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Employment Litigation

Los Angeles Employment Litigation Lawyers

Holding California employers and their staff accountable for failing to respect employee rights

Employers across Southern California are required to treat potential and current employees with fundamental decency. Their duties are regulated by federal and California laws. Employers cannot discriminate in hiring, advancement, and termination decisions. Employers cannot tolerate sexual harassment in the workplace. Employers who violate employment laws may be required to pay economic damages, legal fees, and other damages. Employers may also be ordered to take proactive measures to stop discrimination and sexual abuse.

The experienced Los Angeles employment litigation attorneys at Taylor & Ring understand which laws apply and which forums are best for trying discrimination, wrongful termination, and sexual harassment cases. Preparing and trying an employer litigation case requires a great deal of experience. Most cases are won based on speaking to all appropriate witnesses, reviewing all relevant employment records, and conducting a thorough discovery of everyone involved. We hold employers accountable when they fail to play by the rules.

How can we help?

Partner Natalie Weatherford

What laws govern employee rights in California?

Our Los Angeles employee rights lawyers file the correct claims with the correct agencies and in the correct courts. Employee rights claims are based on different federal and state laws depending on the type of wrong, the size of the employer, and other factors. Some of the common employee rights laws we use on your behalf include:

Discrimination and wrongful termination

Sexual harassment

Generally, employers who are prohibited from discrimination or sexual harassment also cannot retaliate against an employee who asserts their rights or who agrees to support or testify on behalf of another worker. We also assist employees who assert their right to file a whistleblower claim or to obtain leave based on either the federal Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act.

Our Los Angeles employee rights lawyers will explain when these laws apply to your workplace situation.

What types of employment discrimination are prohibited in Southern California?

Employment discrimination claims for Southern California workers are normally brought based on the California Fair Employment and Housing Act or the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These generally require that you file your claim before the proper agency first. The agency will investigate the claim and try to resolve your claim. If the claim cannot be resolved, then we file a complaint for workplace discrimination either in state court or federal court.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is the agency that handles federal employment discrimination claims. The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing handles state employment discrimination claims.

At Taylor & Ring, we fight for employees who experience discrimination in hiring, promotion, or firing based on any of the following factors:

  • Race
  • Gender
  • Age (over 40)
  • Religion
  • Ethnicity or national origin
  • Disability
  • Pregnancy
  • Sexual orientation

Other employment categories may also apply. Employers who still discriminate obviously do whatever they can to cover up the discrimination. These employers will make up false reasons for a person's discharge from a job, when in fact the real reason is because of the person's race, elderly age, pregnancy, or other protected trait.

Can I hold my Los Angeles employer liable for the wrongful termination of my employment?

Employers have wide latitude in hiring and firing workers. However, California and federal laws forbid terminating an employee because of age (40 or older), race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or pregnancy. Another unlawful type of termination is dismissal based on retaliation: firing an employee for whistleblowing on fraud or illegal activity, reporting sexual harassment, claiming workplace discrimination, or filing a workers’ compensation claim.

Some employers will fabricate some pretext for firing the worker. For instance, the employee may suddenly get a bad performance review or be written up for violating company policy. The Los Angeles employment attorneys at Taylor & Ring are skilled at seeing through employers’ smokescreens and revealing the true motives for discharging employees.

Employees who have a written contract or are protected by a collective bargaining agreement cannot be fired unless the terms of the contract/agreement are met. Generally, written employment contracts require cause (such as fraud, working for a competitor, poor performance, or other specific breaches). The rights and remedies for this type of wrongful termination are set forth in the contract.

What conduct is considered sexual harassment?

Data from the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission show that 98,411 charges alleging harassment under any basis and 27,291 charges alleging sexual harassment were filed nationwide between 2018 and 2021. Women filed 78.2% of sexual harassment complaints.

Typically, workplace sexual harassment takes one of two forms.

  • Quid pro quo harassment. This type of employer misconduct occurs when a boss or supervisor pressures a subordinate to engage in sexual behavior. The pressure can be in the form of a promise of a raise, promotion, or desired position in the firm in exchange for the sexual behavior. The pressure can also be a threat to terminate the employee or cause an adverse employment condition if the worker refuses to engage in sexual behavior.
  • Creation of a "hostile work environment." In a hostile work environment, unwanted sexual pranks, jokes, comments, and crude practices make it next to impossible for an employee to work. The employee doesn’t have to be the target of the sexual references.

Both forms of sexual harassment are illegal and actionable in court.

What is a hostile work environment?

The term “hostile work environment” refers to conduct of a sexual nature that is degrading, offensive or threatening to the victim and interferes with his or her ability to function and be comfortable at work. The behavior must be long-lasting and not limited to an odd remark. The bad conduct is also pervasive and severe.

A hostile work environment can be created by:

  • Physical harassment, including sexual assault or rape, inappropriate touching and/or groping
  • Verbal harassment, such as inappropriate comments or catcalls
  • Stalking
  • Sharing of pornographic material through email or chat features, or watching pornographic material in the workplace
  • Threatening behaviors

The perpetrator(s) may be superiors, such as a boss or supervisor, co-workers or even clients.

Employer liability for creating a hostile work environment includes more than just actual knowledge of the harassment. Employers can be held responsible if they could have learned about the harassment by following up on employee complaints or reports by a supervisor lower in the chain of command. Employers must take prompt and effective action to correct sexual harassment. This means taking steps to end the harassment and prevent it from occurring again.

The Los Angeles employment ligation attorneys at Taylor & Ring represent employees who have been sexually harassed in a wide range of companies and industries, including:

  • Entertainment industry
  • Law firms
  • Accounting firms
  • Health care industry
  • Investment and brokerage firms
  • Real estate companies
  • Industrial companies

We take on Fortune 500 companies as well as small businesses.

What damages can I seek for workplace discrimination, wrongful termination, and sexual harassment in Los Angeles?

Our attorneys help individuals who fail to be hired; are not promoted or given opportunities for advancement; are fired due to workplace discrimination; or are fired, forced to quit, or suffer at work for not putting up with sexual harassment.

We pursue lawsuits to recover damages, including:

  • Lost wages, past and future
  • Lost benefits
  • Emotional distress
  • Punitive damages
  • Attorneys' fees

We also seek job reinstatement for our clients. Employers can be ordered to post notices about company policies regarding discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace. They can also be ordered to establish procedures for filing complaints, investigating complaints internally, and enacting other safeguards.

Call us in Los Angeles today to assert your employee rights

Taylor & Ring handles employment litigation throughout the Los Angeles area and Southern California. We have a strong record of success fighting for employees who were discriminated against, wrongfully terminated, sexually harassed, or retaliated against for asserting their rights. To discuss your employee rights, call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our Los Angeles employment litigation attorneys We take the time to explain your rights and will vigorously pursue justice for the indignity and economic harm you have suffered.

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