Stockton Employment Lawyer

For most workers, their employment is considered “at-will,” meaning their employer has the right to fire them at any time without giving notice or even a reason. That said, employees do have a number of critical rights under federal and California state laws, such as the right to be paid a minimum wage and not be the subject of workplace discrimination. If a current, former, or potential employer violates these rights, the Stockton employment lawyers at Venardi Zurada LLP can help you take legal action to fight back.

What Laws Protect You as an Employee in Stockton?

Employers often act in an unfair and harsh manner towards their employees. Unfortunately, not all such behavior is necessarily illegal. But here are a few examples of where an employer does cross the line and our employment lawyers can represent you:

• Wage and Hour Claims: California law requires your employer to pay you for the work you performed. You must be paid at least the current state and local minimum wage, and you must receive overtime pay (time-and-a-half) if you work more than a specified number of hours during a given pay period. State law also guarantees your right to certain rest and meal breaks based on the length of your shift.
• Discrimination and Harassment: Civil rights laws protect employees and job applicants from discrimination in employment on the basis of several protected characteristics, such as race, sex, gender, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion, disability, pregnancy, and age. An employer cannot base any employment-related decision on a person’s membership in a protected class. Nor can an employer create, facilitate, or tolerate a climate of harassment that targets an employee based on their membership in a protected class.
• Retaliation and Wrongful Termination: While employers have broad discretion to terminate an employee at-will, it is against the law to fire someone because they exercised their rights under the law. This includes filing a claim of discrimination or harassment, engaging in protected “whistleblower” activities, or taking family and medical leave.

In addition to taking legal action against an employer, we can also assist you in negotiating an employment contract with a potential employer. An employment contract can give you additional protections against arbitrary, capricious, or unfair actions by an employer. For instance, if an employer fires you in violation of the terms of your employment agreement, you can pursue a breach of contract lawsuit in addition to any claims you might have under California employment discrimination or wrongful termination laws.

Contact Our Stockton Employment Lawyers Today

Many California employees fail to take action with respect to an employer’s illegal actions simply because those workers do not take the time to speak with an attorney. At Venardi Zurada, our Stockton employment lawyers are here to listen, advise, and help. We handle most employment law cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means we will not collect a fee unless we recover compensation for you. So call us today at (833) VZ FOR ME to schedule a free confidential consultation.

Share This Page: