Under AB 1093, the California Labor Code § 3600 was amended to state that whenever a third party injures or kills an employee because of the third party's personal beliefs relating to his or her perception of the injured employee's race, religious creed, color, national origin, age, gender, disability, sex, or sexual orientation; no personal connection or relationship will be found to exist.  Essentially, employers will now be responsible for injuries to an employee caused by another person and motivated by any of the previously listed reasons in addition to other work-related injuries. 

Counselors to Management: 

Problems with discrimination can plague an employer for many reasons and put a huge dent in company income.  In addition to other laws that prohibit discrimination in the workplace, this change in the Labor Code provides employers with further punishment if discrimination is present at work, even when it is due problems entirely unrelated to management, ownership, or the company altogether. Employers must continue to take precautions to make sure to the best of their abilities that discrimination does not exist within their company.  Employers must also establish strong anti-discrimination policies, and any behavior that appears to be discriminatory must be investigated and punished accordingly. 

Employers who need help creating or implementing such policies should contact The Saqui Law Group to assist them. 

The goal of this article is to provide employers with current labor and employment law information. The contents should not be interpreted or construed as legal advice or opinion. For individual responses to questions or concerns regarding any given situation, the reader should consult with The Saqui Law Group at (831) 443-7100 in Salinas.