California is widely considered to be one of the most employee-friendly states in the country. This is due to its robust framework of laws and regulations that are designed to uphold the rights of employees and to ensure that their concerns are addressed and resolved in a timely manner.
However, employers in California may sometimes violate state and federal employment laws and infringe upon the rights of their employees. If and when it happens, you need the guidance of an experienced California employment lawyer to assert your rights and get the benefits you are entitled to under the law. You need the best overtime lawyer possible to help you recover the unpaid overtime you may be owed. The law firm of Levine & Blit can help you!
Choose a Seasoned California Employer Lawyer to Protect Your Rights
At Levine & Blit, we are fully committed to providing high-level legal representation to hard-working employees who are unfairly denied the opportunities they deserve by unscrupulous employers. We have a team of highly skilled attorneys who have a thorough understanding of state and federal employment laws. The attorneys at Levine & Blit have over 100 years of combined experience in fighting for the rights of employees. Recovering overtime wages is one of our specialties. Employment law matters and Levine & Blit is an employment law firm that is proud to fight for employees in recovering unpaid wages, fighting wage theft, and making sure that your rights under labor and employment law are protected.
Over the years, we have represented clients from a variety of different backgrounds – from minimum-wage workers to high-profile celebrities. We have a track record of winning cases that many other firms might think twice about taking up. When you hire a California employment lawyer from our firm, you can be sure that you are getting the best legal representation from a skilled and resourceful team that will leave no stone unturned to fight for your rights and help you obtain a satisfactory outcome. We make sure that your rights are protected under all applicable state and federal laws. Our team of expert labor lawyers handle cases that involve lost wages, workplace discrimination, and employer retaliation. Our team handles nearly any employment law issue, with both a current or former employer.
Different Types of Employment Law Violations in California
Employment Discrimination
- Denying employment to applicants based on their race, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin.
- Asking applicants about their criminal history prior to making an offer of employment.
- Denying employment to applicants with a criminal record without considering the nature and severity of the offense they committed and ascertaining whether the conviction is likely to have an adverse impact on their job duties, as per california labor laws.
- Failing to promote employees due to their race, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin.
- Retaliating against whistleblowers.
Wage and Hour Violations
- Denying state-mandated minimum wage and overtime pay to non-exempt employees by wrongly classifying them as exempt employees.
- Refusing to pay wages owed
- Denying state-mandated minimum wage and overtime pay to employees by wrongly classifying them as independent contractors.
- Denying meal breaks and rest breaks to employees.
- Violating overtime pay laws
- Misreporting hours worked
- Making employees work off the clock.
Harassment at Workplace
- Sexual harassment.
- Quid-pro-quo sexual harassment.
- Harassment based on race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, or national origin.
- Creating a hostile work environment for employees due to any reason.
Leave Violations
- Under California law, you have the right to take a leave of absence for a number of reasons, which include:
- Treating a health problem
- Attending alcohol and drug rehabilitation
- Recovering from an injury caused by a violent crime or domestic violence
- Caring for a sick family member
- Suffering a pregnancy disability
- Taking maternity or paternity leave
- Suffering from a disability
- Voting
- Having jury duty
- Complying with a subpoena
If your employer prohibits you from taking a leave of absence, punishes you for taking a leave of absence, or fails to reinstate you in your original position after taking a leave of absence, it is a violation of state as well as federal laws. With the help of a focused and proven California employment lawyer from Levine & Blit, you can hold your employer accountable for their unlawful actions and get the settlement you rightfully deserve.
Wrongful Termination
While California is an at-will state, the law prohibits employers from terminating employees for the following reasons:
- Due to their race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, or disability.
- Due to their political views and actions (outside of work)
- Whistleblower retaliation.
- Retaliation for filing a qui tam lawsuit.
- For refusing to violate a local, state, or federal law.
- For exercising a constitutionally guaranteed right.
It should be noted that even if you are terminated for a valid reason, your employer is required to pay the wages and benefits you are owed on the same day. If they fail to do so, it constitutes a violation of the state’s employment laws, and can be held financially accountable for the delay. Do not hesitate to consult with the competent California employment lawyers at Levine & Blit if you have any concerns regarding your job termination. An experienced overtime lawyer can help you determine if you are owed overtime wages or pay for unpaid overtime, and work with you to determine a strategy to recover your unpaid wages.
Why You Need a Seasoned California Employment Lawyer to Fight For You
Fighting for your rights at the workplace can be an intimidating experience, especially if you have never filed a complaint or lawsuit before. Moreover, your rights as an employee are protected by state and federal laws. In case of a violation, it is important to base your claim on the more favorable law so that you can maximize your unpaid wage claim to the greatest extent possible. This is one of the biggest reasons why you should be represented by a seasoned California employment lawyer.
Most importantly, only an experienced employment attorney can determine whether your employer violated state or federal laws, to what extent they violated the law, and what kind of benefits and damages you are entitled to receive. In the absence of effective legal representation, you might settle for less than what you are actually entitled to receive. With the guidance of a skilled attorney, you can avoid procedural mistakes and missteps that could hamper your claim and achieve the best possible outcome in the shortest possible time frame. Our team works in accordance with state and federal laws and the fair labor standards act.
Choose a Top-Rated California Employment Lawyer to Protect Your Rights
If you are harassed or discriminated against at the workplace or if you suspect that your employer has infringed upon your rights as an employee, the experienced California employment attorneys at Levine & Blit can help you get justice.
With over 100 years of combined experience and unparalleled legal expertise, our employment attorneys are ideally suited to represent you and fight for your rights. No matter how powerful your employer is or how complicated you think your case is, you can bank on us to fight aggressively, hold your employer accountable for their unlawful actions, and resolve your case through negotiation or litigation, in accordance with the fair labor standards act and other California labor laws.
To discuss the possibility of filing a complaint or claim against your employer, call us today at (212) 967-3000 or contact us online to schedule a confidential and free case evaluation with an experienced California employment lawyer. We can help you determine if you have a viable legal claim.