San Diego Employment Lawyers

Labor Law PC represents employees only, never employers. From our Santa Monica headquarters, we represent San Diego workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, whistleblower, and wage cases, working remotely so the 120 miles between us never matters. Consultations are free and confidential, and we charge no fees until we win. Call (877) 775-2267. Hablamos Español.

Employment Problems We See in San Diego Workplaces

• Biotech and life sciences disputes. Layoffs timed around funding rounds or trial results, disputes over equity and bonus terms in offer letters, misclassified "exempt" research staff, and severance agreements presented with pressure to sign quickly. Scientists and executives negotiating exits often leave real money on the table without compensation and severance review.
• Defense contractor whistleblowers. Employees of government contractors who report fraudulent billing, safety violations, or export control problems are protected by whistleblower laws, and reports of fraud on the government can support qui tam whistleblower actions under the False Claims Act.
• Military spouse and veteran employment issues. San Diego's huge military community sees USERRA reemployment disputes and discrimination tied to military status, which both federal and California law prohibit.
• Hospitality and tourism wage violations. Hotels, restaurants, and event staffing around the harbor and Gaslamp produce missed breaks, unpaid overtime, tip and service charge disputes, and sexual harassment of service workers by customers and managers that employers fail to stop.
• Cross-border workforce issues. Discrimination based on national origin, language, or immigration status is unlawful under FEHA regardless of where a worker commutes from.

California Law and San Diego County Courts

Employment cases arising in San Diego are generally filed in the San Diego County Superior Court, with federal claims heard in the Southern District of California in downtown San Diego. Administrative claims go to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) or the Labor Commissioner's San Diego office.

California law gives San Diego workers far more than the federal baseline many defense and biotech employees assume applies to them. FEHA covers employers with 5 or more employees, reaches more protected categories than federal law, and has no federal-style damages caps. The Labor Code requires daily overtime after 8 hours, premium pay for missed meal and rest breaks, and reimbursement of necessary business expenses. For misclassified contractors, California's ABC test is one of the strictest in the country. Even employees of federal contractors generally keep their California law rights for work performed in the state, though contractor cases can raise preemption questions a lawyer should evaluate.

An LA-Based Firm, Honestly Statewide

We will tell you plainly: our offices are in Santa Monica and Palo Alto, not San Diego. We built the firm so that this does not matter. Consultations, document exchange, depositions, and mediations are handled by phone and video, and we appear in San Diego County courts when your case requires it. What you gain is a plaintiffs' employment firm that litigates FEHA and Labor Code claims every day and answers only to workers, never to the employers' bar.

¿Qué ocurre después de llamar?

1. Free case evaluation. Tell us what happened, from a lab layoff to a hotel shift that never included a break.
2. Investigation. Offer letters, equity documents, pay records, complaint histories, and witness accounts.
3. Filing. CRD, Labor Commissioner, or San Diego County Superior Court, with federal filings where they belong.
4. Resolution. Negotiation, mediation, or trial, prepared for trial from day one.

Sin honorarios hasta que ganemos

The consultation is free, we advance all case costs, and our fee comes only out of what we recover for you. If we recover nothing, you owe nothing.

San Diego Employment Law FAQs

• My biotech employer gave me 48 hours to sign a severance agreement. Should I sign?

  Not before someone reads it. Severance agreements trade your legal claims for money, and the first offer rarely reflects what strong claims are worth. Deadlines can often be extended, and some release terms are restricted under California law.

• I reported billing fraud at a defense contractor and was fired. What are my options?

  You may have both a retaliation claim and, depending on the facts, a qui tam action under the False Claims Act, which rewards whistleblowers who expose fraud on the government. These cases are deadline-sensitive and procedurally strict, so speak to a lawyer before anyone else.

• Do California wage laws apply to tipped hospitality workers?

  Yes, fully. California does not allow a tip credit, so tipped workers must receive at least the full minimum wage before tips, plus overtime and break premiums like any other non-exempt employee.

• Can you really handle my case from Los Angeles?

  Yes. We represent workers throughout California, most casework is remote by design, and we appear in San Diego courts when needed.

Áreas de práctica relacionadas

• Whistleblower Actions: qui tam and fraud-reporting claims.
• Wrongful Termination: layoffs and firings with illegal motives.
• Sexual Harassment: hospitality and office harassment employers ignore.
• Wage & Hour: overtime, breaks, tips, and expense reimbursement.

Serving San Diego County

Labor Law PC represents workers in San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, and communities throughout San Diego County, as part of our statewide California practice.

Solicita una evaluación gratuita y confidencial de tu caso

Before you sign the severance, accept the explanation, or let a deadline pass, make one free phone call. Call (877) 775-2267 or request your free case evaluation online. Hablamos Español. No fees until we win.