Fairgrieve Law Office

Fairgrieve Law Office Fairgrieve Law Office is a boutique law firm specializing in labor and employment law in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The firm handles a full range of legal services for employers, including human resources advice and training, issue-specific counsel, and full litigation, administrative hearing and appellate work. The employment practice at Fairgrieve Law Office is rooted in providing sound legal advice and counsel to small and medium-size companies that have limited in-house legal resources of their own. The fir

m assists clients establish and review workplace policies, and face employee legal complaints and compliance issues as they arise. As many businesses know, compliance with California labor law is complicated and constantly evolving. When working with clients, Fairgrieve Law helps create and enact the right policies from the outset, ensuring that when legal situations happen, the organization stands ready to mount a sound defense with the firm’s assistance.

**DISCLAIMER** Any statement contained herein does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the ultimate result or outcome of your legal matter. This social media account is not intended to be an advertisement or solicitation outside the state of California. Fairgrieve Law Office’s practice is limited to California state and federal matters. This page contains attorney advertising and is not intended to provide legal advice whatsoever. The information received on this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. © Fairgrieve Law 2015-2017 All Rights Reserved

A job offer followed by a refusal to accommodate a disability isn't a hiring decision, it's a federal violation. ALM Fre...
05/29/2026

A job offer followed by a refusal to accommodate a disability isn't a hiring decision, it's a federal violation.

ALM Freight and employment agency LMDmax agreed to pay $107,000 to resolve an EEOC disability discrimination lawsuit after allegedly revoking a job offer when a deaf applicant asked for a sign language interpreter for new hire orientation. The ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities, and that duty applies during the hiring and onboarding process, not just after day one. See https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/alm-freight-and-lmdmax-pay-107000-eeoc-disability-discrimination-lawsuit

If you use a staffing agency, know that both your company and the agency can be held responsible. We help employers understand their obligations and build hiring practices that are truly compliant. 📞 Questions? Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧email us at [email protected]

A $372,500 settlement is a costly reminder that having an anti-harassment policy isn't enough - it has to be put into ac...
05/28/2026

A $372,500 settlement is a costly reminder that having an anti-harassment policy isn't enough - it has to be put into action.

Louisville Comedy Club agreed to pay $372,500 after an EEOC investigation found that employees were subjected to sexual harassment by a manager, and that the company failed to comply with mandatory federal reporting requirements and failed to post the required workplace discrimination notice. A written policy sitting in a drawer protects no one. Employers must have a clear system for reporting complaints, a process for prompt investigation, and designated leadership responsible for compliance, which includes ensuring your required postings and EEO reporting obligations are met.

We help employers build the compliant, human-centered workplace policies and training that safeguard both employees and the business before an investigation begins. Call us to review your harassment prevention policies and complaint procedures. See https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/louisville-comedy-club-will-pay-372500-conciliate-eeoc-sexual-harassment-charges for more information.

📞 Questions about anti-harassment trainings? Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧email us at [email protected]

🚺Join us for our final in-person meeting before summer break for what promises to be one of our most meaningful and pers...
05/27/2026

🚺Join us for our final in-person meeting before summer break for what promises to be one of our most meaningful and personally impactful meetings of the year. 🤩 It will be an enlightening conversation to provide clarity for the future, and confidence for the journey.

Planning for the future involves more than finances alone — it also means preparing your home, your family, and your life for the transitions that may come with time.

Many important conversations surrounding long-term planning, estate preparation, downsizing, and future living considerations are often postponed or treated as something to think about “later.” Yet thoughtful preparation today can make an enormous difference for both individuals and the people they love.

Whether you are planning for yourself, supporting aging parents, or simply wanting to be better prepared for the future, this discussion will provide practical guidance, valuable insight, and important conversations worth having now, not later.

Register at https://www.pwnetwork.com/registration
Attendees will be able to choose/pay for their own lunches at the meeting.

Hate activity is increasing. The California Commission on the State of Hate (Commission) released its third annual repor...
05/26/2026

Hate activity is increasing.

The California Commission on the State of Hate (Commission) released its third annual report with new interim policy recommendations to strengthen existing efforts to combat hate. The report also documents the Commission’s work to date and trends in hate activity across California. See https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/2026/02/23/commission-on-the-state-of-hate-releases-new-report-documenting-trends-in-hate-activity-across-california/

In the context of the rise in hate crimes, it is a good time to remember that, as employers, we have a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent such conduct from entering the workplace. Steps that employers can take include providing required anti-harassment training in which employees can learn about and discuss topics of workplace harassment and bullying, and ensuring workplace violence prevention plans and trainings are up-to-date.

📞 Questions about our training plans? Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧email us at [email protected]

Thinking of expanding your business with a new storefront in San Francisco? There may be a grant available that can help...
05/22/2026

Thinking of expanding your business with a new storefront in San Francisco? There may be a grant available that can help you open a new location along certain corridors. The Storefront Opportunity Grant (SOG) provides a grant between $50,000 - $100,000 to eligible businesses to help offset the cost of their first year of operations. Eligibility requirements include having a pre-existing business with three or more years of operations, having 100 or fewer employees, and having $5 million or less in gross business revenue.

