Los Angeles Legal Issues Blog

Insurance companies have an obligation to their clients, whether it is to pay the insurance holder's legitimate claim or to investigate and process a claim within a reasonable time period. This is because they often have more resources than the policyholder-they have more financial resources, greater negotiating power and more expertise. These same factors also put the company in the driving seat, which is why courts often find that companies should proceed with an obligation of good faith and fair dealing.

A company could be acting in bad faith if they misrepresent the contractual language to the policyholder to avoid a payout. Acting in bad faith could also involve making unreasonable demands to prove a cost or failing to disclose important policy limitations and exclusions. These are only some of the examples of bad faith, but the bottom line is that insurance bad faith can end up negatively impacting a client's claim.

Though California residents may consider themselves more liberal and open than their counterparts across the country, the truth is that many of them still face discrimination in the workplace. This takes place when they are treated negatively because of their age, religion, race, gender, disability, skin color or national origin. It is illegal to do so either when hiring someone or while they are currently employed. Additionally, as per federal law, it is even illegal to do so when providing a referral, promotion or in other facets of employment.

Employment discrimination can take many forms, which is why employees may not even be aware of whether it took place or not. Additionally, they may not be aware that they have certain rights in case they are being discriminated against. Suggesting or stating who a preferred candidate is in an advertisement, excluding potential candidates during recruitment and paying equally qualified people different salaries are all discriminatory behaviors, as is denying or disrupting the use of company facilities and denying certain employees benefits or compensation.

Investing is all about minimizing your risk. Part of the way to do that is going through people you trust and listening to sound advice.

Unfortunately, there’s a specific kind of scam that uses friends and family to sell you on faulty investments. It’s called affinity fraud, and recognizing the signs can save you and your loved ones a lot of money.

While there have been improvements in gender equity in the financial field, the industry still has a long way to go. For one, while there have been increases in women in higher level positions in finance, the very top remains highly male-dominated.

Also, women continue to face a lot of challenges within the industry that their male colleagues generally do not. An article on Financial Advisor’s website noted some of the biases that women still commonly face in finance workplaces. These include: