Los Angeles Employment Discrimination Lawyer

Employment Discrimination Attorney in Los Angeles, CA

California has some of the most expansive state-level employee protections in the country. Unfortunately, many people living and working in the Los Angeles area are unaware of the full scope of the legal protections available. If you have recently encountered any type of discrimination in the workplace, you may have grounds for legal action against your employer. An experienced Los Angeles employment discrimination lawyer is the ideal asset in this situation, and the Law Offices of Miguel S. Ramirez are ready to assist you with your claim.

Our team has years of experience representing Los Angeles clients in a wide range of employment discrimination cases.

Discrimination takes many forms and can have disastrous effects on the affected employee and their family. Similarly, the employment laws in California can be difficult to navigate if you have no formal experience with employment law. Your Los Angeles employment discrimination lawyer can assist you in determining your options for a legal claim.

Why Should I Hire a Los Angeles Employment Discrimination Attorney?

If you recently experienced any form of discrimination from an employer or prospective employer, you might assume that the at-will employment laws in California shield them from legal repercussions. At-will employment laws exist to protect employees from exploitative work relationships and provide employers with the flexibility to hire and fire workers as they deem fit. At first glance, at-will employment appears to allow an employer or an employee to terminate a work relationship at any time, with or without prior notice, for any reason or no reason at all. However, the reality is that an employer may not fire an employee for an illegal discriminatory reason and then hide behind the at-will employment statute as justification.

Hiring an experienced Los Angeles employment discrimination lawyer is the best way to prove an employer’s unethical or illegal behavior. While an employer may claim that a recent hiring or firing decision was made on an at-will basis, evidence may prove otherwise. Your attorney can help you secure physical evidence and/or witness testimony that supports your case. They can also help you navigate the claim process with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), an essential first step for most employment discrimination cases in the US.

Understanding the EEOC Claim Process in Los Angeles, California

The EEOC is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination laws of the US and reviewing claims of workplace discrimination and harassment. If you believe your recent experience qualifies as employment discrimination, you may not be able to sue your employer directly without filing a claim with the EEOC or an equivalent state agency. Your claim must explain what happened and the evidence you have to support it. You must explain how your employer’s recent behavior was discriminatory and how it impacted your life.

Hiring an experienced Los Angeles employment discrimination lawyer is the best way to approach an EEOC claim. Your legal team will assist you with drafting your claim and handle correspondence with the EEOC on your behalf. The EEOC will review your claim and before you can initiate a legal action, you will need a Notice of Right to Sue from the EEOC or the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). This document allows you to proceed with a civil claim against your employer.

Commonly Reported Types of Employment Discrimination

It’s possible for employment discrimination to occur in many ways. In the US, it is illegal for any employer to discriminate against an employee or job applicant on the basis of:

• Race, ethnicity, or skin color
• Sex or sexual orientation
• Medical status or disability
• Age
• Religion

These personal traits are protected in the United States under the laws of the EEOC. There are also various other important pieces of legislation in place designed to protect American workers, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Employers who knowingly violate these laws and discriminate against employees are liable for damages along with fines and other penalties.

Success with an employment discrimination claim could help prevent others from experiencing the same adverse treatment. You could also secure compensation for any damages resulting from employment discrimination. For example, you can hold the employer accountable for any out-of-pocket expenses you incurred due to their actions. These expenses may include your attorneys’ fees, the cost of a job search after being denied employment by discrimination, and medical expenses. Some claimants will qualify to claim lost income, compensation for lost benefits, and even compensation for their emotional distress.

What to Expect from Your Los Angeles Employment Discrimination Lawyer

Many workers who experience employment discrimination wonder how they can prove the truth behind their experiences and hold employers accountable. California enforces an at-will employment law that allows employers and employees to terminate working relationships at any time, with or without notice, and with no requirement to cite a specific reason. As mentioned, a misunderstanding of this law causes many workers in California to believe that employers have carte blanche to fire employees whenever they like. However, it does not permit firing an employee for an illegal reason.

Your Los Angeles employment discrimination attorney can help you gather the evidence you need to substantiate your claim. Proving discrimination is very difficult, especially when it comes to discrimination during the hiring process. Your attorney will need to prove that a hiring decision was based on your protected personal qualities rather than your qualifications for the job in question. When it comes to discriminatory firings, your attorney can ask coworkers to provide testimony regarding any discriminatory statements against you. The attorney may also recover evidence from work emails and other recorded correspondence.

The Law Offices of Miguel S. Ramirez have years of experience handling a wide range of employment discrimination claims on behalf of our clients in the Los Angeles, CA area. We can put this experience to work for you. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about the legal services an experienced Los Angeles employment discrimination attorney can offer.