Los Gatos Employment Lawyer
California law protects employees from discrimination at the hands of their employers. For employees, challenging their employers can often feel overwhelming and frightening. Although the stakes are high, the law is designed to protect workers from wrongful acts at the hand of their employers. For example, harassment, discrimination, and wage violations are all scenarios in which employees are protected. If you are facing wrongful actions from your employer, you need to find an attorney who can protect your rights.
The attorneys at the Costanzo Law Firm work to ensure that employees in Los Gatos, California, are treated fairly by their employers. We will fight to protect your rights, your future, your career, and your financial well-being. Call us today at 408-993-8493 for a consultation with one of our dedicated Los Gatos employment lawyers.
- Discrimination
- Disability Discrimination
- Executive Compensation
- Sexual Harassment
- Whistleblowing & Retaliation
- Wrongful Termination
Wage and Hour Claims in Los Gatos
Every employee in California is entitled to certain wages and breaks. Your employer cannot pay you less than the minimum wage and is required to pay time and a half when employees work more than 40 hours a week or eight hours a day. Employees are also entitled to certain mealtimes and breaks. While there are categories of workers who are not covered by these laws, most workers in the state are included in such regulations. Employers who violate wage and hour laws in Los Gatos, California, will owe compensation to the employees who were not properly paid for their work or who were required to work without legally mandated break periods. Contact a Los Gatos employment law attorney today to discuss your claim.
Rights Against Discrimination in Los Gatos
If you are an employee in California, you benefit from laws against discrimination at the hands of your employer. Discrimination occurs when an employer makes important decisions related to your employment based on a protected category. In California, state law protects a wider range of classifications than those that are protected under federal law. The following categories are subject to protection from discrimination:
- sex
- gender
- age
- disability
- religion
- ethnicity
- country of origin
- race or color
- gender identity
- sexual orientation
- marital status
- pregnancy
- genetic information
- medical condition
- military/veteran status
If you believe your employer discriminated against you in your place of work, contact a Los Gatos, California, employment law attorney today.
Rights against Harassment in Los Gatos
Harassment claims originate when an employee feels that his or her workplace is hostile based on that individual’s membership in a protected category. Although sexual harassment is the most well-known form of harassment, many other types of behavior will qualify as harassment under California state employment law. Harassment based on the following will not be permitted in California:
- color
- race
- religion
- ancestry
- age
- sexual orientation
- gender
- gender identity
- disability
- medical condition
- genetic information
- military status
- marital status
If you are working in a hostile work environment because of harassment from your coworkers or employer, contact a Los Gatos employment law attorney to discuss your claim.
Retaliation in Los Gatos
Employees are often fearful of retaliation from their employer. Retaliation does occur in some cases when an employee exposes wrongful actions taken by their employer. If you report violations such as discrimination or harassment, or you are a whistleblower who exposed illegal or dangerous practices at your place of work, and your employer fired you because of your actions, you may have a claim that your employer retaliated against you in violation of the law. Not only are employees protected from being terminated by their employer in retaliation, but employers are prohibited from engaging in other less obvious forms of retaliation. In some cases, an employer might refuse to promote an employee, demote an employee, or otherwise create challenges for an employee in retaliation. Any such actions are not permitted. If you believe your employer illegally retaliated against you, contact a Los Gatos employment law attorney today.
Wrongful Termination in Los Gatos
Wrongful termination involves an employer firing an employee for a reason that violates California law. True, you may be working in California as an “at-will” employee. “At-will” employees are those whom an employer can typically terminate at any time without explaining their reason for ending the employee’s work relationship with the company. However, employers are not permitted to fire an employee for discriminatory reasons based on the above listed protective categories and cannot fire an employee as a retaliatory move. Employees who believe they were wrongfully terminated should contact a Los Gatos employment law attorney today. There are ways to recover damages from your employer who wrongfully terminated you.
What to Do When Your Employer Violates Your Rights
If your employer violates your rights, you might choose to file a claim against that employer. In the case of discrimination and harassment, you can file with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. If you have a claim, those agencies will either sue the employer or send you a letter indicating your right to file a lawsuit. It is a good idea to contact an attorney early in the process to ensure that you take the steps needed to protect your interests throughout the entire process.
Call a Los Gatos Employment Lawyer at the Costanzo Law Firm Today
At the Costanzo Law Firm, our attorneys are ready to fight to protect your rights. Call us at 408-993-8493 to discuss your claim with a dedicated Los Gatos, California, employment law attorney.
