How long do I have to file a discrimination claim in California?

FEHA claims generally must first be filed with California's Civil Rights Department, and the window can be as short as a few years from the discriminatory act — sometimes less. Because deadlines vary and missing one can end your case, contact a lawyer as soon as possible.

Workplace Discrimination Lawyer California

Q: What counts as workplace discrimination in California?

Under California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), it is illegal for an employer to treat you worse because of a protected characteristic — including race, national origin, age (40+), sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, religion, or medical condition. Discrimination can show up as firing, demotion, denied promotion, unequal pay, or a pattern of being singled out.

Q: Does my employer need a minimum number of employees?

For most FEHA discrimination claims, the employer must have at least five employees. Harassment claims under FEHA apply to employers of any size. Even if you are unsure whether your employer qualifies, it is worth a free review.

Q: How do I prove discrimination if no one admits it?

Employers almost never admit to discrimination, so cases are usually built on circumstantial evidence — the timing of decisions, how comparable employees outside your group were treated, shifting or inconsistent explanations, comments revealing bias, and statistical patterns. A strong case connects these dots.

What is workplace discrimination in California?

California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) is one of the strongest worker-protection laws in the country. It makes it illegal for an employer to treat you worse because of a protected characteristic — and it covers more ground than federal law. If a job decision was driven by who you are rather than how you performed, you may have a claim.

Discrimination is rarely announced out loud. More often it hides behind a "performance" excuse, a sudden reorganization, or a double standard applied only to you. My job is to expose the real reason behind the decision.

Protected characteristics under California law

FEHA protects you from discrimination based on:

Race, color, and national origin
Age (40 and older)
Sex, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation
Disability and medical condition
Pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions
Religion and religious dress or grooming
Marital status, military or veteran status, and genetic information

Signs you may have a discrimination case

You were fired, demoted, or passed over right after your employer learned about a protected characteristic
Comparable coworkers outside your group were treated better for the same conduct
You heard biased comments or "jokes" from a supervisor or decision-maker
Your employer's stated reason keeps changing or doesn't match your record
You were the only one in your group singled out, written up, or excluded

What you can recover

A successful discrimination claim can include lost wages and benefits, emotional-distress damages, punitive damages when the conduct is egregious, and your attorney's fees and costs — which the employer may be ordered to pay.

How I handle your case — at no cost to you

I take discrimination cases on contingency. You pay nothing up front and nothing out of pocket. I advance the costs of building your case and am only paid a portion of what I recover for you. If there's no recovery, you owe me nothing. You'll work directly with me, in English or Spanish.

Discrimination FAQ

Questions People Ask Me Most

What counts as workplace discrimination in California?

Under FEHA, it's illegal for an employer to treat you worse because of a protected characteristic — race, national origin, age (40+), sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, religion, or medical condition. It can look like a firing, demotion, denied promotion, unequal pay, or a pattern of being singled out.

Does my employer need a minimum number of employees?

Most FEHA discrimination claims require an employer with at least five employees. Harassment claims apply to employers of any size. If you're unsure whether your employer qualifies, it's still worth a free review.

How do I prove discrimination if no one admits it?

Employers almost never admit it, so cases are built on circumstantial evidence — timing, how comparable employees were treated, shifting explanations, biased comments, and patterns. A strong case connects those dots.

How long do I have to file?

FEHA claims generally must first be filed with California's Civil Rights Department, and the window can be short. Because deadlines vary and missing one can end your case, contact a lawyer as soon as possible.

Think you were discriminated against? Let's find out.

A free, confidential case review costs you nothing and could be the most important call you make. English & Spanish.

Get My Free Case Review Call (424) 298-2575