Eligible businesses may receive a $50,000-$100,000 grant to open a new storefront with an executed lease. Apply with a newly signed, executed lease. Deadline to apply: May 29 at 5:00PM. https://www.sf.gov/apply-for-a-grant-to-open-a-new-storefront-lease

We posted yesterday about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Note there are a few E...
05/21/2026

We posted yesterday about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Note there are a few Exceptions and Limitations:

* Five-Year Limit: The cumulative total of military service with a single employer cannot exceed five years, with exceptions for initial periods of active duty and required annual training.
* Reemployment Exemptions: Reemployment may not be required if the employer’s circumstances have changed so drastically that reemployment is impossible or unreasonable, or if the original job was temporary.
* Dishonorable Discharge: Service members must not have been released from service under dishonorable or other punitive conditions.

Check out the handy guide for more exceptions and explanations at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/userra/USERRA-Pocket-Guide

📞 Questions? Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧email us at [email protected]

Employers must comply with The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by granting military l...
05/20/2026

Employers must comply with The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by granting military leave, preventing discrimination, and ensuring prompt reemployment of service members to their "escalator position"—the role they would have attained if not for their service.

Key responsibilities include maintaining benefits, providing reasonable accommodation for service-related disabilities, and ensuring up to five years of job protection, with specific exceptions.

Key Employer USERRA Responsibilities/Reemployment Rights:
* Employers must promptly reemploy returning service members to their "escalator position," which is the position—including seniority, status, and pay—they would have attained had they remained continuously employed.
* Leave of Absence: Employers are required to grant leaves of absence for military service. They cannot require employees to use vacation time for military duty, though employees may choose to do so.
* Protection Against Discrimination: Employers cannot deny initial employment, reemployment, retention, promotion, or benefits based on past, present, or future military service.
* Notice and Documentation: Employers must accept verbal or written notice of service, preferably with 30 days' notice, and they cannot demand unnecessary documentation that delays leave.
* Benefits Protection: Health benefits must be allowed to continue for up to 24 months, and seniority-based benefits must accrue as if the employee had not left.
* Training/Accommodation: If a service member has a disability incurred or aggravated during service, the employer must make reasonable efforts to accommodate the disability or retrain the employee for a position they can perform.
* Notification Requirement: Employers must provide employees with a notice of their rights, benefits, and obligations under USERRA, often satisfied by posting a notice in the workplace. This notice might be included in all-in-one labor law posters that employers typically hang, or the stand alone poster can be found here: https://ow.ly/2Nes50Z1ish

For more information:
https://ow.ly/Kg4K50Z1isk

📞 Questions? Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧email us at [email protected]

An act of vandalism can be a significant setback for a small business. It’s an unexpected drain on the owner’s time and ...
05/19/2026

An act of vandalism can be a significant setback for a small business. It’s an unexpected drain on the owner’s time and bank account, which could otherwise be spent on improving the business. San Francisco small businesses are being offered grants to help pay for damage caused by vandalism, such as broken windows, graffiti, or broken locks. For more information about the Vandalism relief grant, visit https://www.sf.gov/get-grant-vandalism-related-costs-your-small-business-storefront

Applications close on May 29 at 5:00 PM. Submissions will not be accepted after this date. This program is expected to reopen in the City’s next fiscal year, with additional details to be announced.

Take part in the Small business summit on May 29: https://www.sf.gov/event-small-business-summitThis one-day summit brin...
05/18/2026

Take part in the Small business summit on May 29: https://www.sf.gov/event-small-business-summit

This one-day summit brings together small businesses, merchant associations, community organizations, and leaders from across San Francisco together. It highlights San Francisco’s vibrant economy where businesses can start, grow, and thrive, offering guidance on how to navigate and benefit from the business ecosystem. Attendees will walk away with fresh insights, new connections, and ideas to move their work forward.
Enjoy:
* Keynote conversation with city and business leaders
* Panels and Breakout Sessions on topics like Marketing and Customer Attraction
* Capacity Building, and Small Business Resources
* Tour of SF Permit Center
* Networking throughout the day and a no-host happy hour

Language interpretation, including ASL, is available upon request.
49 South Van Ness is ADA compliant. Please let them know if you need accommodations during registration or by emailing [email protected]. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

According to the OLSE, it recently set a new record — $21.6 million from San Francisco employers collected on behalf of ...
05/15/2026

According to the OLSE, it recently set a new record — $21.6 million from San Francisco employers collected on behalf of workers in Fiscal Year 2024-2025. That's the highest amount recovered since the office was founded, across 454 resolved cases impacting over 17,000 workers.

The top problem areas/violations?
Compliance with the Health Care Security Ordinance, Minimum Compensation Ordinance, and Prevailing Wage Ordinances.

San Francisco employers are operating in the most actively enforced local labor environment in the country. OLSE administers more labor laws than any other local government agency in the United States — and with over 100,000 points of contact with workers and employers this past year, they are not waiting for complaints to come to them. See more at https://www.sf.gov/news-office-of-labor-standards-enforcement-secures-record-breaking-restitution-for-san-francisco-workers

If you have employees working in San Francisco, now is the time to make sure your compliance is airtight. 📞 Questions? Call us at 415-890-6057 or 📧email us at [email protected]

Address

126 WEST PORTAL Avenue
San Francisco, CA
94127

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+14158906057

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Fairgrieve Law Office posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Fairgrieve Law Office:

Shortcuts

Share

Category