$15.0M
Recovery for employees denied legally required meal and rest breaks.
Employment
California Employment Lawyers Fighting for Workers' Rights
Were you wrongfully terminated, denied wages, or harassed at work? Wilshire Law Firm — an award-winning, nationally recognized team — helps California workers enforce their rights and pursue the compensation they’re owed. Contact us 24/7 for a free case review with a legal professional — there are no fees unless you get paid.
- $3B+RECOVERED
- 7X"BEST LAW FIRM" AWARDS
- 24/7AVAILABILITY & SUPPORT
- 500+LEGAL PROFESSIONALS
Understanding Your Employment Case
Explore essential resources on your rights, your options, and what to expect — everything you need to navigate the legal process, all in one place.
An employment lawyer protects workers whose rights have been violated on the job. At Wilshire Law Firm, our attorneys handle wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour disputes (unpaid overtime, missed meal and rest breaks, and final paycheck violations), and retaliation for reporting misconduct. We review your situation, gather evidence, and represent you in negotiations or litigation. There are no fees unless you get paid.
Wilshire Law Firm is an award-winning, nationally recognized team that stands up for workers against employers of every size. Our attorneys investigate what happened, preserve key evidence such as pay records, emails, and witness accounts, and handle every conversation with your employer and their lawyers. We represent employment clients on contingency, so there are no fees unless you get paid, though court costs and case expenses may apply in some matters.
California workers have some of the strongest protections in the country. Common claims include wrongful termination, discrimination based on a protected characteristic, workplace harassment, retaliation for reporting illegal conduct, unpaid wages and overtime, employee misclassification, and denial of protected leave. Many of these are governed by the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the California Labor Code. A legal professional can tell you which claims may apply during a free case review.
Wilshire Law Firm represents workers in California, Oregon, and Washington. California is our primary jurisdiction, with robust protections under FEHA and the Labor Code. In Oregon, workers are protected by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), and we serve Portland, Eugene, and Salem. In Washington, the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) applies, and we serve Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane.
Wilshire Law Firm is an award-winning, nationally recognized team with a results-driven record of holding employers accountable. We take employment cases on contingency, which means no upfront costs and no fees unless you get paid. Our team is available 24/7 to answer your questions, and every case begins with a free case review with a legal professional.
Meet Our Employment Attorneys
Nationally-Recognized Powerhouse, Fighting for the Justice You Deserve
Our award-winning attorneys have recovered billions for clients while taking on insurance companies and major corporations.
John G. Yslas, Esq.Senior Partner, Chair of the Employment Wage & Hour Class Action Department
Mary Lee Caruso, Esq.Senior Partner
Tyler J. Woods, Esq.Senior Partner
Arrash Fattahi, Esq.Partner
Benjamin Haber, Esq.Partner
Nicol Hajjar, Esq.Partner
Diego Aviles, Esq.Junior Partner
Jeffrey Bils, Esq.Junior Partner
Emily Borman, Esq.Junior Partner
Jose Maria D. Patino, Jr., Esq.Junior Partner
Christina M. LeJunior Partner
William M. Pao, Esq.Junior Partner
Eugene Zinovyev, Esq.Junior Partner$12.0M
Recovery for employees denied legally required meal and rest breaks.
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Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Each case is unique and evaluated on its own facts.
How Do I Know If I Have an Employment Law Claim in California?
You likely have an employment claim if your employer took an unlawful action against you and you suffered harm as a result. Unlawful actions generally include firing or disciplining you for an illegal reason, discriminating or harassing you based on a protected characteristic, failing to pay wages or overtime you earned, or retaliating against you for reporting misconduct. California's FEHA and Labor Code set the deadlines and standards, and these vary by claim type, so contact Wilshire Law Firm for a free case review to confirm whether you have a case.
Start Your Free Employment Case Review
- Available 24/7
- Hablamos Español
- Nationally-Recognized Powerhouse Team
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No fees unless you get paid.
Record breaking results
Winners of #1 Settlements in California
Our attorneys have recovered billions of dollars, including some of the biggest settlements in California.
17#1 Settlements in California, 2022–2024*
TopVerdict #1TopVerdict.com #1 settlements
1–1 of 17
#1 Truck v. Pedestrian Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Multi-Vehicle Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Equipment Malfunction Settlement
2024
#1 Car v. Stationary Object Collision Settlement
2024
#1 Bus v. Passenger Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Whistleblower Retaliation Settlement
2023
#1 Underinsured Motorist Settlement
2023
#1 Slip & Fall Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Negligent Security Settlement
2023
#1 Ladder Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Hotel Premises Liability Settlement
2023
#1 Car v. Car Collision Settlement
2023
#1 Bicycle Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Pregnancy Discrimination Settlement
2022
#1 Age/Disability Discrimination Settlement
2022
#1 Wrongful Termination Settlement
2022
#1 Meal & Rest Breaks Settlement
2022
*#1 settlements in California have been awarded by TopVerdict.com. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Employment FAQs
Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
We've answered the most common ones below. If yours isn't here, call us — we're available 24/7.
California workers are protected by a mix of state and federal laws. Common claims include discrimination, harassment, and retaliation under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), whistleblower retaliation under the Labor Code, unpaid wages and overtime, and wrongful termination in violation of public policy. Which law applies depends on what happened and the size of the employer. If you work in Washington rather than California, our Spokane employment lawyer team handles claims under that state's laws. Our Los Angeles employment lawyers can help you determine which of these claims applies to your situation. If you experienced harassment in the Inland Empire, our San Bernardino sexual harassment attorneys can help. Different rules apply outside California; workers in Oregon can visit our Eugene Oregon employment lawyer page.
California law entitles most employees to at least the state minimum wage, overtime for long hours, and paid meal and rest breaks. Workers who are denied these can generally recover the unpaid amounts and, in some cases, additional penalties. These protections apply regardless of immigration status. If you are paid less than coworkers for substantially similar work, see our California equal pay lawyer page. Wage rules differ by state; if you work in Oregon, see our Portland Oregon employment lawyer page.
Yes. California's FEHA prohibits retaliation against employees who report or oppose discrimination and harassment, and the Labor Code separately protects workers who report a reasonable belief of legal violations. Protected activity includes making a good-faith complaint internally or to a government agency. If you were disciplined or fired soon after speaking up, that timing can support a retaliation claim. Our Riverside employment lawyers handle retaliation and whistleblower claims as well.
It depends on the type of claim. For FEHA discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, workers generally have three years to file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, and typically one year from a right-to-sue notice to file a lawsuit. Deadlines have exceptions, so it is best to confirm yours promptly. Deadlines also differ by state — if your claim arose in Washington, see our Seattle employment lawyer page.
Possibly. California uses the ABC test to decide whether a worker is truly an employee, and misclassified workers may have been denied overtime, meal and rest breaks, and other protections. If you were treated like an employee but paid as a contractor, you may be able to recover unpaid wages and penalties.