WE FIGHT INJUSTICE

LAWYER FOR EMPLOYEES

Lawyer for Employees

LOS ANGELES EMPLOYMENT LAW

WRONGFUL TERMINATION

Wrongful termination means an employer has terminated or laid off an employee for a reason that violates federal, state, or local law. The most common types of wrongful termination claims include breach of an employment contract, discrimination, violation of public policy, and retaliation. Contact us to review your situation.

WAGE AND HOUR DISCRIMINATION

Not getting paid what your employer owes you? Are you forced to work overtime, but not receiving any extra pay? Employers routinely violate these law and we help employees recover their proper compensation.

 

DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION

Disability discrimination occurs when you are treated less well or put at a disadvantage for a reason that relates to your disability. Call us if you think you were a victim.

HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT

In California, every individual is entitled to a safe and comfortable place in which to do their work. Although we see this all the time, supervisors and other employees are not allowed to discriminate or harass their coworkers on the basis of a protected characteristic.

CRISIS COMMUNICATION

The main stages of crisis management: preparedness and risk management, emergency response, and recovery and rehabilitation all require the creation and implementation of a crisis management strategy.

CONTRACT DRAFTING

Well-written contracts whose terms have been thoroughly reviewed are at the heart of every successful business venture. For help reviewing, changing, or entering into a contract with an employer or a business, please us.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Harassment can be sexual and very often is. In other cases, harassment is a form of bullying that is committed by several employees against one or more employees on the basis of an illegal kind of discrimination. We put a stop to sexual harassment and help you recover compensation when appropriate.

CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS

Class action lawsuits provide a way for employees who have been wronged by their employers to come together and assert their rights under both state and federal labor laws by filing a claim on behalf of a much larger group.

GENDER DISCRIMINATION

If you have been the victim of workplace harassment on the basis of gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation, you do not have to accept this conduct. You are entitled to file a complaint with your HR department, and if you do not like the way they handle the investigation, you can file a lawsuit against the company.
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I'm not being paid overtime for hours worked.

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I was harassed at work.

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I'm not being paid the same as others in similar roles.

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I reported a problem and was fired.

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I was asked to work off the clock for no pay.

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I'm not being paid overtime for hours worked.

I'm not being paid overtime for hours worked.

While some employees are exempt from overtime pay in California, most are not. This is a very common Labor Code violation. In most cases, we determine that the employee was actually misclassified and owed overtime wages. The penalties here can be substantial.

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I was harassed at work.

I was harassed at work.

Every California business must not only ensure that there is no discrimination when hiring, promoting, or firing employees, but also that the work environment is not a place where discrimination or harassment happens. When they fail in this duty, an employment attorney can help hold them accountable.

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I'm not being paid the same as others in similar roles.

I'm not being paid the same as others in similar roles.

Has your employer refused to pay you overtime, even when you work more than 40 hours per week? Or perhaps you are not receiving any meal or rest breaks during your shift.

If you are the victim of such violations, you may need to take legal action against your employer.

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I reported a problem and was fired.

I reported a problem and was fired.

Let’s say your employer does ask you to do something illegal. Instead of complying, you report the illegal activity to the proper authorities. If your employer then fires you, that would be a case of illegal retaliation. An employer cannot terminate an employee from exercising any legal right related to their employment.

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I was asked to work off the clock for no pay.

I was asked to work off the clock for no pay.

Your employer must pay you for all time during which you perform work. Depending on the nature of your job, this can include time spent on work-related activities before or after your shift officially begins. You are also entitled to pay if you perform any work during a mandated meal break or rest period.

Los Angeles Labor Lawyer for Employees: Discrimination Claims and More

The Wright Law Firm Employment Lawyers files lawsuits on behalf of Los Angeles area employees who have suffered discrimination in the workplace. Discrimination comes in many forms. The following are some common examples of discrimination in the workplace and what to do if you believe you have been unjustly fired, denied a promotion, or exposed to bullying and harassment.

