Employment Lawyers in California

Looking for an Employment Lawyer?

Culver City Employment Law Attorneys – Protecting Workers Across California

At Barkhordarian Law Firm, we provide straightforward, aggressive representation for employees facing workplace injustices. Since 2012, we have fought tirelessly for workers’ rights, ensuring that employees in Los Angeles County, Ventura County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County receive the justice they deserve. Our legal team follows a no-nonsense approach—no gimmicks, no false promises—just real, honest advocacy with integrity.

Our firm began by handling workers’ compensation claims, but we quickly recognized the need for strong legal advocacy across all areas of employment law. We saw that we could make a greater impact by protecting all California workers from unlawful treatment, including discrimination, harassment, wage theft, wrongful termination, and more.

With decades of collective experience and a deep understanding of California’s evolving labor laws, we provide strategic legal solutions for even the most complex workplace issues. Employment laws are constantly changing, so you deserve a team that stays ahead of legal updates and ensures you understand your rights.

We are not just another law firm; we are relentlessly pursuing justice for our clients. When you work with us, you get a team that files lawsuits immediately, never cuts corners, and communicates with you every step of the way. We believe that trust is paramount in attorney-client relationships, so we speak to you in a way you understand and ensure your rights are fully protected under California’s employment laws.

Why Hire Our California Employment Lawyers?

What Is Employment Law?

Employment law governs the rights and responsibilities between employers and employees. It ensures that workers are treated fairly and protects them from workplace injustices.

At Barkhordarian Law Firm, we stay current with California’s evolving labor laws to aggressively represent employees throughout Northern and Southern California.

Some of the rights that employees have include:

• The right to be paid fair wages for the work being performed.
• The right to a safe work environment free from dangerous conditions.
• The right to a safe work environment free of discrimination and harassment.
• The right to not be retaliated against.

California employers must follow countless laws and regulations, and they often rely on a team of lawyers who focus on how these laws impact employers, from small businesses to large corporations. This means California employees must ensure that labor laws are enforced and abided by, too—no one deserves to work in a hostile work environment. When they need help determining whether their rights are violated, we’re here to help.

Our Culver City employment law attorneys hold employers accountable for violating these laws. Contact us today to learn how.

Barkhordarian Law Firm: California Employment Law Attorney Practice Areas

Workplace injustices are not always blatant, and many employees are unaware that their employer’s actions—or inactions—may be illegal under California’s strict labor laws. Our experienced Culver City employment law attorneys have spent years advocating for workers throughout California, ensuring they receive the justice and legal remedies they deserve.

We take the time to listen to your concerns, carefully analyze the details of your case, and explain your legal options in clear, straightforward terms.

Our team frequently handles cases involving the following types of violations:

Discrimination and Harassment in California Workplaces

If you’ve been discriminated against or harassed at work because of your gender, race, or other protected characteristic, you may be eligible to take legal action. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act makes it illegal for employers to discriminate based on things like sexual orientation, ancestry, race, physical disability, and more. We can help you handle the many types of discrimination found in the workplace.

Discrimination and harassment cases we handle include:

• Age discrimination.
• Disability discrimination.
• Gender discrimination.
• Hostile work environment.
• Pregnancy discrimination.
• Race discrimination.
• Religious discrimination.
• Sexual harassment.

At Barkhordarian Law Firm, we don’t just provide legal advice—we take action, aggressively pursuing the best outcome for every client. Your employer has legal obligations, and you have rights. We’re here to protect them. Contact us today for a consultation and to find out how we can help.

California Wage and Hour Violations

Wage and hour claims in California can arise in multiple ways, including unpaid overtime, off-the-clock work, denied meal and rest breaks, employee misclassification, unlawful deductions, and failure to pay minimum wage, violating the state’s strict labor laws.

