About Judy Malmon, J.D.
Judy Malmon has blended law and writing throughout her career. She got her J.D. from University of California, Davis and practiced elder and disability law in California and Minnesota. She honed her writing by drafting appellate decisions in a nationwide class action, writing blogs for law firms, and writing for Westlaw. She loves digging into everyday legal questions, deciphering the complexities of law, and telling personal stories.
Articles written by Judy Malmon, J.D.
Suing for Pregnancy Discrimination
Losing your job due to pregnancy is not allowedSexual harassment and employment discrimination have become far more scrutinized following the #MeToo movement, with both awareness and legal claims on the rise. One lesser-known corner of gender-based discrimination is against pregnant women. Pregnancy Discrimination Is Prohibited Under Federal and State Laws Adverse employment actions taken against pregnant employees (or those who have just had a baby) are prohibited by several federal laws, including: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of …
Is a Restaurant Liable for Allergens in Food?
Legal advice if you have an adverse reaction in IllinoisYou’ve probably noticed that food allergies have been on the rise in recent years. Peanut, milk, tree nut, shellfish allergies and celiac disease have all seen an increase in incidence as well as an accompanying elevation in public consciousness. While some intolerances can trigger relatively mild reactions, others are severe allergic reactions and can be life-threatening, even from trace amounts. According to the Centers for Disease Control, food allergies are responsible for approximately …
Can My Employer Dictate What I Wear at Work?
Generally, yes, though there are limits to setting dress code policiesWhat you wear at work may seem like your business and not your boss’s, but unless you’re working from home, your employer has legitimate reasons to care about your appearance. As a general rule, an employer is entitled to state requirements and restrictions regarding an employee's dress code, such as a specific uniform or level of professional attire. An employer is entitled to expect certain standards of hygiene, appropriateness, and professionalism while staff are on the clock …
Your RV Has Its Own Warranty—and Legal Issues
What RV owners need to know about warranty coverage and deceptive practicesRecreational vehicles, which include motorhomes and trailers, have become a huge market in the states. With the surge in RV ownership has come all the accompanying things that can go wrong with an expensive auto purchase—everything from engine or parts failures to interior issues, like a wonky fridge or leaky roof. And while these may sound like vastly different problems, you can go to one lawyer for all of your RV issues. Consumer Laws and RVers While most of the applicable laws are the same …
Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana in California
Legalization is not a pass to drive stonedThe legalization of cannabis in California has made the use of marijuana more common. But, as with alcohol, its legality does not make it acceptable or safe to operate a motor vehicle while impaired. That said, impairment from marijuana can be a pretty tricky thing to assess accurately, efficiently, or even-handedly. While the influence of alcohol can be measured by blood alcohol content (BAC) using a breath test, blood test, or other chemical tests, there is no breathalyzer for …
To Victims of Sexual Assault: Please Seek Legal Help
Navigating the legal system with strong legal representationSidney Royer, a Seattle-based victim’s rights and personal injury attorney, sees high-profile sexual assault convictions such as the one against Bill Cosby in 2018 as “another wakeup call for women and men who were victims of sexual crime. If someone could come forward against Bill Cosby, I think it makes it easier for people to discuss their own situation... If it could happen with him, other people less wonderful could be just as terrible.” Royer represents victims of violent crimes in …
Are You Working After Punching Out?
California wage laws may not recognize federal ‘de minimis’ exceptionIf a speck of coffee grounds falls on the counter, does it make a sound? What about when you multiply that single bit by 2,874? That’s the number of Starbucks coffee shops in the state of California, and, theoretically, roughly the number of hourly employees required to perform certain end of the day closing shift duties after they’ve mandatorily clocked out for the day. They should receive overtime pay. FLSA ‘De Minimis’ Rule In Troester v. Starbucks, Inc., a former Starbucks employee …
What Is Fee-Shifting?
The growing trend among attorneys may save consumers a boatload in legal feesCommon perception holds that lawyers are money-sucking predators, charging exorbitant rates to fuel extravagant lifestyles. The reality is that most attorneys get into the profession as a means to help others. Yes, they like to keep the lights on and feed their kids, but getting rich is not necessarily the driving force. Lawyers get that lawyers are expensive for regular folks. In an effort to advance the public interest, legal theories have arisen on the idea of fee-shifting provisions. The …
Can a Business Provide Your Private Information to ICE?
Yes, and though it’s against the law, illegal immigrants in Washington may still be deportedAccording to a lawsuit brought by the Washington Attorney General’s Office, six Seattle area Motel 6 locations gave ICE agents guests’ full names, driver’s license numbers, phone numbers, license plate numbers, and the room number in which they stayed from 2015 to 2017. The data of more than 9,000 guests was then allegedly used by the agents to target individuals for detention, singling out those with Latino-sounding surnames. If the allegations are true, this was without guests’ …
How a Lawyer Can Help Launch Your Small Business
One size doesn’t fit all startupsLaunching and operating a small business can expose you to a variety of types of legal liability, making it often difficult to have a good grasp on what exactly your legal needs are. Particularly with a limited startup budget, it’s important to have guidance on what to do and when. Enter Boston transactional business attorney Sofia Lingos. “Most of my clients come at the business formation stage when they’re trying to understand exposure and liability,” she says. “I like to start with …
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