EEOC Attorney in Los Angeles

We represent employees across a wide range of EEOC claims, including:

• Discrimination Claims: Addressing unfair treatment based on race, gender, age, disability, and other protected characteristics.
• Harassment Cases: Combating offensive conduct that creates a hostile work environment.
• Wrongful Termination: Challenging unjust dismissals and protecting your rights throughout the process.
• Wage Disputes: Seeking unpaid wages and pursuing compliance with labor laws.

Discrimination and harassment cases each require a different evidentiary approach. A single discriminatory act can support a discrimination claim, while harassment cases typically require demonstrating a pattern of conduct that created a hostile work environment. Wage disputes pursued through the EEOC often involve equal-pay theories under Title VII or the Equal Pay Act, which are distinct from state wage-and-hour claims filed with California’s Labor Commissioner. Our attorneys assess which theory or combination applies to your situation before any filing is made.

EEOC vs. California CRD: Understanding Both Filing Paths

Workers in Van Nuys and across the San Fernando Valley have access to two parallel systems for pursuing discrimination claims. The EEOC enforces federal anti-discrimination laws including Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Equal Pay Act. The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) enforces the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and other state protections, which frequently extend further than their federal counterparts.

Employer Size Thresholds & the 300-Day Filing Deadline

One practical difference involves employer size. Federal law generally requires an employer to have at least 15 employees (20 for age discrimination claims under the ADEA). California’s FEHA covers employers with five or more employees, reaching many smaller businesses that fall outside federal jurisdiction. In California, the EEOC filing deadline is also extended to 300 days from the date of the discriminatory act, rather than 180 days, because the state enforces anti-discrimination law on the same bases.

How the Dual-Filing System Works

The EEOC and CRD operate under a worksharing agreement, so filing a charge with one agency is typically cross-filed with the other, preserving rights under both systems at once. If the EEOC doesn’t resolve the matter, it can issue a right-to-sue letter. Once received, you generally have 90 days to file a federal lawsuit. Workers don’t have to wait for the investigation to conclude and can request an early right-to-sue letter after 180 days have passed since filing. California’s FEHA also tends to provide broader remedies than federal law, including coverage of smaller employers and a wider range of protected characteristics. We can evaluate which path, or combination of both, best serves your specific situation.

EEOC Claims in Los Angeles

The San Fernando Valley is home to a large and diverse workforce, with significant concentrations of workers in service, manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics. These are industries where wage violations, discriminatory practices, and retaliation claims arise regularly. Our firm is located close to the workplaces and communities where our clients live, and our bilingual English-Spanish capability directly serves the Valley’s large Spanish-speaking workforce.

California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), enforced by the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), covers employers with five or more employees. That’s a lower threshold than the federal minimum of 15, which means many smaller Valley employers that fall outside EEOC jurisdiction are still subject to state discrimination claims. Our founder’s background as a former corporate executive informs how we analyze the employer’s side of these disputes: how workplace decisions get documented, how HR processes are structured, and how companies typically respond when a charge is filed. That insight shapes our strategy from the initial assessment forward.

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