Los Angeles Employment Lawyer

Employment law is what governs the relationships between employees and employers. It’s essential to educate yourself on the main aspects of employment law so you can be prepared in case your employer ever treats you in a way that is unfair or unlawful. If you’ve experienced this type of discrimination, it’s important to contact an employment lawyer as soon as possible. The longer you let an employer get away with bad behavior, the more likely they are to continue it and refuse to stop on their own.

Sessions & Kimball is here to help. We have been representing Los Angeles employees for decades and have successfully won millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. When you hire us, we do everything in our power to make sure you get the justice you deserve. Contact our law office by using our online contact form or calling us at (949) 380-0900 and schedule a free consultation with a Los Angeles employment law attorney.

 

Finding The Best Los Angeles Employment Law Firm

One of the most important things you can do if you’re dealing with an employer who is treating you unfairly is to find a good Los Angeles employment lawyer. In order to do this, it’s important to know what to look for and how to find the best match.

Know What You Need

In order to find the best lawyer for your case, you need to know what it is you’re looking for. Have you been discriminated against because of your sexual orientation? Are overtime wages being withheld even though you’re legally entitled to them? Are you being sexually harassed at work? Not all employment lawyers and firms are created equally. Figure out what area of the law you need help with, and find a firm that specializes in that. Additionally, you may want to decide if you want a large firm or a small firm. There are benefits to both. It’s important to find a firm that will treat you with compassion while fighting for your rights every step of the way.

Research

Once you have a better idea of what you’re looking for, start your research. Most people begin by looking up the type of lawyer they need on Google to see who might be near them. This is an excellent way to start. Once you find a few firms, look at their reviews. Check their Facebook page. See if people are saying good or bad things about them. Weed out the ones who have a lot of negative reviews or complaints against them.

Free Consultations

Once you find some firms that you think might be a good fit for you, the best thing to do is to set up free consultations with them. If you find a firm or a lawyer who doesn’t offer a free consultation, pass them by. Most reputable employment law firms will provide a free consultation. If they don’t, it’s a red flag. Once you set up a few consultations, you can try to figure out which attorney meets your needs best.

You want to make sure that the employment lawyer you choose is experienced in the specific area of the law required for your case, and that they will do everything in their power to get you the outcome you expect. It’s also important that they treat you with respect and dignity.

What Happens Once I Find A Lawyer?

Once you find the Los Angeles employment lawyer you want to hire, they’ll discuss the steps that should now be taken. This might include speaking with your employer to see if you can come to an agreement without filing a lawsuit. If a settlement is unreachable, then your attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf, start collecting evidence, and begin to negotiate with the defendant.

Issues a California Employment Law Attorney Handles

Our Los Angeles employment law attorneys are adept at navigating a wide range of employment issues, including the following:

Discrimination

Employment law attorneys handle cases in which an employee alleges they’ve been treated unfairly due to their race, age, sex, disability, religion, or sexual orientation, among others. This is illegal under both California state and federal laws. An attorney will advocate for the victimized employee and seek remedies such as compensation or job reinstatement.

Discrimination in the workplace can take many forms, here are a few examples:

Age Discrimination: An older employee is passed over for promotion due to their age, despite qualifications and experience.

Racial Discrimination: A minority applicant is rejected from a job role purely based on their race.

Gender Discrimination: A woman gets paid less than a man for doing the same job, which is known as the gender pay gap.

Disability discrimination: If an employer refuses reasonable accommodation to an employee with a disability, this may constitute discrimination under both Federal and California law.

How Do I Know If I’m Being Discriminated Against?

Sometimes it’s obvious that what you’re experiencing is discrimination. Your employer makes negative remarks about your religion and subsequently demotes you. However, other times, it’s not so obvious. The following is a list of more subtle examples of workplace discrimination that you should be on the lookout for:

  • You receive negative job performance reviews when you believe your product has not changed
  • You are being excluded from certain meetings or events
  • Your duties have been changed.
  • ‘Jokes’ are being made about your sexual orientation
  • You’ve been given reduced hours for seemingly no reason.

Can I Be Discriminated Against If I Wasn’t Even Hired Yet?

Yes! Employment laws apply to employees and job applicants. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against or that your prospective employer has done something improper before you’ve even been hired, you may want to contact an experienced employment attorney who can help you. The following are examples of how an employer can discriminate against you before you’ve even been hired:

Harassment

Dealing with cases of workplace harassment is another responsibility for these attorneys. This can include situations where an individual faces unwanted comments, advances, or actions based on protected characteristics such as gender, race, age, and other characteristics protected under the law. The attorney will work to stop the harassment and push for punitive action against the offender.

Harassment in the workplace can take various forms. Here are a few examples:

Sexual Harassment: This could include unwanted sexual advances, obscene jokes or comments, inappropriate touching, or sharing explicit materials.

Harassment: This might involve derogatory remarks, insults, or belittlement on the basis of race/religion/gender.

Retaliation

It’s also illegal for your employer to retaliate against you if you make a complaint about discrimination or other unlawful workplace practices. When you make a complaint about discrimination or anything unlawful, you’re engaging in a protected activity, and an employer is not permitted to punish you for that. If they make disparaging comments, demote you, fire you, or take any other adverse employment actions against you, this is illegal, and you should contact a Los Angeles employment law attorney immediately.

Retaliation in the workplace can manifest itself in different ways. Here are a few examples:

Termination or Demotion: Firing an employee or demoting them after they’ve filed a complaint of discrimination.

Negative Performance Review: Giving unfairly low performance ratings as punishment for reporting misconduct.

Salary Reduction: Reducing an individual’s wage following their engagement in legally protected activities, like whistleblowing.

Job Reassignment: Transferring the worker to less desirable job duties after they report sexual harassment they experienced or witnessed at work.

Denied Promotion: An eligible employee is illegally overlooked for advancement due to their involvement in protected actions deemed unfavorable by management (like unionizing).

Wage and Hour Violations

Employment law attorneys address instances where employers violate labor laws regarding minimum wage, overtime pay, and meal breaks or rest periods, as laid out by the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). They help workers recover owed wages while pushing to ensure compliance from employers moving forward.

Wage and hour violations can occur in a variety of ways. Here are some examples:

Unpaid Overtime: If an employer fails to pay for overtime when a non-exempt employee works more than 40 per week or eight hours per day, it’s considered a wage violation under California law.

Minimum Wage Violations: Paying less than the minimum wage, established both federally and on a state level, is also illegal.

Off-the-Clock Work: Requiring employees to work before clocking in or after clocking out without additional compensation constitutes another violation.

Improper Classification: Misclassifying workers as independent contractors to avoid paying benefits is also unlawful.

Sessions & Kimball Is Here For You

If you believe you’ve been discriminated against in the workplace or have experienced other unlawful behavior from your employer or prospective employer, contact an experienced Los Angeles employment law firm right away.

Sessions & Kimball has offices all over Southern California with the main office being our employment law firm in Orange County, where we have been helping employees get justice since the 1980s. We will do everything in our power to make sure you get the outcome you’re looking for. Contact the office of Sessions & Kimball by using our online contact form or call us at (949) 380-0900 for a free consultation today.