What Makes This Firm Different From Every Other Employment Lawyer in Los Angeles

Los Angeles has thousands of employment attorneys. Walk downtown, look at any billboard on the 405, or search online — you’ll find no shortage of them. What you will have a harder time finding is a firm that’s genuinely prepared to take your employer to court.

Most employment law firms in LA operate on volume. They take in cases, send a demand letter, and negotiate whatever settlement the other side will agree to. Clients often don’t realize until it’s too late that their lawyer never intended to go to trial — and that the settlement they accepted was far less than what their case was actually worth.

Christopher Ellison Law works differently. We build every case as though a jury is going to hear it. That means gathering the right evidence from the start, working with experts when the case calls for it, and making clear to the employer’s legal team that we’re not going away for a lowball offer. That posture changes what employers put on the table.

If you work in Los Angeles — whether you’re in entertainment, healthcare, hospitality, logistics, retail, or any other field — and your employer violated your rights, this is where you call.

Serving All of Los Angeles County

Our attorneys represent workers throughout LA County, including Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Long Beach, Torrance, El Segundo, Culver City, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Woodland Hills, Inglewood, Compton, Carson, Hawthorne, and all surrounding communities.

What California Law Says Your Employer Cannot Do

California has some of the strongest worker protection laws in the country. That’s not an accident — it’s the result of decades of legislation designed to give employees real rights in the workplace. Here’s what those laws actually prohibit, in plain terms.

Wrongful Termination

California is an at-will state, which means your employer can fire you for almost any reason. Almost. They cannot fire you because of your race, gender, age, disability, pregnancy, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin. They cannot fire you for reporting harassment or discrimination. They cannot fire you for taking medical or family leave you’re entitled to under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) or the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). And they cannot fire you for blowing the whistle on illegal conduct in the workplace.

When any of those things happen, it’s called wrongful termination — and you have the right to sue.

Workplace Discrimination

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) protects workers from discrimination based on race, national origin, gender, age (40 and older), disability, pregnancy, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and more. FEHA applies to any employer with five or more employees — which covers nearly every workplace in Los Angeles.

Discrimination doesn’t always look like someone saying something hateful. It shows up in who gets promoted and who doesn’t. In who gets the good shifts and who gets pushed out. In performance reviews that suddenly turn negative right after someone takes pregnancy leave. If something felt wrong, it may have been.

Sexual Harassment

There are two types of sexual harassment under California law. The first is quid pro quo harassment — when someone in a position of power conditions your job, your raise, or your continued employment on sexual favors. The second is hostile work environment harassment — when sexual conduct in the workplace is so severe or so constant that it changes the nature of your job. Both are illegal. Both give you the right to take action.

In 2022, Congress passed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (EFAA). This federal law means that even if you signed an arbitration agreement with your employer, they cannot force you into arbitration on a sexual harassment claim. You have the right to have your case heard in court.

Wage Theft

California’s wage laws are stricter than federal law in almost every way. Overtime kicks in after 8 hours in a single day — not just after 40 hours in a week. Employers must provide a 30-minute uninterrupted meal break for any shift over 5 hours, and a 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked. If they don’t, they owe you one additional hour of pay for each missed break. And when you’re terminated or quit, they have to pay you everything you’re owed on the spot — not at the next pay cycle.

As of January 1, 2026, California’s minimum wage is $16.90 per hour. And under a 2026 law (SB 261), if an employer doesn’t pay a wage judgment within 180 days, they can be hit with penalties of up to three times the wages owed. The law has real teeth now.

Retaliation

California Labor Code Section 1102.5 prohibits employers from punishing workers for reporting illegal conduct — whether to a government agency, internally, or to law enforcement. If you reported a problem and then suddenly found yourself demoted, written up, given fewer hours, or fired, that timeline matters. Courts and juries notice when employers take action against employees right after they speak up.

Hostile Work Environment

Not every form of workplace misconduct involves a single dramatic incident. Sometimes it’s a pattern — persistent offensive jokes, constant criticism aimed at one group of people, management that looks the other way when certain employees are treated badly. If the environment at your job has become so hostile that it interferes with your ability to do your work, California law may give you a claim even if you haven’t been fired.

What Has Changed in California Employment Law Recently

California updates its employment laws almost every year, and several important changes took effect in 2024 and 2026 that directly affect Los Angeles workers.

PAGA Reform — More Money for Workers (AB 2288 / SB 92, 2024)

The Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) lets California workers file lawsuits on behalf of themselves and their coworkers for wage and hour violations — acting almost like a private attorney general. In 2024, California reformed PAGA in ways that actually benefit workers: employees now receive 35% of any PAGA penalties recovered (up from 25%), and courts can now order employers to change their practices — not just pay money. If you and your coworkers have been experiencing the same wage violations, PAGA is one of the most powerful tools available to you.

