San Francisco Employment Lawyers Representing Police Officers
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$2 Billion
in Personal Injury Results
$150 Million
in Employment Law Results
for First Responders
Accomplished representation for police and other law enforcement workers in California
Law enforcement personnel in San Francisco protect the public in many ways. They investigate criminal conduct and arrest wrongdoers. They help when there are traffic emergencies or other types of emergencies. They respond when people or property are in danger. Law enforcement officers and staff also help transport criminal defendants and convicts, serve court papers, keep prisons secure, and educate the public about various safety concerns.
At McNicholas & McNicholas, we fight to protect the people who protect us. This fight includes filing discrimination, harassment, and retaliation complaints when employers fail to respect you and treat you fairly. Our San Francisco employment lawyers also file wrongful termination claims, executive compensation claims, and wage/benefit claims.
Our record of verdicts and settlements on behalf of law enforcement workers includes the following:
$13.1 Million
in a sex discrimination and retaliation case on behalf of two male LAPD police officers.
$11.56 Million
jury verdict in a discrimination and retaliation case for a former LAPD Bomb K9 trainer who reported violations of law.
$10.1 Million
verdict for a Captain at the Los Angeles Police Department, against the LAPD.
$5.8 Million
against the City of Los Angeles in a retaliation case on behalf of an LAPD officer.
$5.6 Million
for a Bomb Tech employee in a discrimination case.
Quick questions
- What are the requirements for filing an employment discrimination claim?
- What are the requirements for filing an employment harassment claim?
- What are the requirements for filing an employment retaliation claim?
- What types of claims do you file to protect police officers in San Francisco?
- What laws do you use when the rights of law enforcement employees in San Francisco are violated?
- What steps do you take to assert the rights of police officers, sheriff’s officers, and other law enforcement workers in San Francisco?
- What is the value of my employee rights claim?
- Do you have a San Francisco police officer and sheriff’s deputy employment lawyer near me?
What are the requirements for filing an employment discrimination claim?
Our San Francisco employment lawyers file claims against the San Francisco Police Department, the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Office, and other local and California law enforcement agencies.
The two core requirements for filing discrimination against your employer are that you must be a member of a “protected class” and your employer must “adversely affect” your job status/conditions based on your protected class status.
The federal discrimination laws and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act protect employees who work for employers (who are covered by the laws) if the employee can be identified by their:
- Race, national origin, color, or ancestry, or;
- Sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and gender expression;
- Age (40 or older);
- A disability
- Their religion/creed;
- Pregnancy;
- Medical or genetic information;
- Military or veteran status; or
- Marital status.
Adverse employment conditions. Discrimination laws protect employees whose job status is adversely affected due to their protected class status. Adverse effects include a police department or sheriff’s office:
- Terminating your employment or suspending you;
- Refusing to consider your application for hire;
- Failing to consider your job application;
- Giving you undesirable job assignments;
- Transferring you to an unfavorable location;
- Failing to grant a promotion or pay raise that you deserve;
- Not giving you the opportunity to improve your career through education and quality job assignments, if others are given those opportunities;
- Harassing you;
- Not paying you what you deserve;
- Failing to provide reasonable workplace accommodations if you have a disability or are pregnant; and
- Adversely affecting your job in other ways.
We’re prepared to explain if you are eligible to file a discrimination claim.
What are the requirements for filing an employment harassment claim?
You should feel comfortable at your job. It’s hard enough facing criminals and handling emergencies. The last thing you need is a supervisor or anyone making you dread coming to work. At McNicholas & McNicholas LLP, we file workplace harassment claims if you are a member of a protected class and your employer harasses you or forces you to observe the harassment of other workers.
Police departments and sheriff’s offices need to do more than just stop harassment. They need to create policies and procedures to educate their workers about harassment and provide methods for employees to report workplace harassment.
Our San Francisco employment lawyers handle the following types of workplace harassment claims:
Hostile work environment harassment
We file harassment claims if your employer harasses you or tolerates harassment so that you cannot do your job or doing your job is insufferable. Hostile workplace harassment includes improperly touching you, hitting or striking you, blocking your path, or any nonconsensual physical conduct against you. Hostile workplace harassment also includes offensive jokes, images, social media postings, photos, and conversations.
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment in the workplace includes nonconsensual sexual contact, sexual advances, sexual jokes, sexual conversations, sexual images, sexual postings, and other types of offensive sexual conduct.
“Quid pro quo” sexual harassment occurs when someone who can determine your job status/job duties, conditions your work on sexual advances or sexual favors.
What are the requirements for filing an employment retaliation claim?
Federal and California laws protect employees who assert their legal rights. Employers cannot adversely affect your employment (retaliate) because you assert any of the following rights. Your right to:
- File an employment discrimination claim, harassment, or retaliation claim;
- File a request for workers’ compensation benefits;
- File a qui tam/whistleblower claim;
- Request family medical leave; or
- Testify or support another employee's rights.
