A broad spectrum of both state and federal laws and regulations guarantees you certain rights and protections as an employee in California. Some are intended to prevent and/or stop workplace harassment, retaliation, and discrimination while others focus on ensuring that employees are adequately compensated for their work.
The primary goal of these laws and regulations is to ensure that the relationship between employers and employees is fair and just. Unfortunately, employers sometimes violate one or more of the statutes aimed at protecting employers. In such situations, working with an experienced Sherman Oaks employment law attorney is key to knowing and protecting your rights.
If you work in or around Sherman Oaks, California, The Fraigun Law Group can help with issues of concern at work, or when something has been done to you at work that simply seems wrong. We will provide you with the proper guidance and can handle all aspects of your potential employment law matter.
Call our employment law firm in Sherman Oaks today at 818-981-1800 to schedule a consultation with our experienced lawyer!
Types of Employment Law Claims
Our Sherman Oaks employment law attorney represents employees with a wide range of employment law claims, which include:
Wrongful Termination
Employers in California are barred from taking negative actions against employees for participating in legally protected activities such as refusing to partake in an illegal practice by the employer or a fellow employee or filing a workers’ compensation claim.
It is also illegal for employers in California to terminate employment based on your race, gender, age, or disability. It is also illegal for your employer to fire you after reporting unsafe working conditions, among other reasons.
Keep in mind that not all employment termination is illegal and thus wrongful termination. To understand exactly what constitutes wrongful termination in California, you should get in touch with an experienced lawyer.
The Sherman Oaks wrongful termination lawyer at Fraigun Law Group can help you take legal action against an employer that caused you harm. Call us today at 818-981-1800 so that we can help you fight for your rights under the law.
Age Discrimination
Age discrimination refers to when a job applicant or employee aged 40 or above receives less favorable treatment due to their age. It means that employers aren’t allowed to refuse to hire older workers that are equally or more qualified than other candidates just because of their age, nor may employers fire their employees after they reach a certain age.
If you are 40 or older and have been fired, demoted, passed over in favor of applicants who are less qualified, targeted by supervisors, or received unfair treatment from prospective employers or your current employer and coworkers, you could be the victim of age discrimination.
The Sherman Oaks age discrimination lawyer at Fraigun Law Group can help you develop and pursue your case. We help you hold your employer accountable for unlawful conduct and recover fair compensation for your losses, damages, and emotional stress.
Racial Discrimination
Employers in California aren’t allowed to discriminate against employees or job applicants on the basis of their race, ancestry, national origin, or the color of their skin. It is also unlawful for employers to discriminate on the basis of an employee’s association with members of other races, ancestries, national origins, or skin colors.
Employees are protected even when they are members of racial groups that haven’t been traditionally discriminated against, such as Caucasian employees. Protections against discrimination in California have been extended to employees perceived to be of a certain race, ancestry, national origin, or color or those perceived to associate with these groups.
Have you experienced racial discrimination in a job interview or on the job? The experienced Sherman Oaks racial discrimination lawyer at Fraigun Law Group can help you understand your rights under the law and fight for fair compensation for the losses and damages you may have incurred as a result.
Gender Discrimination
Gender/sex discrimination involves treating a job applicant or employee unfavorably or differently based purely on that person’s gender expression, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation. This may include anything from hiring, firing, assigning job responsibilities, determining salary, establishing benefits, or any other term or condition relating to a job.
Under California law, the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) has made it illegal for an employer with 5 or more employees to discriminate on the basis of gender or sex. Furthermore, under FEHA, discrimination based on “sex” may also include unequal treatment based on childbirth, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and any other related medical condition.
You are legally entitled to work in an environment that’s free from gender discrimination. If you were targeted for this type of discrimination on the job or in the hiring process, the Sherman Oaks gender discrimination lawyer at Fraigun Law Group can help you pursue compensation for your losses.
LGBT Discrimination
The FEHA has also made it illegal for an employer to take a negative employment action, refuse to hire, fire, or discriminate in any way against an employee based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The law also prohibits harassment of any kind or being excluded from projects, meetings, or events based on one’s sexual orientation.
The law also prohibits discrimination on the basis of “actual or perceived” sexual orientation, which means that it is still regarded as discrimination or harassment on the basis of sexual orientation even if your coworker or employer is mistaken about your sexual orientation.
If you have experienced discrimination in a job interview or your place of work based on your sexual orientation or gender identity, a Sherman Oaks LGBT discrimination lawyer can hold your employer accountable for their unlawful conduct.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is one of the most prevalent forms of actionable harassment experienced by individuals in the workplace. It is a clear violation of the law when it is so constant or severe that it creates an abusive working environment and alters the conditions of the victim’s employment.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is illegal under both federal and California law. It can manifest in a variety of forms in the workplace, all of which are considered illegal when they are severe, frequent, or consistent enough. It typically includes requests for sexual favors, unwelcome sexual advances, and other physical or verbal harassment of a sexual nature.
If you have been the victim of sexual harassment at work, our Sherman Oaks sexual harassment attorney at Fraigun Law Group can help. We will listen to your story, investigate the circumstances, vigorously protect your rights, and advise you of your best options moving forward.
Retaliation
Employees in California cannot be fired, punished, or otherwise retaliated against for exercising their legally protected employment rights or for complaining when those rights have been violated by their employers.
Under California law, legally protected activities include but are not limited to reporting unlawful harassment or discrimination in the workplace, requesting time off to serve jury duty or vote, discussing your income with other employees, or taking medical, maternity, or family leave.
If you have experienced retaliation at work for participating in a legally protected activity, our Sherman Oaks workplace retaliation lawyer at Fraigun Law Group can help. We will advise you of the available legal options.
Wage Disputes
Employees in California that are improperly or inadequately compensated are protected by both California law (California Labor Code) and federal law (Federal Labor Standards Act). Some of the most common claims against employers’ illegal wage and hour practices include:
- Failure to pay employees the minimum wage
- Failure to provide employees with mandatory meal or rest breaks
- Employee misclassification to avoid paying them overtime
- Failure to pay employees overtime at the appropriate rate
Note: The overtime laws in California explicitly state that working over 8 hours in 1 work day or 40 hours in 1 work week is regarded as overtime, at which point the employee is entitled to time and a half pay.
If you feel that you have been cheated out of wages or have been forced to work “off the clock” or through your break periods without being adequately compensated, our Sherman Oaks wage dispute lawyer can help. We will help you exercise your right to the compensation you deserve.
Need a Sherman Oaks Employment Law Attorney? Call Us Today!
Businesses often compromise the interests of their employees in pursuit of a corporate bottom line. Fortunately, the labor laws in California help to level the playing field by providing protections for vulnerable employees.
Feeling that your rights as an employee have been violated can be incredibly stressful. If that’s the case, you may need to seek help from an experienced employment attorney to help you recover the compensation you rightfully deserve.
Marina Kats Fraigun of The Fraigun Law Group is an experienced litigator who knows the ins and outs of employment law. We will investigate the circumstances, discuss your options with you, and guide you towards the best available course to achieve the desired results.
We will advocate for your rights zealously. Our team can offer comprehensive support at each stage of your employment law case. To schedule a free consultation to discuss your employment law matters, please call us today at 818-981-1800.
