Encino Employment Lawyer

Encino Employment Law Attorney

In the modern world, with its hybrid job roles, fast-paced logistics, and serious competition in the job market, effectively navigating the complicated web of California employment laws and federal labor regulations is crucial for employers and employees alike. The aid of an Encino employment lawyer is vital to properly do so.

Gruzen Moussly Law is proud to stand as a pillar of support for the working folks of Encino, CA when they have questions about employment laws. We are also ready to help those who need powerful representation when suing an abusive employer for restitution.

We are not just another law firm offering services for employment cases in the greater Los Angeles area. At Gruzen Moussly Law, our practice provides our clients with accurate and up-to-date advice, steadfast support, and winning legal solutions that are custom-tailored to their unique needs and goals.

Our employment law firm can help you hold employers and powerful individuals accountable for their unlawful actions, whether you are:

• A workplace safety whistleblower fighting against retaliation
• Someone looking to be compensated for income lost due to a wrongful termination
• An employee who has been illegally classified as a contractor to deny you benefits
• Simply seeking justice for workplace harassment

What Are My Employee Rights in California?

Employees throughout the United States are afforded a variety of powerful legal rights, and California goes beyond that with some of the most robust worker protections in the country. These labor regulations and anti-discrimination laws on the state and federal level are designed to work together as a comprehensive package, ensuring a fair and safe job site for all those who work for a living.

As a working Californian, some of your fundamental rights include:

• Safe Workplace: Employers are required, by law, to maintain a work environment that is free of dangerous hazards. It must also include the necessary training and equipment for completing any potentially dangerous tasks.
• Anti-Discrimination: Employees are protected from discrimination in the workplace based on their race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and other protected characteristics.
• Harassment Protection: Although this form of abuse was once pervasive throughout our office and factory cultures, female and gender-nonconforming workers should be assured that there is no place for sexual harassment in the modern world. Other forms of harassment are also prohibited.
• Wage and Schedule Rules: Basic workplace rights, like overtime pay and meal breaks, are also codified into law.
• Privacy: While you wouldn’t expect to enjoy the same level of privacy at work that you do in your own home, you still have a limited right to privacy in the workplace. For example, your boss cannot search your purse, cell phone, or personal vehicle on a whim.
• Special Whistleblower Protections: Brave workers who “blow the whistle” by reporting safety violations or illegal workplace activities to the proper authorities are subject to additional protections against retaliation.
• Family and Medical Leave: Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid but job-protected leave annually for qualifying family or medical reasons. Employers who attempt to retaliate against you for using this benefit can be held accountable in court.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all your rights. The full text of labor laws and employment regulations in California ensures a broad and powerful array of protections for the valued working families of California–including yours.

What Is Considered Wrongful Termination in California?

In California, most employment relationships function under an “at will” model, meaning that either the employer or the employee has the right to end the employment at any time and for (almost) any reason.

While the unfortunate reality of the law is that you can legally be fired without notice in most circumstances, there are several clear exceptions to the at-will doctrine defined by labor regulations. When these regulations are violated, employees have the right to pursue damages through a wrongful termination claim.

A Termination Might be Unlawful in These Situations:

Violation of Public Policy

An employer cannot terminate an employee for reasons that violate California’s policies, but knowing what this means can be difficult for those who lack legal training in these areas. As one example, an employee cannot be fired for refusing a work order that would have resulted in them breaking the law. Employees also cannot be fired for exercising statutory rights, like voting or taking protected family leave.

Employers will often go to great lengths to obscure their true reasons for firing an employee, so working with a qualified employment attorney to gather and present evidence can be central to succeeding in such cases.

Discrimination

Thanks to the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), it is also illegal for the state’s employers to terminate employees on discriminatory grounds. This means you cannot be fired in California for your:

• Race
• Skin color
• National origin
• Religion
• Gender
• Age
• Disability
• Sexual preference
• Pregnancy
• Hairstyle and hair texture associated with a person’s race
• Marital status
• Military or veteran status

Note that these protections from discrimination do not only cover active employees who are wrongfully fired, but they also apply to hiring practices.

Retaliation

Employers are prohibited from terminating employees in retaliation for legally protected activities, including complaining about discrimination, labor violations, or an employer’s illegal activity.

For example, if you are fired for filing a valid workers’ compensation claim, you may be able to take additional legal action against your former employer on the grounds of wrongful termination.

Breach of Contract

While many employees in California work on an “at-will” basis, others have employment contracts or union deals that may offer additional protections, such as stipulating specific conditions for termination to occur. If an employer breaches the terms of a legally binding contract when letting an employee go, this could potentially qualify as an unlawful termination in court.