- Demand the enforcement of any other employee rights;
- Assert other legal rights.
What types of claims do you file to protect police officers in San Francisco?
For more than 35 years, McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, has been filing employment claims for police officers, sheriff’s officers, and other law enforcement workers:
- Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims. These claims involve discrimination based on an employee’s status as a member of a protected class, harassment that creates hostile environment or sexual harassment, and retaliation for speaking out about workplace violations of your rights or another’s.
- Wage and hour claims. We demand that police departments and sheriff’s offices pay you the wage compensation you deserve for all the hours you work, in a prompt and timely manner.
- Executive compensation claims. Our San Francisco law enforcement employee rights lawyers file claims to ensure employers honor your executive compensation contracts. Honoring your contract means paying your salary, insurance benefits, retirement benefits, severance pay, and all other forms of compensation that your employment contract provides.
- Wrongful termination claims. We seek job reinstatement and financial compensation when police departments and sheriff’s offices terminate your job due to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, the violation of any federal or California laws, or the terms of your collective bargaining or executive compensation contract.
- Whistleblower/qui tam claims. Our San Francisco employment lawyers protect workers who disclose that their employer is committing any type of governmental fraud. We assert the federal and California laws to help you get your job back and compensate you for your financial damages.
- Family medical leave claims. We file claims when employers fail to honor their duty to provide family leave or retaliate against you for requesting family leave.
- Other employment claims.
What laws do you use when the rights of law enforcement employees in San Francisco are violated?
At McNicholas & McNicholas LLP, we understand the laws that protect employees. These laws include the following:
California law
- California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA); and
- The California False Claims Act; and
- The California Family Rights Act
Federal laws
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964;
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973;
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA);
- The Equal Pay Act of 1963;
- The federal False Claims Act; and
- The Family Medical Leave Act.
At McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, we also protect employers by demanding compliance with their collective bargaining agreements, written employment agreements, and any other San Francisco employment laws or regulations.
What steps do you take to assert the rights of police officers, sheriff’s officers, and other law enforcement workers in San Francisco?
At McNicholas & McNicholas, we have the experience and working relationship (with discrimination experts, financial experts, and law enforcement professionals) to hold police departments and sheriff’s offices accountable when they violate your rights.
We handle claims for police officers, sheriff’s officers, SWAT officers, bomb squad officers, corrections officers, and other law enforcement workers - by aggressively working to obtain your employee records, show how other workers are being treated, explain how your employer has mistreated you, verify your employment and financial records, and obtain all relevant evidence you need to support your claim.
We can explain your rights. Our lawyers will calmly and clearly prepare you for each step of your claim. We anticipate the arguments employers will use to try to defeat your claim. Our San Francisco employment lawyers focus on all the small details that often lead to large recoveries. We’re skilled at arguing cases before federal and California agencies, arbitrators, judges, and juries.
We’ve obtained $150 million in recoveries for law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders.
Our attorneys represent clients before the following agencies and courts:
Agencies:
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- The California Civil Rights Department (CCRD)
Courts:
What is the value of my employee rights claim?
Your employer should be held fully accountable for all your past and future damages. Our San Francisco police employment lawyers demand that employers who violate the rights of their employees pay the following damages, depending on the type of employment claim:
- Loss of income, including wages, overtime, salary, bonuses, benefits, and other income;
- Loss of health insurance or other types of insurance;
- Loss of seniority;
- Executive compensation;
- Collective bargaining contract compensation;
- Emotional distress
- Damage to your reputation;
- Statutory damages;
- Legal fees; and/or
- Punitive damages, if the employer’s violation of your rights was malicious.
We also seek court orders directing that your employer rehire you, grant a deserved promotion, and that they comply with other court orders.
Do you have a San Francisco police officer and sheriff’s deputy employment lawyer near me?
Yes. Our lawyers can meet law enforcement workers at our nearby office locations. McNicholas & McNicholas LLP also consults with clients remotely by phone and through online video platforms like Zoom and FaceTime.
Our job is to protect your job.
Contact our experienced San Francisco law enforcement employment lawyers today
At McNicholas & McNicholas LLP, we’ve helped first responders obtain more than $150 million in verdicts and settlements. Our lawyers fight aggressively to secure your future and protect your legacy. We fight employers when they fail to respect your fight for San Francisco’s safety. Call our San Francisco police enforcement lawyers or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.
List of Agencies We are Suing or Have Sued
- Berkeley PD
- Chula Vista PD
- Contra Costa Sheriff (Non-LEO/Employment)
- Culver City PD (Non-LEO)
- El Monte PD
- El Segundo PD
- Fremont PD
- Huntington Beach PD
- LA Co Sheriff
- LAPD
- Palo Alto PD
- Pomona PD
- Redondo Beach PD
- Riverside PD
- San Diego PD
- San Joaquin County Sheriff
- Santa Barbara County Sheriff
- Shasta County Sheriff
- Ukiah PD
- Walnut Creek PD
- Willits PD