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Being passed over, demoted, cut from the schedule, or fired because of who you are is one of the most demoralizing things that can happen at work. You may be second-guessing yourself, wondering whether you can prove anything, and worried about what happens to your paycheck if you speak up. Those feelings are normal, and they are exactly why an experienced discrimination lawyer in Los Angeles matters.
Labor Law PC represents employees only. We never work for employers. From our Santa Monica office, our attorneys handle workplace discrimination cases across Los Angeles County and throughout California, from studio lots in Burbank and hospitals in Long Beach to warehouses near the ports, hotels in West Hollywood, and tech offices on the Westside. We know California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), we know the Los Angeles courts, and we know the tactics employers use to disguise discrimination as "restructuring" or "performance."
Every case starts with a free, confidential consultation, and we work on contingency: no fees until we win. If you believe you were treated worse than your coworkers because of your race, age, gender, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or another protected characteristic, call (877) 775-2267 or contact us online today.
Every situation below has its own detailed guide, the warning signs, the California law behind your claim, and what you may be able to recover.
Discrimination is rarely announced out loud. It usually shows up as a pattern. Common warning signs include:
One incident may be ambiguous. A pattern usually is not. Write down dates, save messages, and talk to a lawyer before the evidence disappears.
Labor Law PC handles every category of employment discrimination recognized under California law. Explore the pages below for the specific rules, examples, and deadlines that apply to your situation:
California gives workers some of the strongest anti-discrimination protections in the country. The Fair Employment and Housing Act (Government Code section 12940), known as FEHA, prohibits discrimination by employers with five or more employees. That threshold matters: federal Title VII generally applies only to employers with 15 or more employees, so many small Los Angeles businesses that escape federal law are still fully covered by FEHA.
FEHA makes it unlawful to treat an employee or job applicant less favorably because of:
These protections apply to everyone, not only members of minority groups. A female supervisor can unlawfully discriminate against a female employee; a manager can unlawfully discriminate against someone of his own race. What matters is whether a protected characteristic motivated the unfair treatment.
California recognizes two main theories of employment discrimination:
Disparate treatment is intentional discrimination: your employer singled you out for a negative employment action (firing, demotion, pay cut, refusal to hire or promote, reduced hours, denied accommodations) because of a protected characteristic. This is the most common type of claim.
Disparate impact targets policies that look neutral but disproportionately harm a protected group. A rule that applies to everyone can still be illegal if it falls harder on older workers, one race, one sex, or another protected class and the employer cannot justify it as a business necessity. These cases often rely on statistics and expert analysis, and an experienced attorney can evaluate whether the numbers support a claim.
Beyond covering smaller employers, FEHA recognizes more protected categories than federal law and does not impose the damages caps that limit federal Title VII awards. Under Title VII, compensatory and punitive damages are capped based on employer size. FEHA has no such caps, which can make a real difference in serious cases. FEHA also restricts English-only workplace rules and protects hairstyles associated with race under the CROWN Act.
In general, you have three years from the most recent act of discrimination to file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD, formerly the DFEH), which is the required first step before a FEHA lawsuit. Federal claims through the EEOC have much shorter windows, and other deadlines may apply depending on your specific claims. Deadlines vary case by case, so talk to a lawyer as soon as possible rather than assuming you have time.
Led by managing attorney Danny Yadidsion, our team is dedicated to making sure California workers' voices are heard.
Throughout the process, we also protect you against retaliation. If your employer punishes you for asserting your rights, that becomes an additional claim.
Every case is different, and no lawyer can promise an outcome. Depending on the facts, California courts have awarded discrimination victims:
Because FEHA has no damages caps like Title VII, the full extent of your harm can be presented to a jury. We can only assess what your case may be worth after reviewing the facts, which is exactly what the free consultation is for.
Workers who just lost income should not have to pay hourly legal bills to enforce their rights. Labor Law PC handles discrimination cases on a contingency basis: the consultation is free, you pay nothing up front, and our fee comes out of the recovery we obtain for you. If we do not recover anything, you do not owe us attorney fees.
Most cases are proven with circumstantial evidence: timing, comparisons with how coworkers were treated, shifting explanations, statistics, and documents. Direct "smoking gun" statements are rare and are not required. An attorney can tell you whether your pattern of facts adds up to a viable claim.
Generally, you have three years from the most recent discriminatory act to file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, and then a limited time to sue after receiving a right-to-sue notice. Federal deadlines are much shorter, and exceptions can extend or shorten timelines. Deadlines vary, so speak with a lawyer promptly.
FEHA's discrimination protections apply to employers with five or more employees, and its harassment protections apply to employers of any size. Many small Los Angeles businesses that are too small for federal law are still covered by California law.
Retaliating against you for making a good-faith complaint is illegal, even if the underlying discrimination is never proven. If your employer punishes you for speaking up, you may have a separate retaliation claim on top of the discrimination claim.
Possibly. If discrimination made conditions so intolerable that a reasonable person would have quit, you may have a constructive discharge claim, which the law treats like a termination. Talk to a lawyer before assuming resignation ended your rights.
Nothing up front. The consultation is free and we work on contingency, so our fee comes from the recovery. No recovery, no attorney fees.
Discrimination rarely travels alone. It often overlaps with:
And within discrimination law: age, race, gender, national origin, religious, LGBTQ, disability, criminal record, and military or veteran status discrimination.
From our Santa Monica headquarters, Labor Law PC represents employees throughout Los Angeles County, including Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Torrance, Inglewood, and the San Fernando Valley, as well as workers statewide from San Diego to San Francisco and Sacramento.
You do not have to figure out whether you have a case on your own. Tell us what happened, and we will give you a straight answer about your rights and options. The consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation, and we charge no fees until we win.
Call (877) 775-2267 or request your free case evaluation online today.
Every case gets a team that listens, keeps you informed, and fights like it matters. Because to you, it does.
Free, confidential, and privileged. No win, no fee.