Los Angeles Employment Lawyer

Cases We Handle

The attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates and Vakili and Leus LLP represent clients facing a variety of employment disputes including:

Sexual Harassment

Employees have the right to go to work each day without being asked out for a date, asked to have sex, touched inappropriately, or told sexual jokes. Unfortunately, all too often that is not the case. Victims of workplace sexual harassment, whether they are women or men, are often hesitant to speak up because they are concerned about job loss, or they are concerned that they will not be able to prove the harassment. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates are prepared to help victims, as we understand the federal and state laws prohibiting sexual harassment and understand what it takes to win a harassment case.

Workplace Harassment

Workplace harassment occurs when someone is treated in a negative way at work based on an individual attribute. While the most common types of harassment are based on race, sex and disability, there are other characteristics that are protected by federal or state law such as religion, pregnancy, and gender. As indicated by our record, we strongly believe that no person should be subjected to harassment at work for any reason, and we will vigorously fight for the rights of those who face hostility in the work place by representing them before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the California Department of Fair Employment & Housing (DFEH), in state court or in federal court.

Employment Discrimination

Having to spend each day in a hostile environment at work makes it difficult for a victim of workplace discrimination to be effective at work. The psychological effects of facing harassment at work inevitably spills over to other aspects of the victim’s life. Discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sex, gender, race, age, disability, religion, or national origin is illegal. Employers who allow such discrimination to continue may be subject to penalties, and may be required to compensate victims. Our employment attorneys in Los Angeles have years of experience representing victims of employment discrimination. We will use our resources to investigate your case in order to make sure that those who are responsible for the discriminatory behavior are held accountable.

Race Discrimination

Discrimination based on race remains a problem in the workplace. It can take many forms- some subtle- being excluded from meetings, and some overt- use of racial slurs. If you believe that you have been harassed, fired, or in some other way treated poorly at work because of your race, you may be entitled to compensation, and your employer may face penalties. Racial discrimination cases can been complicated, so it is important that an experienced employment attorney serving in Los Angeles represents you.

Sex (Gender) Discrimination

Whether you identify as a man or a woman, it is against the law for you to be discriminated against in the workplace. With over 2 decades of experience representing victims in complex employment discrimination cases, we are equipped to fight for your rights if you have been discriminated based on your sex or gender in terms of pay, job responsibilities, advancement opportunities, dress-code and other conditions of work.

Sexual Orientation Discrimination

If you experience harassment, hostility, or discrimination in your workplace due to your sexual orientation, you are the victim of sexual orientation discrimination. We understand that being the target of such behavior makes it difficult to focus and be productive at work, and can also affect the victim’s overall emotional well-being. Whether you are harassed because you are homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, or because of our gender identity, we will help you pursue compensation for the losses you suffered because of the hostile treatment.

National Origin Discrimination

National origin discrimination in the workplace may be based on an employee’s ancestry, birthplace, cultural traits, language or accent. If you feel that you have been treated unfairly because of your national origin, the Los Angeles employment lawyers at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis are here to help and stand up to your employer on your behalf. We will review the details of your case and explain your legal options for holding the employer accountable for violating the law.

Disability and Medical Condition Discrimination

It is devastating and demoralizing to be the victim of discrimination based on your disability or medical condition. It is also a violation of the law. Whether you feel you were not hired or that you were fired because of your disability, or you believe that your employer failed to make reasonable accommodations for you, contact us to discuss your legal options. Under federal and state law you may be entitled to back pay, front pay, reinstatement and other remedies.

Age Discrimination

Despite federal and state regulations, age discrimination in the workplace is not uncommon, and employers often get away with it. In some cases older employees are taunted because of their age, while in other cases they are assigned undesirable tasks. Regardless of the form the discrimination takes, it is illegal. The employment lawyers at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates do not want you to feel that you must silently accept poor treatment at work simply because of your age. Contact us and we will explain to you the process for filing a discrimination claim against those responsible. Act quickly as there strict time limits for filing age discrimination claims.

Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”)

We understand how emotionally challenging it can be when a family member struggles with a health crisis. When an employer makes an already difficult situation worse by refusing to allow you to take FMLA, or by retaliating against you for taking leave, we will step in to help. Our experienced employment attorneys in Los Angeles have successfully negotiated on behalf of employees who have been retaliated against for taking FMLA. Contact us to find out how we can help.

