Discrimination in the workplace is not acceptable under any circumstances. If you have been passed over, terminated, or otherwise mistreated based on your age, race, gender, sex, or any other personal characteristic, you should speak with an attorney about asserting your legal rights.
As an employee in California, you have the right to apply for jobs and go to work without fear that you will be judged based on factors other than your professional qualifications. You have the right to equal treatment in the workplace, and you have the right not to be terminated for any discriminatory reason. Any violation of these rights constitutes workplace discrimination, and is grounds for you to seek legal remedies under California or federal law.
At Custis Law, P.C., we represent individuals who have experienced all forms of workplace discrimination. Whether you were denied employment, denied a promotion, assigned to unequal working conditions, or wrongfully terminated on a discriminatory basis, we can help. California law prohibits employers from discriminating because of your race, religion, age (if 40 or over), gender, sexual orientation and for several other protected reasons.
If you believe you have been discriminated against at work because of your race, religion, age (if 40 or over), gender, sexual orientation or for another protected reason, contact a Los Angeles discrimination attorney at Custis Law, P.C. online or at (213) 863-4276 for a free, confidential consultation. You may be entitled to compensation. We will evaluate your claim, explain the discrimination laws and your legal options and help you obtain the justice you deserve.
We handle employment discrimination cases on a contingency basis. If we take your case, we advance all costs and charge you nothing unless and until we win.
If you have been a victim of workplace discrimination, contact Custis Law, P.C. today for a free consultation.
Or Online
Send Keith a MessageWe Handle All Types of Workplace Discrimination
While we handle all types of employment discrimination claims, these are some of the more common discrimination claims we see:
Age Discrimination
California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits employers from making negative employment-related decisions based on an employee’s age when the employee is 40 or older. This includes denial of employment and advancement opportunities, and termination in order to hire a younger employee. Denial of benefits, limiting assignments, limiting pay, and other forms of disparate treatment can also support age discrimination claims. A FEHA lawyer can help you with an age discrimination claim.
Disability and Medical Condition Discrimination
The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California’s FEHA prohibit workplace discrimination based on an employee’s disability or medical condition. This includes actual disabilities and medical conditions as well as disabilities perceived by an individual’s employer. Employers are also required to provide reasonable accommodations for applicants or employees who have such disabilities and medical conditions.
Gender and Sex Discrimination
Employers are prohibited from discriminating and harassing applicants or employees on the basis of the employee’s gender or sex. California’s Equal Pay Act also prohibits employers from paying less compensation to any employees than what it pays employees of the opposite sex for substantially similar work.
LGBTQ Rights Discrimination
California law prohibits workplace harassment and discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. This includes discrimination because an individual is LGBTQ, perceived to be LGBTQ or simply associates with someone who is LGBTQ.
Pregnancy and New Parent Discrimination
California and federal laws include anti-discrimination provisions that protect pregnant women as well as new mothers and fathers. In California, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee on the basis of the employee’s pregnancy, childbirth, or diagnosis of a related medical condition. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California’s Family Rights Act (CFRA) and New Parent Leave Act provide protections for mothers and fathers by prohibiting discrimination or retaliation based on a request to take protected leave to bond with a newborn child, a foster child or an adopted child.
Race Discrimination
It is illegal to discriminate against any current or prospective employee on the basis of the employee’s actual or presumed race. Race discrimination prohibitions exist under California and federal law, and employees who experience discrimination based on their race, color, national origin and/or ancestry are entitled to seek full and fair compensation for the economic and non-economic impacts they endure.
Religious Discrimination
Religious discrimination includes providing unequal or disparate treatment based on an employee’s stated religion (or lack thereof), religious beliefs, or religious practices. This includes affiliation with all forms of religious organizations as well as sincerely-held beliefs that do not align with those of any particular recognized group. Employers must treat all employees and job candidates equally regardless of their religion. Employers are also required to reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious belief or practice as long as the accommodation does not present an undue hardship, and to prevent religious-based harassment. Agnostics or atheists are protected too.
Whistleblower Retaliation
California and federal law prohibit employers from retaliating against applicants and employees who assert their right to be free of employment discrimination and harassment. Employers cannot fire you because you took a stand against discrimination, refused to participate in discriminatory practices, or blew the whistle on your employer’s illegal activities. If you believe that you are a victim of retaliation in the workplace, you should speak with an employment lawyer promptly.
If you believe you have been discriminated against at work because of your race, religion, age (if 40 or over), gender, sexual orientation or for another protected characteristic, contact us online or at (213) 863-4276 for a free, confidential consultation.
Types of Workplace Discrimination You Might Face in California
Workplace discrimination generally occurs in two ways.
Disparate treatment. Disparate treatment (or intentional discrimination) occurs where an employer intentionally and deliberately takes an negative employment action—like firing or failing to hire you—against you because you have a personal characteristic, or are a member of a group, that is protected by federal and California law. This is the most common form of discrimination.
Disparate impact. Disparate impact discrimination occurs when an employer’s policy or practice that appears to be neutral results in a disproportionate negative impact on a protected group. For example, a policy that requires job applicants to lift 200 lbs for a job that does not require such strength appears to be neutral with respect to gender, age and disability. This lifting policy, however, would disproportionately exclude applicants who are female, older and/or disabled from the hiring process. A neutral policy that gives rise to a disparate impact claim could be intentional or unintentional.
Whether intentional or unintentional, workplace discrimination can take many forms. Some are clear and some are subtle. If an employer has taken any of the following actions against you because of your protected characteristic, or status in a protected group, the employer is violating the law:
- Firing an employee because of the employee’s status in a protected class.
- Refusing to hire an applicant because of the applicant’s status in a protected class.
- Failing to promote qualified employees but promoting others.
- Applying different standards to applicants or employees.
- Demoting and decreasing an employee’s compensation.
- Denying training opportunities to some but not all employees.
- Failing to provide reasonable accommodations for a worker’s religion and religious practices.
- Failing to provide reasonable accommodations for a worker with disabilities.
- Providing less compensation to an employee because of gender, race or ethnicity than employees of a different gender, race or ethnicity for substantially the same job.
What Our Clients are Saying
"I really needed a sounding board and some help navigating these waters, and you treated me right. You did not fail to deliver!"
Custis Law, P.C. Client
More TestimonialsFight Discrimination with Custis Law, P.C.
If your employer violates your rights and subjects you to discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, call a discrimination lawyer at Custis Law, P.C. as soon as possible. We will review your complaints and advise you about your legal options. Let us fight for you to obtain the relief you deserve.
We handle all discrimination cases on a contingency basis. If our employment lawyer in Los Angeles takes your case, we will advance all costs and charge you nothing unless and until we win. Contact us online or at (213) 863-4276 to schedule your initial free consultation.
Contact Custis Law, P.C.
If you would like to schedule a free, no-risk consultation with Custis Law, P.C., call (213) 863-4276 or submit a request through our online form. If we cannot answer you inquiry immediately, we will be in touch within 24 hours.