Beverly Hills FMLA Wrongful Termination Lawyer

Beverly Hills FMLA Wrongful Termination Attorney

When a family member needs care, or you’re recovering from an injury or illness, know that federal and state laws give you job protections. This means your employer cannot retaliate against you for taking leave, and they certainly cannot fire you for it. However, not all employers follow the law. If you were fired for taking legally protected leave, a Beverly Hills FMLA wrongful termination lawyer from Shirazi Law Firm, PC, can give you the support you need.

What Is the FMLA?

The Family and Medical Leave Act is a federal law passed in 1993 that guarantees job protection to workers who take leave to care for sick family members or to manage their own medical conditions. While this FMLA law does not grant paid leave, it does guarantee that you can return to your position or a similar one when you’re ready to come back to work.

Under FMLA, workers can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave on a yearly basis. Eligible reasons to take FMLA leave include:

• A serious medical condition that prevents you from working
• Caring for a spouse, child, parent, or other family member with a serious medical condition
• The birth or adoption of a child
• Certain military family member needs

Signs You’ve Been Fired Because You Took Leave

With 4,077 illegal retaliation reports, including wrongful termination, investigated by the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) in 2024, it’s important for workers to know what signs of retaliation to look out for if they’ve been terminated. Some signs that you’ve been fired for taking leave include: 

• You were fired shortly after requesting or taking leave.
• Your employer complained about your leave to you or a coworker.
• Your job duties changed before taking leave.
• Another person was hired in your same role while you were on leave.
• Your employer’s reasons for firing were inconsistent.
• Other employees who have taken leave were treated similarly.

Compensation You Can Pursue for FMLA Wrongful Termination

If you were fired for taking leave, there are various forms of compensation you can pursue in an FMLA wrongful termination case. In 2023 alone, the CRD helped retaliation victims recover $116.5 million in compensation. If you’ve been wrongfully terminated for taking FMLA leave, you can recover damages for losses such as:

• Back and front pay
• Reinstatement
• Lost benefits
• Lost bonuses
• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Punitive damages

When you meet with your attorney in your initial consultation, they can help you understand what compensation you might be entitled to and what the full value of your case may be.

How Shirazi Law Firm, PC, Can Help

Since 2011, Shirazi Law Firm, PC, has been giving California employees the legal services they need to protect their rights and recover compensation for losses incurred by illegal activities from their employers. With nearly 60% of the complaints made to the CRD being for retaliation, like FMLA wrongful termination, the value of an experienced Beverly Hills employment law attorney cannot be overstated.

When you need a passionate attorney who’s dedicated to the success of your case, you want Shirazi Law Firm, PC, in your corner. Our team won’t back down as we pursue the compensation you deserve, whether advocating for you in settlement negotiations or arguing in the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. Emanuel Shirazi can be your trusted partner throughout the legal process, answering your questions and giving you the guidance you need.

FAQs About Beverly Hills, CA FMLA Wrongful Termination Laws

What Are the Odds of Winning a Wrongful Termination Claim?

The odds of winning a wrongful termination claim depend largely on the strength of your evidence. In 2024, the California Civil Rights Department received 6,089 allegations of civil rights violations, including wrongful termination, but only secured 872 settlements. While this figure doesn’t directly indicate the odds of success in a wrongful termination case, it does shed some light on the difficulty of securing the compensation you may be entitled to.

How Much Is Your Wrongful Firing Claim Worth in California

How much your wrongful firing claim is worth depends almost entirely on the losses you’ve suffered. You have the right to pursue damages for your lost wages, benefits, bonuses, and career opportunities in addition to pain and suffering and emotional distress. When you meet with your Beverly Hills FMLA wrongful termination attorney, they can explain the true value of your case and work with you to create a strategy to pursue compensation.

Can My Employer Fire Me While I’m on Family Leave?

Yes, your employer can fire you while you’re on family leave, so long as the termination is not retaliation for taking leave or related to another legally protected reason. Because California is an at-will employment state, your employer does not need a reason to fire you, so long as they aren’t terminating you based on a protected characteristic or trait. Working with an experienced attorney can help you prove that your firing was illegal.

Is It Worth Suing for Wrongful Termination?

Yes, it’s often worth suing for wrongful termination if you believe you’ve been fired for an illegal reason. Your employer should be held accountable for the damages you’ve suffered if you’ve been wrongfully terminated. What’s more, taking action against them could prevent them from doing the same thing to other workers in the future. Not only are you protecting yourself and pursuing the compensation you deserve, but you’re also protecting other employees.

Hire a Beverly Hills FMLA Wrongful Termination Lawyer

Workers in California have the right to take leave when they need to care for a family member or manage their own health. When they take that leave, they shouldn’t have to worry about job security. If you’ve been fired for taking leave, hire an FMLA wrongful termination lawyer from Shirazi Law Firm, PC, to help you pursue compensation.

Our team is here to help you protect your rights. We know the federal FMLA wrongful termination laws, and we put that knowledge to work for our clients to help them recover damages for their losses. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.