Discrimination, harassment and retaliation · California
California's Fair Employment and Housing Act protects employees against discrimination, harassment and retaliation, often more broadly than federal law. A complaint with the Civil Rights Department usually comes before a lawsuit. An independent employment attorney helps you choose the right route and keep your deadlines.
A free, no-obligation first call. Fee terms explained in writing before any work starts.
The essentials
FEHA covers race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, age (40 and over), military or veteran status and more.
Harassment based on a protected characteristic is prohibited by employers of any size. The discrimination rules generally apply to employers with five or more employees.
It is unlawful to punish you for complaining about discrimination or harassment, taking part in an investigation, or requesting a disability or religious accommodation.
Under current law, a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department generally must be filed within three years of the last unlawful act. After a right-to-sue notice, the time to file in court is short.
Easy to start
You tell us what is going on. We find the right attorney for it.
Choose your topic and leave your contact details. You don’t need a complete file to get started.
Our intake team gets in touch, clarifies what you need and connects you with an independent attorney licensed in California.
The attorney reviews your case and explains the scope and the fee arrangement in writing. You decide whether to go ahead.
For later, not for now
You don’t need to upload anything in the form. These documents can help later:
Federal EEOC deadlines are shorter than California's. Keep copies of evidence you are allowed to keep, but do not take confidential company documents. An enquiry does not stop any deadline.
You may still be wondering …
For FEHA claims, generally yes. You file a complaint with the Civil Rights Department and receive a right-to-sue notice, which you can request right away if you plan to go to court. Some other claims do not require this step.
Any adverse action because you engaged in protected activity, such as firing, demotion, a cut in hours, a sudden bad review or a transfer to a worse shift.
The first call is free and without obligation. If you want an attorney to take on your matter, the attorney explains the scope and fee arrangement in writing before any work starts.
Our intake team reviews your request and gets in touch to clarify it and arrange the call. Sending the form does not create an attorney-client relationship and does not book an appointment.
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