Los Angeles Maternity Leave Lawyer

Experienced Maternity Leave Attorney in Los Angeles, CA

Pregnancy and new parenthood should never cost you your paycheck, your title, or your job. Employers across Los Angeles sometimes cut an employee’s hours, push back a return date, deny requested time off, or let someone go not long after they ask for leave to recover from childbirth or bond with a new baby.

If something like that has happened to you, California law gives you a way to hold your employer accountable and recover what you lost. A Los Angeles maternity leave lawyer at Shirazi Law Firm, P.C. can review what your employer did and tell you where you stand.

Emanuel Shirazi has practiced California employment law for 23 years, holds Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent rating, and has been named a Super Lawyer for employment law every year since 2016. He handles every case personally and represents employees only, never companies.

Reach out for a free case review and find out what your leave rights are worth before you decide on a next step.

Maternity Leave Issues We Handle for Los Angeles Employees

Pregnancy and family leave problems take many forms, and most employees do not realize a specific action was illegal until they ask a lawyer. We help Los Angeles workers who have faced:

• Denial of pregnancy disability leave for conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth
• Refusal to grant baby bonding leave after the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child
• Demotion, a pay cut, or reduced hours after requesting or returning from leave
• Termination that happens before, during, or shortly after maternity leave
• Failure to reinstate an employee to the same or a comparable position after leave ends
• Retaliation for asking questions about leave, requesting accommodations, or filing a complaint

Each of these situations can support a separate legal claim, and more than one can show up in the same case.

What It Really Costs You When Maternity Leave Is Denied or Punished?

Lost wages are only part of your potential loss. An employee pushed out during leave can also lose health insurance coverage, seniority, bonus eligibility, and a career track that took years to build.

California law requires most employers to provide up to four months of job-protected leave for a disability related to pregnancy or childbirth. Eligible employees can also take up to 12 weeks of bonding leave after that disability period ends. This leave is separate from, and in addition to, the pregnancy disability leave (Cal. Gov’t. Code §§ 12945. 12945.2).

An employer that denies this leave, punishes an employee for taking it, or refuses to reinstate her afterward can be held financially responsible. Employees have a limited amount of time to take legal action, so contact a Los Angeles maternity leave lawyer as soon as possible.

Results We’ve Secured in Pregnancy and Medical Leave Cases

According to the firm’s case history, Shirazi Law Firm has secured over $2.4 million in a case involving an employer’s failure to provide required medical leave, and over $1.6 million in a pregnancy discrimination case. Both cases involved employees who were pushed out or punished after exercising leave rights tied to pregnancy or a medical condition. Overall, our verdicts and settlements total more than $100 million.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.

Why Los Angeles Employees Choose Emanuel Shirazi for Maternity Leave Matters?

Emanuel Shirazi has handled hundreds of pregnancy discrimination cases, including maternity leave disputes. He is not afraid to take a case to trial or to take on employers of any size.

He serves on the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Executive Committee, and he is often invited to speak at legal events. For example, he presented on “Trial Tips in Employment Cases” for the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

Cases are handled on contingency, which means there is no fee unless he recovers money for you, and the firm covers the case costs along the way.

You get a free consultation and a lawyer who works the file himself, not a case handed off to someone with less experience.

FAQs About Los Angeles Maternity Leave Laws

Do I have to pay anything upfront to hire a maternity leave lawyer in Los Angeles?

No, in Los Angeles, Maternity and pregnancy leave cases at Shirazi Law Firm are handled on contingency, meaning there is no fee unless money is recovered for you. The firm also covers case costs as the matter moves forward, so there is no financial risk to you while your case is pending.

How long do I have to take action after my employer denies or punishes my leave request in California?

California generally gives employees three years from the date of the violation to file a complaint with the state before that right expires. Waiting reduces the time available to gather records and statements, so it helps to have your situation reviewed by a Los Angeles maternity leave lawyer as soon as possible.

What is the difference between pregnancy disability leave and California Family Rights Act (CFRA) bonding leave?

In California, pregnancy disability leave covers the time you are medically unable to work because of pregnancy or childbirth, up to four months. CFRA bonding leave is a separate period of up to 12 weeks that can follow, used specifically for bonding with a new child rather than medical recovery.

Can my employer fire me while I am out on maternity leave in Los Angeles?

In Los Angeles, an employer cannot legally terminate you simply because you are pregnant or on protected leave. If you were let go during or shortly after leave, the timing can be important evidence in a wrongful termination or retaliation claim.

Does my employer have to hold my exact job for me during leave in Los Angeles?

In Los Angeles, your employer generally must reinstate you to the same position or a comparable one with similar pay, duties, and status once your protected leave ends. A demotion or a different, lesser role on return can itself be a violation.

Where do I file a complaint if my employer is located in California?

Complaints under California’s leave and discrimination laws go to the California Civil Rights Department, which maintains a Los Angeles office at 320 West 4th Street, Suite 1000, in Downtown Los Angeles. An employment lawyer can help you decide whether to file there or go straight to court.

Speak With a Los Angeles Maternity Leave Lawyer Before Your Window Closes

Every month that passes after a wrongful demotion, denied leave, or retaliatory firing can make records harder to gather and witnesses harder to reach. Emanuel Shirazi represents employees only, and he personally handles each case from start to finish on contingency, with no fee unless he recovers money for you.

Contact Shirazi Law Firm, P.C. today to schedule a free consultation and find out what your maternity leave claim may be worth.