Los Angeles Employment Law Attorneys

Aggressive representation for employees facing labor violations throughout California

California and federal laws protect your right to a workplace that is free from harassment and discrimination. McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP understands that your career is your livelihood, and we will fight to protect you from unfair and inequitable treatment regardless of race, color, religion, gender, orientation, disability or age.

Our Los Angeles employment lawyers are advocates for all public and private employees who deserve fair treatment, equitable pay and the right to perform their job without abuse, neglect or harm. If you feel you have been treated unfairly at your workplace, contact McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP to discuss your legal options.

What is workplace discrimination?

Employment discrimination occurs when an employer treats an employee unfairly based on religion, age, ethnicity, gender, disability, skin color or race. An employer might actively discriminate against an employee, or one employee might discriminate against another employee and the employer does not take steps to intervene and discourage the behavior.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the federal law that protects employees from discrimination in the workplace on the basis of certain protected characteristics such as race, religion, color, sex or national origin. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces this law.

What is workplace harassment?

Harassment is a form of discrimination. Harassment occurs when an employee must endure threatening, derogatory or humiliating words or actions based on his or her protected characteristics.

Our Successes

$300,000,000
Class action settlement on behalf of consumers against Epson America, Inc. for installation of a “smart chip” in its printers that shut down when there was still a substantial amount of ink left on the cartridge.

310-474-1582

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What types of employment dispute cases does McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP handle?

The following are examples of the different employment dispute cases we handle:

  • Wage & Hour claims. The state of California labor laws and the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) protect workers’ rights to be paid the wages and benefits they have earned. You can file a wage claim to collect your unpaid wages or benefits and you are protected under California law regardless of your immigration status.
  • Whistleblower claims and whistleblower retaliation. The law protects employees who notify the appropriate government agency or law enforcement when they believe their employer is violating state or federal laws, rules or regulations. A whistleblower is an employee who discloses the violations or refuses to participate in an activity that would violate the law. Retaliation against a whistleblower is illegal.
  • Executive compensation disputes. If you are an executive who is facing a dispute with your employer about salary, stock options, bonuses, retirement benefits, severance agreements or any other issues related to executive pay, our Los Angeles employment law attorneys offer trusted representation.
  • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) violations. California workers are protected under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the state California Family Rights Act (CFRA) when they need to take unpaid leave from work to care for a sick or injured child, for an adoption or to care for a newborn baby. The law also prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who have taken or are planning to take FMLA or CFRA leave.
  • Workers’ compensation retaliation. Employers are prohibited by law from retaliating against employees who exercise their right to receive workers' compensation benefits after a workplace injury or occupational disease. Demoting, reducing hours or terminating employees because they filed a workers' compensation claim is against the law, and employees may be able to take legal action against their employer.
  • Wrongful termination. “At will” employment means an employee can be terminated at any time and for any legal reason. However, if the employer violates state or federal law in firing an employee – e.g. termination for whistleblowing or retaliation for complaining about harassment – he or she may have grounds for a wrongful termination claim.
  • Sexual harassment. If you are experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, there are legal protections available to you. The conduct might be unwelcomed sexual advances or a hostile work environment because of the employee's gender or perceived sexual orientation. Sex discrimination is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act regardless of the gender of the harasser.
  • Employment discrimination. It is against state and federal law to discriminate based on race, religion, gender or national origin in the workplace whether in hiring, firing, promoting or any other aspect of employment.
  • False Claims Act (qui tam). This provides a penalty of double the government's damages plus a $2,000 penalty for a person who knowingly submits a false claim or makes a false statement to the government. A private person (called a relator) can file a lawsuit for violations of the FCA on behalf of the government (known as a qui tam action). A relator might receive between 25-30 percent if the government receives a recovery from the defendant in a successful case.

Dedicated lawyers who represent firefighters, law enforcement and first responders

McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP has earned a reputation as one of California’s leading law firms representing police officers and firefighters who have suffered racial and sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation. As Panel Counsel to the Los Angeles Police Protective League and United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, our firm works in conjunction with union members, serving as a passionate advocate for peace officers and firefighters who dedicate their lives to protecting our cities in California.

  • Firefighter claims. Firefighters are heroic first responders who are willing to place themselves in harm's way to help their fellow citizens. Like any other employee, firefighters have rights under state and federal law, and if they experience discrimination or harassment at work from their superiors or co-workers, they are entitled to legal protections. At McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, we represent firefighters and all first responders in discrimination, harassment, whistleblower and retaliation claims.
  • Police officers and sheriff’s deputies. Law enforcement officers stand in the gap when citizens are in danger, or when someone is breaking the law. But sometimes, the officers themselves need to draw upon the protections of state and federal law when they are facing harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Our Los Angeles workplace discrimination attorneys fight for those who serve and protect.
  • Other first responders. First responders are truly heroes and indispensable to the safety of our communities. Our LA employment attorneys represent employees, contractors and volunteers, who have been unfairly or unjustly accused of wrongdoing, and have been denied fair pay. Contact us to learn more.

Examples of successful verdicts and settlements for our clients

The following are a few examples of the types of verdicts and settlements we have been able to obtain on behalf of our clients:

$ million
separation package for a client leaving for new employment
$ million
verdict for two male LAPD Police Officers in sex discrimination and retaliation case
$ million
award for five LAPD trainees forced out of the Department after being hurt in the Academy
$ million
verdict obtained in retaliation lawsuit against City of L.A. and LAPD on behalf of K9 trainer
$ million
verdict for LAPD Captain in discrimination and retaliation case
$ million
award in sexual harassment case for a client who was subjected to offensive sexual comments and inquiries
$ million
settlement for an employee in a whistleblower action against a school district
$ million
settlement for two firefighter recruits who were discriminated, harassed and retaliated against in violation of California’s Fair Employment Housing Act

Some of our clients with significant assets face different challenges in civil cases since it may be harder to predict their future income, obtain a portfolio of all their assets and review their complex wage earnings. In order to assist clients, we often review prior earnings and establish a prediction of possible future earnings as part of the case.

At McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, our attorneys believe in holding employers accountable for violating employment and civil rights, and we’ve been fighting and winning cases for more than 30 years.

Contact our Los Angeles employment lawyers today

At McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, our family-owned and operated law firm offers a seasoned legal team that has the professionalism and tenacity required to handle all employment disputes. You may call our Westwood office at 310.474.1582 or complete our contact form to learn more about how we can help you.

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