For instance, if you have worked “off the clock” without receiving compensation or have worked more than eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a week without being paid the required overtime, your rights have been violated under California’s wage and hour laws, and your employer must be held accountable. These violations often occur when employers pressure employees to complete tasks before or after their scheduled shifts, fail to properly track hours, or misclassify workers to avoid paying overtime. Regardless of whether the employer’s actions were intentional or due to poor payroll practices, you are entitled to your earned wages.

Similarly, California labor laws mandate that employees receive meal and rest breaks at specific intervals during their shifts. If your employer denies, shortens, or discourages you from taking your legally required breaks, they violate your rights. Meal and rest break violations are widespread in high-demand industries, where employees are expected to continue working through their breaks to meet quotas or deadlines. However, under California law, an employer cannot require you to work through unpaid meal breaks or deny you the ability to rest appropriately throughout the workday.

Employee rights under California wage and hour laws include:

• Overtime Pay: Non-exempt employees must receive 1.5 times their regular rate for any hours worked beyond eight in a day or 40 in a week, and double time for shifts exceeding 12 hours in a single day.
• Off-the-Clock Work: Employers cannot require or allow employees to perform work before clocking in or after clocking out without compensation.
• Meal Breaks: Employees working more than five hours a day must receive an uninterrupted 30-minute meal break, and those working more than 10 hours must receive a second meal break.
• Rest Breaks: Employees must receive a paid 10-minute break for every four hours worked or a significant fraction thereof.

When California employers fail to comply with these laws, employees have the right to file wage and hour claims to recover unpaid wages, penalties, and additional damages. If you suspect you have been denied fair pay, meal and rest breaks, or overtime compensation, our California employment law attorneys can help you determine the best course of action. Contact us today to discuss your case and fight for your deserved compensation.

Wrongful Termination & Retaliation in California Workplaces

Losing your job under unfair circumstances can be devastating, especially when your termination resulted from standing up for your rights. California is an “at-will” employment state, meaning employers can terminate employees for almost any reason—or no reason at all. However, they cannot fire you for an illegal reason, such as discrimination, retaliation, or reporting workplace misconduct. If you were fired after complaining about harassment, wage violations, unsafe working conditions, or other unlawful activities, you may have a strong case for wrongful termination under California employment law.

Wrongful termination claims typically involve:

• Retaliation for Reporting Workplace Violations: If you reported harassment, discrimination, wage theft, or unsafe working conditions and were fired soon after, this could be retaliation.
• Discrimination-Based Termination: Employers cannot fire workers based on race, gender, age, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, religion, or other protected characteristics.
• Whistleblower Retaliation: If you exposed illegal activity, fraud, or unethical business practices and were fired, you are protected under California’s whistleblower laws.
• Breach of Employment Contracts: If you had an employment agreement specifying termination conditions and your employer violated those terms, you may have a claim.
• Refusal to Participate in Illegal Acts: If your employer fired you because you refused to engage in unlawful business practices, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit.

Many employees fear reporting misconduct will result in losing their job or facing hostile treatment. California law protects employees from retaliation, meaning an employer cannot demote, harass, cut hours, reduce pay, or fire you for engaging in legally protected activities. If your employer took adverse action against you after you filed a complaint or exercised your legal rights, you may be able to seek damages for lost wages, emotional distress, and even punitive damages if their actions were particularly egregious. Contact our skilled California employment law attorneys today to learn more during a free consultation.

Being Classified as an Independent Contractor in California

Were you classified as an independent contractor, a commissioned salesperson, or a piece-rate worker and denied overtime pay, meal breaks, or rest periods? You’re not alone. Employee misclassification is widespread in California, as many employers intentionally mislabel workers to cut costs and avoid compliance with labor laws.

By doing this, they can:

• Avoid paying overtime wages and ensuring proper rest breaks.
• Deny access to workers’ compensation, unemployment benefits, and health insurance.
• Evade payroll taxes and save money on employment-related expenses.
• Prevent workers from filing wage and hour claims or other employment law violations.