Types of Employment Discrimination in Los Angeles

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against employees based on specific characteristics. The federal rules have been adopted by every state, but California provides additional protections. For example, California’s anti-discrimination laws included the LGBT community long before the Supreme Court reinterpreted existing law to include gender expression and sexual orientation. Additionally, individual cities have their own laws regarding protected classes. These are some of the most common types of employment discrimination:

  • Wrongful termination – Wrongful termination occurs when an employee is fired for exercising their rights. Commonly, an employee will file some other form of complaint with a supervisor or their human resources department, and their company will respond by terminating their employment. Retaliatory firing is illegal and the Los Angeles employment attorneys at The Wright Law Firm represent workers who have found themselves in this situation.
  • Discrimination in hiring practices and promoting – In some cases, employees who are qualified for a certain position can be passed up for another employee who is less qualified but shares racial or gender features in common with the employer. Race or gender can never be the basis of a hiring or promotion. Let us know if this is your situation!
  • Wage disputes and misclassification lawsuits – Sometimes, an employer will intentionally misclassify an employee to avoid paying overtime, benefits, or avoid covering them under their workers’ compensation policy. In cases in which the employer supplies tools, directs the employee when to show up, or exerts substantial control over how the job is completed, California law requires that the employer treat the worker as an employee. Employee classification law is changing, so please contact us if you have questions about your situation.
  • Americans with Disabilities Act – According to the ADA, an employer is expected to make “reasonable” accommodations to an employee who has a disability. So long as their disability does not prevent them from doing their job, an employer may not consider their disability when deciding to hire or promote them.
  • Hostile work environment – A hostile work environment occurs when an employee no longer feels safe on the job or is forced to endure unwanted attention or bullying in the workplace. Sexual harassment lawsuits are generally a form of hostile work environment action, but any employee who is the butt of unwanted jokes can file a hostile work environment lawsuit against their employer.
  • Sexual harassment lawsuits – Generally speaking, filing a sexual harassment claim against a supervisor or fellow employee requires that you first alert management to the unwanted attention. However, some conduct is so egregious, like forcible touching, that it “automatically” creates a hostile work environment. All Los Angeles area employees and workers are entitled to complete their work safely and in peace.

Hiring, Firing, and Promoting: Understanding the Law

As a Southern California employee, you are entitled to a workplace and work environment that is free from discrimination. Title VII of The Civil Rights Act defines protected characteristics that can never form the basis of discrimination. These include:

  • Race/color
  • Religion/creed
  • Nation of origin
  • Sex/gender
  • Familial status
  • Age
  • Disability

Sex and gender protections now also include sexual orientation and gender expression at the federal level. In the past, those filing lawsuits that alleged discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender expression were required to file a lawsuit under California’s Civil Rights Act. The Supreme Court recently ruled that sexual orientation and gender expression were both protected under the “sex and gender” provisions of Title VII.

The aforementioned protected characteristics may never form the basis of a decision to hire, fire, promote, or assign work to an individual. Even when our intentions are in the right place, the workplace may be structured in such a way as to promote discrimination or unequal pay between genders and races for comparable work. When this happens, an employee may file a discrimination lawsuit. The Wright Law Firm Employment Lawyers helps Los Angeles area employees who have been discriminated against file lawsuits against their employers.

Wage and Hour Discrimination Laws

Because of California’s labor-friendly laws, many employers sought to use independent contractors instead of employees – often because independent contractors are not entitled to overtime, benefits, or coverage under workers’ compensation policies. Employees are.

In September of 2019, California passed AB5 which significantly changed these laws. Now, many individuals who were previously independent contractors are considered employees under the new laws. How this will play out is not yet known. But it is illegal for your employer to classify you as an independent contractor unless your job fits the legal description. If you believe you have been denied benefits, mistreated, or denied overtime based on employment misclassification, you may be able to file a lawsuit to recover damages.

Hostile Work Environment Claims

When most people think of hostile work environment claims, they are thinking about sexual harassment. One employee has the hots for another employee and they continuously attempt to flirt with that employee, make sexual comments, or otherwise harass them. However, racial discrimination, age discrimination, or disability discrimination can also cause a hostile work environment.As an example, if an employee is constantly the butt of jokes because he is older than the other employees, that employee may get tired of hearing the jokes. If he files a complaint with a supervisor and the jokes continue, that can be the basis for a hostile work environment lawsuit.

Talk to an Experienced Employment Lawyer Today

You do not have to tolerate being the butt of jokes, being passed up for promotions, or denied opportunities when you are more than qualified to do the job. If you have been the victim of sexual harassment, racial discrimination, age discrimination, or discrimination based on any protected characteristic, you can fight back with the help of The Wright Law Firm Employment Lawyers.

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    Los Angeles Office:
    8939 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Suite 102, Los Angeles, CA 90045