Southern California Employment Lawyer

California Employment Laws & Enforcement

FEHA- California Fair Employment and Housing Act

FEHA applies to employers with five or more employees and it prohibits acts of discrimination towards an employee’s cultural background, religion, skin color, nationality, physical and mental disability, medical condition, civil / marital status, gender, sexual preference, gender identity, age, and military service history.

DFEH- California Department of Fair Employment and Housing

DFEH is an agency in charge of enforcing California’s civil rights laws in the workplace. It outlaws acts of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation against a job applicant or an employee under the protected class.

DLSE – California Department of Labor Standards Enforcement

DLSE is also known as the California Labor Commissioner’s Office. DLSE ensures every workplace in the state provides fair wages to every employee. This agency handles wage claims by employees concerning unpaid wages and overtime and is also responsible for retaliation claims. 

DIR- California Department of Industrial Relations

California DIR contributes to the safeguard of employees’ health, safety, and economic well-being. It administrates the following agencies that enforce labor law:

• Division of Apprenticeship Standards
• Division of Labor Standards Enforcement
• Division of Occupational Safety and Health
• Division of Workers’ Compensation

Federal Employment Laws & Enforcement

Civil Rights Act 1964 – Title VII

Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees and outlaws discrimination in all employment issues based on race, skin color, religious beliefs, gender, pregnancy status, or nation of origin.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – EEOC

EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws that outlaw workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation against a job applicant or an employee due to race, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act 1967 – ADEA

ADEA applies to private employers with 20 or more employees and public entity employers (i.e., city police department, community colleges, public schools, etc.). ADEA is a federal law that protects applicants and employees aged 40 or older from age discrimination on hiring, promotion, discharge, and compensation in employment.

Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 – ADA

ADA outlaws employer discrimination against individuals with disabilities. This applies to private employers and public entity employers with 15 or more employees.

Family and Medical Leave Act – FMLA

FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of leave that is job-protected but unpaid on a yearly basis for certain family and medical reasons. Under FMLA, the continuation of group health insurance coverage is given to eligible employees with the same conditions as it was given before filing the leave.

Fair Labor Standards Act – FLSA

FLSA determines the minimum and overtime pay, bookkeeping, and youth employment standards which outlaws child labor in the private and government sector.

National Labor Relations Act – NLRA

NLRA ensures the rights of employees to organize and bargain collectively with their employers and to slim down certain private-sector labor and management practices, such as talking about or soliciting for a union during, before, or after work and breaks.