LGBTQ+ Discrimination Lawyer in Los Angeles
Representation for Queer Workers Facing Discrimination in Los Angeles County and Across California
If you’ve faced discrimination at work because of your sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, California law gives you real protection and potential legal recourse. At Laurel Employment Law, APC, we handle LGBTQ+ discrimination claims at every stage: initial complaint, agency filing, negotiation, and litigation. We never represent employers.
Founder Joshua White spent years as a corporate executive before building this practice. That background shapes how we approach each case. We know how employers document performance, structure decisions, and insulate themselves from liability. We use that knowledge to build claims that hold up.
Consultations are free, and we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we achieve a successful outcome. Spanish-language assistance is available. Call (310) 929-6371 to speak with our team.
What LGBTQ+ Discrimination at Work Looks Like
Discrimination doesn’t always arrive as an explicit statement. It often builds through a pattern of decisions and conduct that, taken together, may make clear that an employee’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression drove the treatment. Under FEHA, all of the following can support a claim:
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Read about how our approach to employment law makes a difference in the lives of California workers. To learn more or get started with a consultation, call us at (310) 929-6371 today.
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California Law on LGBTQ+ Discrimination
California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) is the state’s primary workplace anti-discrimination law. It explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. FEHA applies to employers with five or more employees, which means it protects more Los Angeles workers than federal regulations.
FEHA also protects employees based on perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. If a manager targets you because they assume you’re gay, whether or not that assumption is correct, you may have a viable claim. The same protection extends to employees targeted because of their association with an LGBTQ+ individual.
At the federal level, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County confirmed that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity as a form of sex discrimination. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, so California’s broader FEHA threshold captures employers that fall below the federal floor.
A few additional California protections worth knowing:
- Supervisor harassment: Employers are directly liable for harassment by supervisors. For coworker harassment, liability attaches when the employer knew or should have known and failed to take corrective action.
- Gender-affirming care: Employer-provided health plans must cover medically necessary gender-affirming care in the same manner as other medically necessary treatments.
- Restroom access: California regulations require employers to allow employees to use restroom facilities consistent with their gender identity or expression.
Filing a FEHA Claim: Deadlines & the CRD Process
Before filing a lawsuit under FEHA, you must file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) and obtain a right-to-sue notice. You can request that notice immediately without waiting for a CRD investigation to conclude. Once issued, you have one year to file a civil lawsuit in California court.
