Los Angeles Discrimination Attorney

All American workers have the right to expect equal treatment from their employers. Furthermore, employers may not make any workplace-related decisions based on legally protected personal qualities. California law prevents an employer from discriminating against an employee based on their:

• Race
• Religion
• Skin color
• Ancestry
• National origin
• Medical or genetic conditions
• Pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding
• Sex
• Gender or gender identity/expression
• Sexual orientation
• Military or veteran status
• Age, if over 40

Employees across all industries in Los Angeles are protected from discrimination at the state and federal levels by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), respectively. When an employee experiences any form of discrimination from a Los Angeles employer, they have the right to seek legal recourse through these agencies.

Navigating any employment-related discrimination claim can be extremely challenging without the help of an experienced Los Angeles discrimination attorney. Park APC offers comprehensive legal representation for all types of workplace discrimination claims regarding clients in the Los Angeles area. We know how to complete the claims processes effectively and efficiently for both the DFEH and the EEOC. Our team also has vast working knowledge of the various legal protections that safeguard American workers, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). If you believe you are the victim of any form of discrimination, it is vital to secure legal counsel from a reliable Los Angeles employment lawyer as soon as possible. Workplace discrimination can cause overwhelming feelings of helplessness. Choosing to hire an attorney to fight in your corner can be the first step in taking your power back.

Why Do I Need an Attorney?

If you intend to take any type of legal action in response to the discrimination you recently experienced, you must file a claim with the DFEH, the EEOC, or both. The DFEH is responsible for investigating alleged violations of California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, which applies to all public and private employers in California. The EEOC is responsible for investigating workplace discrimination and harassment claims. Further, the EEOC’s verification that an employee experienced discrimination can provide the legal standing necessary to sue an employer for their discriminatory behavior.

Attempting to manage your own discrimination claim is incredibly difficult. California is an at-will state, meaning that either the employer or employee can walk away from the work relationship at any time. The only exceptions are situations involving discrimination against any of the protected classes. Even if you are sure that you have grounds for a discrimination suit, the hard work is still not over. You will need to meet strict filing requirements and may not know how to secure the evidence you will need to substantiate your claim. An experienced Los Angeles discrimination attorney, however, has the resources and experience necessary to guide you through your claim process. When you choose Park APC to represent you in a workplace discrimination claim, our team will guide you through the appropriate claim processes, help you obtain any evidence you need to support your claim, and assist you in recovering compensation for the damages you incurred from the discrimination. An experienced attorney may even be able to help you settle through negotiations outside of court.

Common Signs of Discrimination

It can be difficult to determine whether you are a victim of discrimination, as it comes in many different sizes and shapes. Some particularly common signs of discrimination are:

• Differing workloads assigned to employees with the same job description.
• Failing to apply disciplinary action uniformly to employees with the same conduct.
• Offensive and hostile communication.
• Grooming standards that prevent certain employees from wearing natural hairstyles.
• Lack of diversity among the staff of the organization.

Speaking with an experienced discrimination attorney can help you understand if you have experienced discrimination.

Understanding Workplace Discrimination

American employers are expected to treat all employees and applicants equally, and thus may not base job-related decisions on any individual’s protected personal qualities. Discrimination occurs when an employer makes a job-related decision based on an applicant’s or employee’s protected personal qualities, such as their race, skin color, religion, national origin, sex, medical status, or age.

Some of the most reported forms of workplace discrimination in California include:

• Refusing to hire an applicant solely due to personal qualities, such as race, sex, or national origin.
• Denying a promotion to an employee based on their protected qualities.
• Treating employees unfairly or more harshly than their peers because of their protected qualities.
• Lack of appropriate resources for pregnant women or recently postpartum women.
• Denying an employee reasonable accommodations they require for their religious beliefs.
• Denying an employee the ability to exercise their rights under the CFRA or the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) due to their protected qualities.
• Creating a hostile work environment for a specific employee due to their protected personal qualities.
• Denying an employee parental leave or medical leave.
• Retaliation discrimination, which occurs when an employer takes punitive action in response to the employee engaging in a legally protected action in good faith. Good-faith actions can include whistleblowing to report a workplace safety issue or regulatory noncompliance
• Discrimination in the workplace can take several different forms, many of which result in significant losses for the affected employee. If you were the victim of discrimination, you may have lost your job, missed the opportunity for a promotion or pay increase, or faced hostile working conditions due to your protected personal qualities. In these situations, a Los Angeles discrimination attorney is an invaluable asset.

Discrimination can be subtle or blatant—both forms are actionable under federal and California law. Do not resign yourself to living with the harassment just for a paycheck. You provide a valuable resource to your employer, and you should be treated as such.

Potential Discrimination Case Damages

The amount of damages that you can receive from a workplace discrimination case depends on which forum you use to pursue your case. A common goal, regardless of the manner in which you present your case, is to help you achieve the same situation that you would have if not for your employer’s discrimination against you. Compensatory damages are intended to financially compensate a victim of discrimination for out-of-pocket expenses such as:

• Costs associated with finding a new job
• Reimbursement for mental anguish
• Emotional distress
• Medical costs related to trauma

If the victimized employee is successful, their attorney can be reimbursed for their legal costs, expert witness fees, and any other legal fees. This prevents the employee from paying for their attorney out of pocket. In cases of recklessness or malicious intent, the courts may award punitive damages to the employee to prevent particularly serious cases of discrimination in the future. You may also be able to get your job back. These damages can be awarded to an employee, a temporary employee, a job applicant, or an unpaid intern. In some cases, other damages can be collected by the employee that was discriminated against. It will take a skilled attorney to review your case to determine which types of damages are available to you.

What to Expect from Your Attorney for Los Angeles Discrimination

One of the most difficult aspects of pursuing legal recourse for workplace discrimination is the existence of California’s at-will employment law. This law allows an employee or their employer to terminate a working relationship at any time for any reason or no reason at all. In addition, there is no requirement for either party to require prior notice. To many employees throughout California, the at-will employment law can seem to give complete legal protection to any employer who wishes to fire an employee for any reason. While employers do have great flexibility in their hiring and firing decisions, they may not base these decisions on illegal or discriminatory grounds.

Your Los Angeles employment law attorney can help you gather the evidence you need to prove that your employer discriminated against you based on your protected personal qualities. For example, they may help you recover correspondence records between you, your employer, and other members of your team that help prove discrimination occurred. Your Los Angeles discrimination lawyer may also help you obtain statements from witnesses at work who overheard your employer making disparaging remarks about your personal protected qualities. Your situation may not be as hopeless as it may seem at first, especially when you have an experienced Los Angeles discrimination attorney working on your case.

Park APC understands the distress and uncertainty that follows discrimination in the workplace. Our attorneys agree that employees or applicants should be subjected to unfair treatment due to their protected personal qualities. When discrimination occurs, it is vital for the victim to secure the legal counsel they need to navigate their case successfully. Our team can help you hold your employer accountable and may potentially help you recover damages such as unpaid wages, lost benefits, and statutory damages based on the severity of the behavior you experienced.

If you have experienced discrimination of any kind in Los Angeles, Park APC can help you take the actions you need to obtain closure and ensure others do not experience the same harmful behavior. Although you may work for a company, and they sign your paychecks, you are still entitled to a safe workplace that is free from harassment and discrimination. We know how to navigate the DFEH and EEOC claims processes and maximize your recovery after you experience discrimination of any kind. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with an experienced Los Angeles employment attorney.