Employee Rights in Los Angeles (2024) Explained

Each and every California employee is entitled to certain rights when it comes to their job, and those in the city of Los Angeles are no different. However, despite the stringent laws and regulations in place to protect those rights, there are frequent incidents in which they are violated. This makes understanding your employee rights in Los Angeles essential to ensuring that you are treated fairly and that your employment status is protected should your employer choose to take advantage of you.

Los Angeles Employee Rights

Below are the basic employee rights in Los Angeles that every California state employee is entitled to under laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), and other state and federal agencies:

• Minimum Wage: The minimum wage in Los Angeles is higher than the set California state minimum wage due to local ordinances but can vary depending on the size of your employer’s company.
• Overtime Pay: California labor laws mandate that hourly employees receive overtime pay for any hours worked beyond eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a given work week. There is also additional overtime pay for hours worked beyond 12 hours in a workday, and most employees would be entitled to receive double their regular hourly pay for any hours worked beyond that threshold.
• Anti-discrimination: All Los Angeles employers are prohibited from harassing or discriminating in the workplace based on protected characteristics such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disabilities, and more.
• Meal and Rest Breaks: In general, employees are mandated to receive a 30-minute unpaid meal break for every five hours worked and a 10-minute paid rest break for every four hours worked in a given workday, according to California labor laws.
• Family and Medical Leave: All Los Angeles employees are entitled to take unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons, according to the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Some of these reasons include serious illness or health conditions of the employee, serious illness of a family member, and the birth or adoption of a child. Parents are also able to return to their jobs after taking their unpaid leave.
• Whistleblower Protections: Under both state and federal whistleblower laws, employers are prohibited from taking retaliatory or adverse actions against an employee who reports illegal or unethical behavior by their employer or within their workplace.
• Privacy Rights: All employees in Los Angeles and throughout California have certain privacy rights. Employers are prohibited from conducting invasive searches of the personal belongings of their employees or monitoring private conversations without the expressed consent of the employee.

Ensuring that all of the above employee rights are continuously upheld is the responsibility of every Los Angeles employer, as it’s ultimately up to them to make sure that their place of business cultivates a fair, safe, and respectful work environment for all of their employees. However, it’s also important that you, as the employee, educate yourself, understand the basic rights that you are entitled to, and take action to assert those rights should they ever be violated.

If you believe that your employee rights have been violated, it is highly recommended that you consult with reputable legal representation from an experienced employment lawyer. They can provide you with sound legal advice and guide you through the necessary legal processes to ensure that your rights are upheld and that the responsible party is held accountable for any violations.

FAQs

Q: What Are My Rights as a California Employee?

A: Your rights as a California employee include employers adhering to minimum wage and overtime pay laws, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws in the workplace, adequate meal and rest breaks, family and medical leave for certain circumstances, whistleblower protections, and general privacy rights. All California employees have certain rights that are protected by state and federal labor laws.

Q: Can My Boss Tell Me What to Do Outside of Work?

A: Your boss cannot tell you what to do outside of work. California law states that your supervisor, manager, or boss does not have the right to take any action related to your job based on your outside-of-work behavior. They cannot interfere in your personal life, and you have the right to privacy. In addition, they are prohibited from surveilling any union activity, and they cannot discriminate against you based on your religion or marital status.

Q: What Is the California Employee Protection Act?

A: The California Employee Protection Act (CEPA) is a piece of state legislation focused on strengthening worker protections from their employers and promoting fair treatment within the work environment. The CEPA expanded on already existing labor laws and addressed issues such as workplace safety, retaliation, whistleblower protections, and wage theft.

Q: What Are the Discrimination Laws in Los Angeles?

A: The discrimination laws in Los Angeles include both state and federal anti-discrimination laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), as well as the California Civil Rights Department (CCRD), which protects employees from being discriminated against based on their race, gender, age, sexual affiliation, religion, national origin, disability, and other characteristics. Los Angeles discrimination laws are in place to safeguard certain employee rights on the basis of discrimination.

Finding the Right Employment Lawyer to Represent You

Whether you’re a victim of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or any other violations by your Los Angeles employer, seeking the counsel of an experienced employment lawyer is paramount to the success of your case.

At Shirazi Law Firm, PC, our attorney has years of experience defending employers while working for one of the largest employment law firms in the country. He has leveraged this experience sitting at the other end of the courtroom and understanding the inner workings of the other side to help build his own reputation as one of the top employment lawyers in all of California, according to Los Angeles Magazine.

He also actively serves on the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section. Mr. Shirazi and his dedicated team can work tirelessly to help you build a comprehensive and aggressive strategy. We attempt to ensure that your legal rights are upheld throughout the entirety of the proceedings and that you receive the most favorable outcome possible.

Contact us to schedule your in-depth consultation today.