Expert Beverly Hills Employment Lawyer: Your Advocate for Workplace Justice

Beverly Hills Employment Lawyer

For many Californians, going to work is about more than making a living. Beyond a paycheck, a job often brings employees financial security, a sense of identity, and a dynamic social network. It’s partly for these reasons that workplace conflicts can be so anxiety-producing.

When you spend 40-plus hours of your week at work, disputes with workers or superiors can significantly impact your quality of life and well-being. In many cases, employees don’t realize that their workplace conflict isn’t just disruptive—it’s also a violation of their rights.

If you’re concerned about mistreatment in your workplace, it’s wise to contact a Beverly Hills employment lawyer. The employment lawyers at Starpoint Law offer free consultations for employees concerned about their rights as workers. Our trained advocates can help you identify illegal misconduct and take action to get justice for wrongdoing at your job.

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Laws Protecting Beverly Hills Employees 

Federal and state employment law offers employees working in California many rights and protections. Various laws set standards for safe working conditions and establish rules to ensure fair compensation for employees. Others grant employees the right to job-protected leave for medical treatment or pregnancy. Some significant national and California employee protection laws include:

Unfortunately, many employers ignore or disregard the standards required under these laws. Even if employees know the extent of their rights, many are too intimidated to speak up when an employer or coworker breaks the law.

Let’s examine some common forms of misconduct our Beverly Hills employment lawyers encounter in California employment law cases.

Wage and Hour Violations

Disputes over compensation are some of the most pervasive issues employees face in California. When your employer fails to pay you the compensation or benefits you’re due under the law, it’s called wage theft.

National law requires employers to pay nonexempt employees the federally mandated minimum wage. However, in California, the state minimum wage takes precedence. Employees across California should receive at least $16.00 per hour.

Some cities and counties may even have minimum wage rates, including industry-specific ones. If you’re a nonexempt employee, your employer must pay the highest minimum wage for your role and location. Plus, when you work over 40 hours a week, you’re entitled to overtime—pay at one-and-a-half times your regular rate.

Employees are legally entitled to regular meal and rest breaks throughout a workday. If your employer refuses to let you take your allotted breaks or requires you to work through them, you can hold them accountable under California law. 

Wrongful Termination

Wrongful termination happens when your employer fires you for reasons prohibited under California law. Most employees in California are employed at will, meaning their termination from employment can occur for almost any reason at any time. However, it’s illegal when an employer fires someone for:

  • Discriminatory reasons,
  • Reporting harassment at work,
  • Blowing the whistle on illegal activity,
  • Requesting family or medical leave,
  • Taking time off work for jury duty, and
  • Applying for workers’ compensation.

Letting someone go before the term specified in an employment contract could also be a form of wrongful termination. For example, if your contract says your boss must have specific reasons (i.e., “cause”) for firing you, you could have a wrongful termination claim if they can’t justify your dismissal. 

Wrongful termination is one of the most challenging employment disputes to identify. Contact a Beverly Hills employment law attorney immediately if you suspect you’ve been fired under illegal circumstances.

Aidin Ghavimi

Aidin Ghavimi - Employment Lawyer Helping Those in Beverly Hills

Mr. Ghavimi received his Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from USC, with Honors. He received his Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. While at Loyola, Mr. Ghavimi Externed with the Hon. Chief Judge George H. King in the United States District Court, Central District of California.

Learn More About Aidin Ghavimi

Discrimination

National and state law protects employees from discrimination based on personal identity characteristics. It’s illegal for California employers to make job decisions based on an employee’s:

  • Race,
  • National origin,
  • Sex,
  • Religion,
  • Age (if over 40),
  • Disability,
  • Marital status,
  • Sexual orientation,
  • Gender identity,
  • Military or veteran status, and
  • Citizenship status.

Applying different standards of compensation and discipline to employees because of any of these characteristics is a violation of anti-discrimination laws. Employment discrimination is also not limited to current employees. Job applicants can experience illegal discrimination when a potential employer asks about or screens for certain qualities, like age, sexual orientation, and pregnancy status.

Harassment

California employees deserve to feel safe and comfortable at work. If you face hostile or offensive treatment at work because of a protected identity characteristic, you could be the victim of illegal harassment. 

Behaviors that contribute to harassment can take many forms:

  • Offensive jokes and stories, 
  • Derogatory language and slurs,
  • Requests for sexual favors,
  • Explicit or violent images,
  • Unwanted physical contact,
  • Sabotage, and
  • Threatening or intimidating behavior.

Mistreatment based on an employee’s sex—i.e., sexual harassment—is one of the most common and well-known types of illegal hostile treatment California employees face. However, harassment is illegal when it happens to any protected identity group. 

It’s a legal matter when targeted misconduct is so severe and pervasive that it prevents you from doing your job normally. Under California law, employers have a responsibility to take immediate action to address any harassment in the workplace. If your employer ignores your reports of wrongdoing, you can hold them legally accountable for failing to provide a safe, harassment-free workplace.

Retaliation

It’s against the law for an employer to retaliate against you for exercising your legal rights or obligations. California law protects employees who: 

  • Report unsafe working conditions,
  • Testify in sexual harassment investigations,
  • Claim workers’ compensation benefits,
  • Complain about discrimination to a supervisor, and
  • Ask about wages or benefits.

If an employer punishes you for doing any of these activities, it could be a case of illegal retaliation.

The most blatant form of employer retaliation is termination. However, employers can engage in illegal retaliation in other ways, like demotion, harassment, threats, and sabotage. 

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How an Employment Attorney Can Help 

If you’ve experienced any of the situations described above, it’s wise to contact an employment attorney as soon as possible. Even if you’re unsure if you’ve experienced illegal treatment, a qualified attorney is the best resource to assess your situation. Consulting with a lawyer can clarify whether an employer violated your rights and which laws apply to your case.

If you decide to take action, an attorney can assist in building a case against your employer or other responsible parties. With the help of a skilled attorney, employees can recover financial compensation for unpaid wages, benefits, and the emotional distress of their mistreatment.

Starpoint Law: Your Beverly Hills Employment Attorney

A lot more than money is at stake in employment disputes. At Starpoint Law, we understand firsthand how much concerns about workplace misconduct can weigh on employees. Our firm believes in easing the burden of employment disputes on employees’s lives and finances.

For years, the attorneys at Starpoint Law have used our in-depth knowledge of federal and California law to help employees hold their employers accountable for discrimination, hostile work environments, wage theft, and more.

We help our clients recover hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation annually. Contact our office online or by phone today to schedule a free consultation with a legal representative.

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