California uses the ABC Test to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. If your employer controls your schedule, work responsibilities, tools, or workplace conditions, yet classifies you as an independent contractor, they may violate California’s strict worker classification laws.

Employers who violate these laws can be held financially accountable, and you may be able to recover unpaid wages, penalties, and other damages. Our California employment law attorneys can help, starting with a free consultation.

Do the California Employment Law Attorneys at the Barkhordarian Law Firm Represent Employees in Public and Private Companies?

Our California employment law attorneys at the Barkhordarian Law Firm represent employees working in public and private companies across the state. California has some of the most stringent labor laws in the nation, providing strong protections for workers in all industries, whether small businesses, large corporations, government agencies, or public entities employ them.

However, employment laws and legal remedies differ based on the employer’s size, whether the company is privately owned or publicly funded, and the specific legal protections that apply to each category.

Employees working for private companies—whether a small business, mid-sized company, or large corporation—are primarily protected by:

• California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) – Protects employees from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation and applies to employers with 5+ employees.
• California Labor Code – Enforces wage and hour laws, meal and rest break requirements, overtime rules, and whistleblower protections.
• California Family Rights Act (CFRA) – Requires companies with 5+ employees to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for medical or family-related reasons.
• Wage Orders from the Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) – Set industry-specific regulations for wages, hours, and working conditions.
• Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) – This act allows private employees to sue employers for labor law violations on behalf of themselves and the state. PAGA has been significantly reformed, with changes to standing requirements, penalty structures, and court management tools, effective for lawsuits filed on or after June 19, 2024.

These laws protect private-sector employees against wage theft, wrongful termination, retaliation, and other workplace violations.

State, county, city, and federal agency employees are covered by different employment laws than private-sector workers. FEHA and the Labor Code do not apply to all public employees, but alternative laws offer robust protections:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act – Prohibits workplace discrimination based on race, gender, religion, and other protected categories.
• Government Code § 12926(d) (California Public Employment Laws) – Protects public employees from discrimination, similar to FEHA.
• The Whistleblower Protection Act (California and Federal) – Protects government employees who report corruption, safety violations, or misuse of public funds.
• California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Laws – Regulate pension and benefits for state and local government workers.
• Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) – Governs collective bargaining rights for city and county employees.
• Federal Employees Labor Laws (FLSA, FMLA, and USERRA) – Protect federal employees regarding wages, medical leave, and military service job protections.

Because public employees are subject to different grievance procedures, administrative hearings, and disciplinary processes, having an experienced employment law attorney is crucial to navigating the system effectively.

California Employer Size Matters in Employment Law Protections

California labor laws have different requirements depending on the size of the employer:

• Employers with 1+ Employees: Must comply with wage and hour laws, meal and rest break requirements, and provide a workplace free from retaliation and discrimination.
• Employers with 5+ Employees: Must follow California’s anti-discrimination laws (FEHA) and provide job-protected family leave under CFRA.
• Employers with 15+ Employees: Must comply with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits workplace discrimination.
• Employers with 50+ Employees: Must provide job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

This means that larger companies have additional legal obligations, and employees working for big corporations often have access to more legal protections than those working for small businesses.

Our California Employment Law Firm Protects Employees in Both Public and Private Workplaces

At Barkhordarian Law Firm, we take an aggressive, results-driven approach to employment law cases.

Whether you are a corporate employee, a small business worker, or a government employee, our attorneys are here to:

• Analyze your employment situation and determine which laws apply to your case.
• File claims against private employers violating California labor laws.
• Represent public employees in grievances and administrative hearings.
• Fight for compensation for lost wages, emotional distress, and damages.
• Hold employers accountable for labor law violations, whether in the public or private sector.

Our lawyers know our state’s labor laws inside and out and have the resources needed to determine whether your employer is in violation and can be held accountable. We understand how overwhelming this time may be for you, and speaking out against your employer can be daunting. We can protect you every step of the way and ensure you achieve your legal goals without sacrificing more than you already have.