Retaliation

A retaliation lawyer in Los Angeles can help you hold your employer accountable. Labor Law PC represents employees only, never employers, from our Santa Monica headquarters serving workers across Los Angeles and all of California. We handle retaliation cases on contingency, which means you pay no fees unless we win, and every case starts with a free, confidential consultation.

Retaliation cases are among the most common employment claims filed in California, and for good reason: even when an employer's underlying conduct is debatable, punishing a worker for complaining about it is a separate violation. If you spoke up and paid a price for it in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Glendale, Long Beach, or anywhere in Southern California, we can evaluate your options.

What Counts as Workplace Retaliation?

Retaliation happens when an employer takes an adverse action against you because you engaged in a legally protected activity. Both halves matter, so it helps to see examples of each.

Protected activities under California law

You are generally protected when you:

• Report discrimination or harassment, whether to HR, a supervisor, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), or the EEOC
• Complain about unpaid wages, overtime, or missed meal and rest breaks, or file a claim with the Labor Commissioner
• Report illegal activity or safety violations, internally or to a government agency (see our page on whistleblower retaliation)
• File or state your intent to file a workers' compensation claim after a job injury (see workers' comp retaliation)
• Request or take protected leave, such as CFRA family leave, pregnancy disability leave, or paid sick leave
• Request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or religious practice
• Refuse to do something illegal, like falsifying records or working off the clock
• Serve on a jury, appear as a witness, or take time off as a crime victim
• Participate in an investigation or lawsuit, including simply being interviewed as a witness
• Discuss your wages or working conditions with coworkers, or engage in lawful union activity

Adverse actions employers take

Retaliation is not limited to firing. Watch for:

• Termination or a sudden "layoff" that only affects you
• Demotion, pay cuts, reduced hours, or loss of commission accounts
• A first-ever negative performance review shortly after your complaint
• Written warnings or a "performance improvement plan" that appears out of nowhere
• Undesirable schedule changes, transfers, or reassignment to worse duties
• Exclusion from meetings, training, or promotion opportunities
• Increased scrutiny, micromanagement, or hostility from supervisors
• Threats involving immigration status, which California law specifically prohibits

The timing often tells the story. If the punishment followed closely after your complaint, that sequence is powerful evidence, and recent California law makes it even more powerful, as explained below.

Why Workers Choose Labor Law PC

• Employees only. We never represent employers, so there is never a conflict about whose side we are on.
• California retaliation depth. Retaliation claims live in the details of the Labor Code, FEHA, and case law. We build claims under every statute that fits, not just the obvious one.
• No fees until we win. We advance the costs and take retaliation cases on contingency, so standing up to your employer does not require money up front.
• Local presence. Headquartered in Santa Monica and serving all of Los Angeles County, with a Northern California office in Palo Alto.
• Led by Danny Yadidsion, Labor Law PC's managing attorney, with a team dedicated exclusively to protecting California workers.

What You May Recover in a Retaliation Case

Every case is different and no lawyer can promise a result, but California law allows retaliation victims to seek:

• Lost wages and benefits, including back pay from the adverse action and front pay for future losses
• Emotional distress damages for the anxiety, humiliation, and stress retaliation causes
• Punitive damages where the employer acted with malice or oppression, available without caps under FEHA
• Civil penalties under statutes like Labor Code sections 98.6 and 1102.5, which can add up to $10,000 per violation
• Reinstatement to your position, where that is what you want
• Attorney's fees and costs under fee-shifting statutes, so the employer may have to pay for your lawyer
• Interest on unpaid amounts

Courts have awarded substantial verdicts in California retaliation cases. What your specific claim may be worth depends on your wages, the strength of the evidence, and the employer's conduct, which is exactly what a free consultation is for.

Serving Los Angeles and All of California

From our Santa Monica headquarters, Labor Law PC represents workers throughout Los Angeles County, including Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Torrance, Long Beach, Inglewood, and the San Fernando Valley. Our Palo Alto office extends our reach across California, including San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento.