How to Choose an Employment Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA

How to Choose an Employment Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA

Choosing the right employment lawyer in Los Angeles can make the difference between getting fair treatment at work and feeling powerless against your employer. The best employment attorney for your case will have specific experience with California labor laws, understand Los Angeles County employment regulations, and have a proven track record of standing up for workers' rights.

When workplace discrimination, harassment, or retaliation threatens your job security, you need someone who knows how to navigate both state and federal employment laws. Los Angeles has unique workplace dynamics due to its diverse industries and large corporate presence, making local legal expertise essential for protecting your rights.

What Should You Look for in an Employment Attorney?

Experience with California employment law should be your top priority when selecting legal representation. Look for an attorney who has handled cases similar to yours and understands the specific challenges workers face in Los Angeles.

Your lawyer should be familiar with the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, federal discrimination laws, and how these protections apply to your workplace situation. They should also understand the deadlines for filing claims with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Communication style matters just as much as legal expertise. You want an attorney who explains complex legal concepts in terms you can understand and keeps you informed throughout your case. The right lawyer will be honest about your chances of success and realistic about potential outcomes.

How Do You Know if You Have a Strong Employment Case?

A strong employment case typically involves clear violations of your workplace rights that you can document with evidence. This might include discriminatory comments, unfair treatment compared to other employees, or retaliation after you reported problems to management.

Timing plays a crucial role in employment law cases. You must file administrative claims within 300 days of the discriminatory action, so acting quickly protects your legal options. The sooner you consult with an attorney, the better they can help you preserve evidence and meet important deadlines.

Documentation strengthens your case significantly. Save emails, text messages, performance reviews, and any written communications related to your workplace issues. Witness statements from coworkers who observed discriminatory behavior can also support your claims.

What Questions Should You Ask During Your Consultation?

Ask potential attorneys about their specific experience with employment law cases in Los Angeles. Find out how many similar cases they've handled and what outcomes they achieved for their clients.

Understanding the legal process helps you make informed decisions about your case. Ask about timelines, potential challenges, and what level of involvement you'll need to have throughout the process. A good attorney will explain each step clearly and help you understand what to expect.

Fee structures vary among employment attorneys, so discuss costs upfront. Many employment lawyers work on contingency fees, meaning they only get paid if you win your case. Make sure you understand all potential costs before moving forward with representation.

How Los Angeles Employment Laws Differ from Other Areas

Los Angeles operates under both California state employment laws and federal regulations, creating multiple layers of worker protection. The city's diverse workforce and large corporate presence mean employment disputes often involve complex jurisdictional issues that require local legal expertise.

California provides stronger employee protections than many other states, particularly regarding discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination. Los Angeles County also has specific ordinances that may apply to your workplace situation, such as fair scheduling laws and additional leave protections.

The local court system in Los Angeles handles thousands of employment cases each year. An experienced local attorney understands how different judges approach employment law cases and can tailor their strategy accordingly. They also know which alternative dispute resolution methods work best in the Los Angeles legal community.

If you're facing workplace discrimination, harassment, or retaliation in Los Angeles, don't wait to seek legal guidance. The Law Offices of Stuart H. Garrison has been serving California employees since 1976, providing experienced representation in employment law matters and workers' compensation cases throughout Los Angeles and surrounding areas. Contact us at (310) 641-8259 to discuss your workplace rights and explore your legal options.

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Impairment Meets or Equals Listing of Impairments for Social Security Disability Evaluation