Sexual Harassment Claims Can No Longer Be Forced Into Arbitration (EFAA, Federal)

Many employers in Los Angeles require workers to sign arbitration agreements as a condition of employment. Arbitration keeps disputes out of court and out of the public eye — which is exactly why employers prefer it. But as of 2022, the federal Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act makes those arbitration agreements unenforceable for sexual harassment and assault claims. Your employer cannot drag you into a private arbitration proceeding if your claim involves sexual harassment. You have the right to go to court.

AI-Based Hiring Discrimination Is Now Regulated (FEHA Regulations, October 2025)

Starting October 2025, California’s FEHA regulations explicitly cover employers who use artificial intelligence or automated decision-making systems in hiring, promotion, or termination decisions. If an algorithm screens you out of a job or a promotion in a way that has a discriminatory effect based on a protected characteristic, that’s a FEHA violation — even if no human consciously chose to discriminate against you. This is new territory, and it matters for LA workers in tech, entertainment, and any industry where employers use digital hiring tools.

Stay-or-Pay Agreements Are Now Banned (AB 692, 2026)

Some employers required workers to sign agreements saying they’d repay training costs or sign-on bonuses if they left before a certain date. As of January 1, 2026, those kinds of ‘stay or pay’ provisions are generally prohibited in California. If your employer is threatening to claw back money from you because you left or were fired, contact us.

What You Can Recover in an LA Employment Lawsuit

People often assume their case is only about lost wages. It usually involves much more than that. Depending on the facts of your situation, you may be able to recover:

• Back pay — the wages you lost from the time you were fired or forced out
• Front pay — compensation for future lost earnings if returning to your job isn’t realistic
• Lost benefits — health insurance, retirement contributions, stock options, bonuses
• Emotional distress damages — the real psychological toll of what happened to you
• Punitive damages — in cases where the employer’s conduct was truly egregious, courts can add extra penalties designed to punish the employer and deter others
• Attorney’s fees — under FEHA and several other California employment statutes, if you win, your employer may be required to pay your legal fees

Under a 2024 PAGA reform, employees who are part of a PAGA wage claim now receive 35% of the total penalty — up from 25% under the old law. That’s a meaningful improvement in what workers can actually take home.

Deadlines You Cannot Miss

Employment law has strict filing deadlines. Miss them, and you lose your right to sue — no matter how strong your case is.

• Discrimination, harassment, or retaliation under FEHA: You have 3 years to file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD). After the CRD issues a right-to-sue notice, you have 1 year to file in court.
• Wrongful termination (public policy): 2 years from the date of termination.
• Wage and hour claims: 3 years for most violations; 4 years if the claim is brought under California’s Unfair Competition Law.
• PAGA claims: 1 year from the date of the last violation you personally experienced.

Don’t wait to find out whether you have a case. The sooner you call, the more options you have.

Questions LA Workers Ask Us Most

Do I have a case if I was an at-will employee?

Probably worth a conversation. At-will means your employer didn’t need a good reason to let you go — but it doesn’t mean they’re allowed to fire you for an illegal reason. If your termination was connected to your race, gender, age, disability, pregnancy, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic, or if it happened right after you complained about something at work, you may have a very strong wrongful termination claim. The ‘at-will’ label gets used by employers to shut down conversations that deserve to continue.

My employer made me sign an arbitration agreement. Does that mean I can’t sue?

Not necessarily — and in harassment cases, definitely not. California courts regularly find arbitration agreements unenforceable when they’re one-sided or procedurally unfair. And the federal EFAA now bars employers from forcing sexual harassment or assault claims into arbitration entirely. Even if your case does end up in arbitration, we know how to fight there too.

I’m worried my employer will retaliate if I file a claim. What can I do?

That fear is understandable, but California law prohibits retaliation for asserting your legal rights — including for consulting a lawyer or filing a complaint. If your employer retaliates after you take action, that retaliation is itself a separate legal violation, and it strengthens your case. We’ve handled many situations where the employer’s response to a complaint became the most damaging part of the case against them.

How much does it cost to hire an employment attorney in LA?

Nothing upfront. Christopher Ellison Law handles employment cases on a contingency fee basis — we only get paid if and when we recover compensation for you. There are no retainer fees, no hourly billing, and no costs charged to you during the case.

How long will my case take?

It depends on complexity and whether your employer is willing to negotiate in good faith. Straightforward cases sometimes resolve in a few months. Cases that require full litigation usually take one to three years. Cases that go to trial can take longer. We’ll give you an honest timeline assessment when we evaluate your case — not a promise we can’t keep.

Ready to Talk? Here’s What Happens Next

Contact Christopher Ellison Law for a free, confidential consultation. You’ll speak directly with an attorney — not a paralegal or intake coordinator — about what happened to you. We’ll tell you honestly what we think about your case, what the legal options are, and what you can realistically expect. No pressure, no obligation.

What you get with Christopher Ellison Law:

• An attorney who will actually prepare your case for trial
• No fees unless we win
• Direct attorney communication throughout your case
• Aggressive pursuit of maximum compensation — not the fastest settlement
• Free, confidential consultation to start

Christopher Ellison Law | Los Angeles Employment Attorney | (310) 882-6239

Your employer had lawyers from day one. Now it’s your turn.