Employers will act in many ways to protect their interests; sometimes to the detriment of their employees’ rights and protections, even though it is illegal. They may terminate the employment or deny promotions, responsibilities, benefits, and opportunities for advancement. They may even refuse to pay wages owed to employees or make deductions from wage payments, which is not permitted by law.
You must know your rights as an employee so that if an employer violates any of these rules, you can take steps to redress the situation. An employer must comply with all federal, state, and local laws where they are doing business or it could be a costly mistake.
If you have been terminated without cause or if you believe you have been discriminated against because of your race, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or other protected characteristics, then don’t hesitate to talk to our employment law firm about filing a claim. We want to assist you in protecting your civil rights under the law.
A Los Angeles employment attorney at Hershey Law will provide strong advocacy for California employees and fight for their rights. Our team of skilled attorneys has years of experience helping employees win fair settlements and judgments. We understand what motivates plaintiffs and defendants in employment disputes, allowing us to develop a successful strategy for every case and win fair client results in Los Angeles, CA, and the surrounding area.
Our Employment Law Firm’s Specialties
The employment lawyers at
Hershey Law are fearless advocates that bring high-stakes litigation throughout the greater Los Angeles, Orange County, and Ventura County areas. We have successfully litigated hundreds of employment law matters and continue to provide robust legal representation to clients facing complex issues.
With a reputation for success and commitment to excellence, in just a short time we have obtained over
2 million dollars in class action settlements and jury verdicts for our clients.
The Hershey Law Firm represents employees facing:
Wage and Hour Disputes
Wage theft occurs when an employer fails to properly compensate employees for their labor. These practices deprive workers of fair compensation and jeopardize the livelihood of entire families. Wage and hour violations also undermine the integrity of the workplace by creating an environment that tolerates unfairness and dishonesty.
Some of the most common wage and hour laws violations:
- Paying hourly workers less than minimum wage
- Failing to pay overtime wages
- Misclassifying exempt employees as non-exempt employees
- Restricting employee access to breaks or meal periods
- Not accurately tracking time spent on work-related activities
- Not paying wages due upon separation from employment
- Misclassifying workers as independent contractors
In California, wage and hour rules are governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act and California Labor Code. If your employer is taking advantage of you, a Los Angeles employment lawyer from Hershey Law can help with filing and pursuing wage and hour claims.
Employer Retaliation
When employees protest harassment or discrimination, they run the risk of retaliation. Employers might retaliate against employees for making complaints, supporting investigations, filing claims, suing, organizing unions, or engaging in other protected activities under anti-discrimination laws. Retaliation causes economic harm to victims and affects the whole work environment by driving down morale and undermining worker productivity.
Retaliation can occur in the following ways:
- Harassing employees
- Denying benefits and rights
- Threatening job loss
- Demoting, suspending, or firing employees
- Impeding performance evaluations or raises
- Giving negative reviews to prospective employers
Retaliation is illegal under federal anti-discrimination laws and California state law. The California Labor Code protects employees who are engaged in protected activities under anti-discrimination laws and/or other laws protecting individual rights from retaliatory actions by their employers.
Contact us today if you believe your company has retaliated against you for protesting discriminatory treatment.
Wrongful Termination
Employment relationships are often terminable at will. This means that either party can end employment without notice or cause. Wrongful termination lawsuits are difficult to prove because of this “at will” doctrine. However, you may be able to recover damages if you can show that your employer violated a specific California statute governing the conditions of employment. These statutes do not allow employers to terminate employees without good reason.
If you were fired for complaining about poor working conditions, refusing to commit misconduct, or expressing opposition to unlawful conduct, you might have grounds for a wrongful termination claim. We can investigate the circumstances surrounding your discharge to determine whether you have a case.
Unlawful Harassment
Harassment in the workplace is one of the most insidious forms of workplace violence. It takes many forms, including verbal abuse such as name-calling, sexual innuendo, threats, intimidation, stalking, and even physical assault. While it may seem like small things at first, persistent and repeated behavior over time creates an intimidating environment that affects the health and safety of both the employee and those around them.
Unlawful harassment is prohibited under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). FEHA makes it unlawful to harass an employee based on perceived characteristics such as race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, political belief, and so on, or association with groups having certain traits or promoting certain views.
If you have experienced any type of harassment at work, we can help you get justice. Please speak with one of our Los Angeles employment attorneys at
310-929-2190 to file an employment law claim.
Discrimination
Discrimination occurs when someone treats another person less favorably than others due to personal characteristics. Several California and federal employment laws prohibit certain kinds of employment discrimination. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and age discrimination. Companies need to comply with all applicable laws when hiring new employees and making decisions regarding existing employees.
We can help you pursue legal remedies after experiencing unfair hiring practices or discriminatory acts in the workplace. You may also be entitled to compensation if you suffer emotional distress or bodily harm. Call our labor lawyers today for more information.
Whistleblower
Employees who report violations of law to their superiors may find themselves facing retaliation. A whistleblower is essentially a corporate hero. They take risks by reporting wrongdoing. Unfortunately, whistleblowers might face employers who use retaliatory measures against them, including firing, demotion, suspension, denial of benefits, and other punishments.
California’s Whistleblower Protection Law protects whistleblowers who report wrongdoing in their workplaces. Under this law, anyone who reports suspected criminal activity to authorities has immunity from prosecution. Similarly, workers who speak out against unsafe conditions or violations of labor laws have protections under the law. This includes employees who refuse to perform illegal activities such as falsifying records or stealing company property.
We can help protect your rights by investigating allegations of illegal activity and getting you compensation for retaliation. Our team has extensive experience helping whistleblowers bring cases before administrative agencies.
Call our Los Angeles employment lawyers at
310-929-2190 or
contact us online to learn more about how we can assist you with employment law cases.