July 23, 2025
Dec. 8, 2021 In the sequential evaluation of disability by the Social Security Administration (SSA), a major step is whether the individual has a condition that meets the twelve-month duration requirement and that is represented on the Social Security Administration's Listing of Impairments (LOI) or equal to a listed impairment. The LOI is divided into two parts. One part applies to individuals over age eighteen and one part is applicable to individuals under eighteen. The LOI includes fifteen major body categories: growth impairment, musculoskeletal system, special senses and speech, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, digestive system, genito-urinary system, hemic and lymphatic system, skin, endocrine system, multiple body systems, neurological, mental disorders, malignant neoplastic diseases, and immune system. An explanation for what is encompassed by each category is included. Within each category, impairments are given that are considered to rise to the level of "severe" such that they would prevent an individual from engaging in substantial gainful activity. A diagnosis falling within the parameters of the LOI must be established by medical evidence obtained through objective clinical and laboratory techniques. In many instances the required medical evidence is stated in the LOI. Absent appropriate medical evidence, a diagnosis of an impairment will not be found to appear on the LOI. Included with the other information present, the LOI sometimes states the symptoms usually associated with certain listed impairments. Even though an impairment is not specifically listed on the LOI, the SSA authorizes impairments that are the medical equivalent to a listed impairment. The medical evidence received to establish a medical equivalency is given varying weights based on the source of the evidence. For example, the medical opinions of state agency doctors and psychologists are accorded the weight of nonexamining doctors and psychologists. These opinions can be accorded greater weight if based on, for example, the complete case file that includes a medical report from a specialist in the individual's area of impairment. The opinion of a doctor or psychologist who has been appointed by the SSA Commissioner is given the weight of an expert opinion.

NON-EMPLOYMENT BUSINESS DISCRIMINATION/HARASSMENT ACTS AGAINST NON-EMPLOYEE OR PUBLIC

July 22, 2025
Non-employees and members of the public at large are protected against business(es) discrimination/harassment and retaliation under the California Unruh Civil Rights Act (Calif. Civil Code Section 51). Generally, the protected categories from non-employer/business misconduct include: Race; Religious Creed; Color; National Origin; Ancestry; Physical Disability; Mental Disability; Reproductive Health Decisionmaking; Medical Condition; Genetic Information; Marital Status; Sex; Gender; Gender Identity; Gender Expression; Age [over age 40]; Sexual Expression; or, Veteran or Military Status (Calif. Civil Code Sec. 51). Aggrieved complainant’s remedies include filing a civil lawsuit against the offending business(s) with a civil employment lawyer (like me) seeking back and front pay; emotional distress; reimbursement of reasonable medical treatment bills; and recovery of reasonable civil rights attorney’s fees, and costs, from the liable business(es). However, an aggrieved complainant may contact the California Civil Rights Department, the California government agency that is responsible for handling these business discrimination complaints. Its website address is: calcivilrights.ca.gov . The aggrieved complainant may file a written Complaint against the offending business(es) with the Civil Rights Dept. within 1 year of the business’ offending discriminatory act(s). (Calif. Gov’t. Code Sec.12960(e)(1).) There is no fee for filing such Complaint with the Civil Rights Dept. Since the elapse of time, many potential witnesses, and documents, necessary to assist in proving your claim(s), due to the passage, fade away. Therefore, it is best to capture this potential evidence sooner rather than later. The Civil Rights Dept’s website deserves your thorough inspection about how the Civil Rights Dept. goes about its business (which can include its limited investigative personnel conducting an investigation [with no out-of-pocket costs to you] of your Complaint.) Please contact me first to strategize and organize your employee discrimination/harassment and/or employer retaliation claims.