Public Policy

Violation of public policy refers to if a company breaks the law through something like fraud. If an employee does not agree to help an employer commit fraud or break public policy, and the employer fires them. As a result, they might be able to file a wrongful termination claim. This can also apply to whistleblowers or those who report their company’s unethical or illegal actions.

How an Encino Employment Lawyer Can Help?

If you’ve been wrongfully terminated, a great first step is to consult a qualified and reputable employment attorney, such as the team at Gruzen Moussly Law. Many employers throughout California have a tremendous number of resources and influence at their disposal. Many also retain the services of full-time corporate lawyers who have years of experience in deflecting claims like yours.

Enlisting powerful legal representation of your own can be a vital part of steering a wrongful termination claim to a positive outcome for you and your family. Another key will be to fully document all workplace incidents. Also, retain your own copy of any relevant:

• Emails
• Messages
• Performance evaluations
• Disciplinary reports
• Other potentially useful files

The “at-will” employment paradigm can make it difficult to successfully prove wrongful termination, so these cases can often hinge on the availability of a single piece of solid evidence.

How Much Do Employment Lawyers Charge in Encino, CA?

We do all the work on a contingency basis. That means that you don’t have to pay us anything unless we win on your behalf. If and when we win, we will take a percentage of the compensation you receive in the verdict or settlement.

At Gruzen Moussly Law, we pride ourselves on a billing structure that is transparent and makes quality legal help more accessible than ever for the working people of Encino.

What Are the New Employment Laws for 2023 in California?

California is known for its proactive stance on employment law, with regulations frequently evolving to reflect the needs of a modern workforce.

Some of the more notable new policies introduced in 2023 & 2024 include:

• Minimum Wage: A statewide minimum wage increase to $16.00 went into effect at the beginning of 2024. Some cities, counties, and specific employers have already set a minimum wage that exceeds this amount.
• CFRA Leave: Updated protections for bereavement leave were established by California AB 1949.
• Non-Compete Rules: Signed in September 2023, California Senate Bill 699 puts some powerful limitations on non-compete clauses in employment contracts. Specifically, employers cannot use contracts with language that prohibits or restrain the signee from engaging in a lawful business, trade, or profession of any sort.
• Quotas: Additional protections are now available for warehouse workers who are susceptible to quotas. Quotas cannot interrupt bathroom breaks or other meal or rest breaks during a shift or be so high that an employee does not feel like they can take breaks during their shift to fill the quota.

FAQs

Q: What Are My Rights as an Employee in California?

A: Employees in California are entitled to many different kinds of rights. These include wage and hour laws like overtime pay, meal breaks, minimum wage, and more. Employees also have the right to feel safe in their workplace and be free from things like discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. For more details on specific employee rights and laws protecting employees, contact an Encino employment lawyer today.

Q: What are Some New Labor Laws in California?

A: There were several new labor laws introduced in California in 2023, including:

• The Garment Worker Protection Act
• Laws against warehouse quotas
• Rights protecting employees who were laid off due to COVID-19
• A new minimum wage of $16 an hour (went into effect January 2024)
• New requirements for agricultural employees to receive overtime pay

For more information on individual labor laws in California and how they might impact you as an employee, contact an employment attorney.

Q: How is California’s Employment Law Different from Other States?

A: California often provides additional protections to its workers that other states do not. For example, California’s minimum wage is $16 an hour as of 2024 compared to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. They also require compensation for all activities related to work instead of just their regular job tasks. Employers are also not allowed to take money from employees to cover expenses or damage that were an employee’s fault.

Q: What Is Considered Unfair Termination of Employment in California?

A: In California, there are illegal reasons for terminating an employee’s employment with the company. These reasons include things like:

• Discrimination
• Whistleblowing
• Retaliation
• Employer violations of contract or policy
• The employee filing a workers’ compensation claim

If an employee is terminated for any of these reasons, they might be eligible for things like lost wages from losing their job, damages for emotional and psychological suffering, and punitive damages to prevent others from the same fate.

Contact Experienced Encino Employment Lawyers

Working for a living is already difficult, and when something goes seriously wrong at work, dealing with the complex world of employment law can be downright overwhelming. Frequent changes to regulations and the many unique challenges of modern work environments can leave wronged workers feeling unsure where to begin when they want to seek restitution for unlawful actions by their employers. That’s where powerful and accessible legal help from Gruzen Moussly Law comes in.

Contact our offices today for assistance with filing a claim for your workplace discrimination issues. When you work with Gruzen Moussly Law, you’re not just hiring a lawyer. You’re entering into a valuable partnership that prioritizes your rights and interests through every phase of the legal process to come.