Pasadena Employment Lawyer For Workers' Rights

We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover money for you. Our fee comes as a percentage of your recovery so if we don’t win, you owe us nothing in fees. We also typically advance case costs on your behalf. If a case does not result in a recovery, some costs may still be owed, and your fee agreement explains exactly how costs are handled. This means that regardless of your financial situation, you can have an experienced employment lawyer fighting for you from day one. 

This is exactly what your free consultation is for. California has some of the strongest employee protection laws in the country, but the line between what is unfair and what is illegal is not always obvious. Not every difficult workplace situation rises to the level of a legal claim, but many do. If you were fired, demoted, harassed, or treated differently at work and something felt wrong, call us for a free consultation. There is no obligation, and the worst that can happen is you leave with a clearer picture of where you stand.

Every case is different, but many employment law cases in California resolve within one to three years. It is worth noting that the vast majority of employment cases settle before ever reaching trial, meaning most of our clients never have to set foot in a courtroom. Cases that settle early in the process can resolve in a matter of months, while cases that proceed to trial naturally take longer. The timeline depends on many factors including the complexity of your case, the willingness of your former employer to negotiate in good faith, and court availability. We always work to resolve cases as efficiently as possible and will never pressure you into a quick settlement that does not fairly compensate you for what you have been through. Our goal is the best possible outcome for you, not the fastest one.

As soon as you can, and ideally before you sign anything. The most important thing to do right away is to preserve evidence before you lose access. Employers routinely lock terminated employees out of their work emails, messaging systems, and internal platforms within hours of termination. If you have emails, messages, or documents showing complaints about discrimination or illegal practices, requests for accommodations, or performance records, save or forward them to your personal email or device before that access is gone. Only forward records about your own employment and don’t take confidential company, customer, or trade-secret information. Do not sign any severance agreement until you have spoken with an employment lawyer because once you sign, you may be waiving rights you did not know you had. When you speak with us, we will guide you on what additional steps to take to protect your case.

In California, the deadlines to file an employment claim (known as statutes of limitations) are strict and vary depending on the type of claim. For discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims under the Fair Employment and Housing Act, you generally have three years to file a complaint with the Civil Rights Department. A claim for wrongful termination in violation of public policy generally must be filed in court within two years. Other claims have much shorter deadlines. Missing a deadline can mean losing your right to pursue a claim entirely, regardless of how strong your case is. If you think you may have a claim, do not wait. Contact us as soon as possible so we can evaluate your situation before any deadlines pass.