EMPLOYER DISCRIMINATION/HARRASSMENT or RETALIATION IN THE CALIFORNIA WORKPLACE

July 22, 2025
Employees and Job Applicants are protected against employer discrimination/harassment and retaliation under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Calif. Government Code Sections 12900—12999, inclusive). Protected categories from employer misconduct include: Race; Religious Creed; Color; National Origin; Ancestry; Physical Disability; Mental Disability; Reproductive Health Decisionmaking; Medical Condition; Genetic Information; Marital Status; Sex; Gender; Gender Identity; Gender Expression; Age [over age 40]; Sexual Expression; or, Veteran or Military Status (Calif. Gov’t. Code Sec. 12940(a)). Aggrieved employee’s remedies include filing a civil lawsuit against the offending employer(s) with a civil employment lawyer (like me) seeking back and front pay; emotional distress; reimbursement of reasonable medical treatment bills; and recovery of reasonable employment attorney’s fees, and costs, from the liable employer(s). However, an aggrieved employee must mandatorily contact the California Civil Rights Department, the California government agency that is responsible for handling these employer discrimination complaints. Its website address is: c alcivilrights.ca.gov . The aggrieved employee must file a written Complaint against the offending employer(s) with the Civil Rights Dept. within 3 years of the employer’s offending discriminatory act(s). (Calif. Gov’t. Code Sec.12960(c)(5).) There is no fee for filing such Complaint with the Civil Rights Dept. Since the elapse of time, many potential witnesses, and documents, necessary to assist in proving your claim(s), due to the passage, fade away. Therefore, it is best to capture this potential evidence sooner rather than later. The Civil Rights Dept’s website deserves your thorough inspection about how the Civil Rights Dept. goes about its business (which can include its limited investigative personnel conducting an investigation [with no out-of-pocket costs to you] of your Complaint.) Please contact me first to strategize and organize your employee discrimination/harassment and/or employer retaliation claims.

Supplemental Security Income for Children

July 22, 2025
Dec. 8, 2021 Children who are blind or disabled are eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers a "child" to be an unmarried individual who is under age 18 or, if under age 22, is a student who regularly attends school. A "child" cannot be the head of a household. There is no minimum age requirement; a child may be eligible for benefits from birth. A child is disabled if he has a medically determinable impairment that causes severe and marked limitations in his ability to function, which has lasted or is expected to last at least twelve months or result in death. When the child reaches age eighteen, his disability is reevaluated under the criteria for adults, i.e. whether the individual can engage in substantial gainful activity and whether his impairment has lasted or is expected to last at least twelve months or end in death. "Blindness" for purposes of SSI eligibility means that the individual has 20/200 vision or less in his better eye even with corrective eyewear. A person is also considered "blind" if he has a limited field of vision in his better eye such that he has a contraction of peripheral visual fields to ten degrees from the point of fixation or the widest diameter of his visual field subtends an angle no more than twenty degrees. Even though a child does not meet the statutory definition of blindness, he may still be eligible for benefits pursuant to a "disability." A child's SSI benefits are based on the fact that he has "limited" income and resources. For purposes of making this determination, the SSA will impute to the child a portion of the income/resources from the child's parents. The parents' income/resources are deemed to be available to the child as long as he lives with such parents and they are not, themselves, receiving SSI benefits.

Workers' Compensation Award Credit for Actual Earnings

July 22, 2025
Dec. 8, 2021 In some instances, an injured employee will return to his former position and resume making the same earnings as before the injury. When such an individual has received a workers' compensation benefit, the question arises whether the employer is entitled to a credit on the amount of benefits that were paid to the employee. If the employer paid the employee's wages, intending such wages to take the place of any benefit compensation, then the employer would be entitled to a credit. However, there is rarely direct evidence of the employer's intention in this regard. Given the usual lack of evidence on the employer's intention that wages serve in the place of benefits, such intention must be gleaned from the relevant circumstances. For instance, if wages were paid, despite the fact that the employee did not work, it would be reasonable to infer the employer's intention. Likewise, if the employee is paid his pre-injury wage, though he performs a reduced workload, the employer's intention could be reasonably inferred. If the employer denies any workers' compensation liability, the wages it pays to the employee cannot be claimed as a credit for a workers' compensation payment. Additionally, any charitable payments made by the employer to the employee cannot be later recovered by way of credit. If the employer is allowed a credit, the amount of credit is determined on a weekly basis. Basically, the amount of the credit will be determined on a week-by-week basis in relation to the amount of workers' compensation benefits allowed to the employee for such week. No running tally is kept such that the overall total amount of benefits is offset by the amount of wages paid. Consider the employee who earns $400 from the employer in a specific week. The employee's compensation payment is in the amount of $250. Therefore, the employer would be allotted a $250 credit for the week. After that, a new week begins with a separate credit calculation to be made.
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