of These Insurance Schemes
5)	Protecting Investors and Seniors from Insurance Companies & Their Agents
6)	Millions In Penalty Imposed on Insurers & Brokers for Annuities Fraud
7)	Retiree Wins Annuities Fraud Case Against Insurance Company
8)	Seniors Victimized in Annuities Fraud
9)	Warning to Retirees & Seniors: Some Deferred Annuities are Hazardous to Your Financial Health

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Disclaimer: As a public service, the Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. has prepared informative articles on topics of interest to consumers and policyholders. Nothing contained in these articles should be construed as creating or intending to create an attorney-client relationship or purporting to give legal advice on individual matters. Due to constant changes in the law, exceptions to general rules of law, and factual differences, please seek professional legal advice before acting on any matter.

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