The AM Sidebar

Punching the Clock: Can You Be Fired for Marijuana Use in California?

Marijuana may be legal in California, but that does NOT automatically mean your job is protected. In this episode of Punching the Clock on The AM Sidebar Podcast, employment attorney Mila Arutunian breaks down the complicated intersection of marijuana laws, workplace rights, employee protections, drug testing policies, and employer responsibilities in California. As more states legalize recreational and medical cannabis, employees are asking critical questions: -Can I be fired for smoking weed off the clock? -Does a medical marijuana card protect my employment? -Can my employer still drug test me? -What happens if I test positive after a workplace injury? -Can companies refuse to hire me because of cannabis use? Mila explains how California’s new marijuana employment protections work, including laws that limit employers from relying solely on non-psychoactive THC metabolites in drug tests. She also discusses the major exceptions for federal employees, safety-sensitive industries, transportation jobs, healthcare workers, construction, law enforcement, and federal contractors.

Split Decisions: Custody Battle Over Gender Identity

A 13-year-old is exploring gender identity in therapy—but when discussions turn toward potential medical decisions, a custody battle erupts. In this episode of Split Decisions, two veteran family law attorneys go head-to-head over a high-stakes legal question: Can a minor keep therapy confidential from a parent, or does joint custody give both parents full access? Both parents support their child’s identity—but they clash over privacy, parental rights, and the role of therapy in life-altering decisions. One parent demands access to therapy records, while the other argues that confidentiality is essential to the child’s mental health. You be the judge: Should a child have the right to privacy or should a parent have the right to know? Cast your vote and join the debate!

Ask Ilona: My Daughter Won't Talk to Her Mom After an Affair

What happens when a child refuses to have a relationship with a parent after infidelity?  In this first episode of Ask Ilona on The AM Sidebar Podcast by Antonyan Miranda, certified family law specialist Ilona Antonyan answers a powerful question from a divorced father navigating the emotional fallout of betrayal, custody, and parenting.  After discovering her mother’s affair, an 11-year-old daughter wants nothing to do with her mom—leaving her father torn between supporting her feelings and worrying about long-term emotional impact.  This episode is a must-listen for parents navigating divorce, custody disputes, and complex family dynamics.   📩 Have a question for Ilona? Submit via email to podcast@antonyanmiranda.com to be featured in a future episode.

Punching the Clock: ICE Arrested Her at Her Green Card Interview

What happens when you follow every immigration rule… and still get arrested? In this episode of Punching the Clock for The AM Sidebar, Vika and Louis share their unbelievable true story. After fleeing Ukraine during the war, Vika legally entered the U.S., fell in love, got married, and began the green card process. Everything was going according to plan—until ICE agents walked into her immigration interview and arrested her on the spot. She spent 38 days in detention, separated from her husband, navigating a system that even attorneys didn’t fully understand. Inside, she found strength by helping others: teaching yoga, promoting wellness, and building a community among detainees. This episode breaks down: -What actually happened at the immigration interview -Why lawful applicants are being detained -The emotional toll on families -What rights YOU have under immigration law -How Vika ultimately won her release and got her green card This isn’t just a legal story; it’s a human one. If you care about immigration, civil rights, or real-life legal stories, this is a must-watch.

Split Decisions: Influencer Finances

What happens when a child becomes the breadwinner?  In Part 2 of Influencer Wars, the debate shifts from control to cash. A 15-year-old influencer is generating hundreds of thousands of dollars per month through brand deals, sponsored posts, and fan gifts — more than both parents combined. The father wants child support reduced. The mother argues the income belongs solely to the child.  So who’s right?  Veteran family law attorneys go head-to-head over explosive questions shaping modern family court:  * Should a parent still pay guideline child support if the child earns millions? * Can a parent manage — and profit from — their child’s influencer career? * Are influencer kids the new child actors, requiring mandatory financial safeguards? * Does a child’s income ever relieve a parent of their legal obligation to support? From fiduciary duties and 2025 influencer protection laws to high-income deviation arguments and “momager” management fees, this episode dives into the legal gray areas of the digital economy.   When a minor becomes the brand, the courtroom becomes the battleground.   Cast your vote: Should child influencer income impact child support — or is that a dangerous precedent?   Subscribe for more real-world legal debates where the arguments collide… and you decide.