Whistleblower and Retaliation Claims

We firmly believe that people should not be punished for doing the right thing. If you were fired, demoted, or punished in some other way for standing up to your employer who has violated the law, we will stand up for you. The attorneys as the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates have the experience and resources to investigate complex whistleblower and retaliation cases, and will demand compensation on your behalf for back pay and other damages to which you may be entitled.

Wrongful Termination

While most employer/employee relationships are “at will”, there are circumstances under which it would be unlawful for an employer to fire an employee. For example, terminating an employee in retaliation for reporting wrongdoing would be unlawful. Similarly, firing an employee for discriminatory reasons would also illegal. If you believe you were wrongfully terminated, contact us to discuss the facts of your case. We will explain your legal options for seeking compensation from your former employer for wrongfully firing you.

Misrepresentation Under Labor Code § 970

It is very frustrating to move in order to take a new job, only to discover that the position is quite different than you expected based on representations given you by your employer. Moving is not only costly and time-consuming, it is also disruptive to the entire family. California law makes it illegal for an employer to lie to an employee in order to convince the employee to move. If you feel that you were deceived by your employer and as a result you moved, you may be entitled to compensation for double your moving expenses and other related losses.

Blacklisting – Misrepresentation in Violation of Labor Code § 1050

Even if you are qualified for a job and have a great interview, your application still may be rejected based on a negative reference from a former employer. If the negative reference was a misstatement of facts and as a result the new employer failed to hire you or fired you, we can help you file a claim against the employer that provided false information.

Breach of Written Employment Contract

If you have a signed employment contract with your employer, and your employer breaches its terms, you may be entitled to significant compensation, including the full price of the contract. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates have successfully represented employees in breach of employment contract disputes, winning generous settlements. Contact us to discuss the details of your case.

Negligent Hiring and Retention

Employees should not have to worry about their safety at work. Being seriously injured in the workplace at hands of a violent or incompetent co-worker is shocking and devastating. The law requires that employers take reasonable efforts to ensure the safety of employees. Careful screening of candidates prior to hiring and supervision after hiring are necessary to ensure a safe working environment. If an employer fails to do so and an unfit employee causes harm, the victim may have a valid claim not only against the person who caused the harm, but also against the employer based on a negligent hiring theory. Because our attorneys are experienced handling both complex employment law cases and personal injury cases, we are exceptionally qualified to protect the rights of employees in cases involving employer liability.

Constructive Discharge

If you were forced to turn in your resignation because you were subjected to harassment at work, your salary was cut, you were forced to perform menial duties, or the conditions of your employment had become intolerable in some other way, you may have a claim against your former employer for constructive discharge. It is against the law for an employer to either create intolerable work conditions in order to force you to quit, or to allow a hostile environment to continue. Legally, a constructive discharge is treated the same as a wrongful termination. If you are still working in a hostile workplace or if you were constructively discharged, it is important that you understand your legal rights. Contact an employment attorney serving the Los Angeles area immediately, as there are time limits to pursuing a claim based on construction discharge or wrongful termination.

Remedies for Employment Violations

If it is determined that you are the victim of a violation of employment law, or if it is determined that your employer violated the terms of your employment contract, the appropriate remedy will be determined by the rules violated and the specifics of each case. Typically, remedies include:

• Employer paying lost wages, benefits, and other out-of-pocket costs
• Employer paying punitive damages
• Reinstating you if you were wrongly terminated or promoting your if you were improperly passed over
• Providing reasonable accommodation are required by the ADA
• Paying your attorney’s fees
• Implementing new policies so violations will not occur in the future
• Employer compensating employee according to the terms of the employment contract

Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates

If you feel threatened at work, believe that you have been discriminated against, have been the subject of retaliation, felt that your rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act or workers’ compensation have been violated, or you would like an employment contract reviewed, it is important that you are represented by an experienced attorney who will give your case close personal attention. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates have years of experience successfully representing clients employment disputes.

Contact us at 1-855-LA-LA-LAW (1-855-525-2529) to schedule a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your concerns related to your employment. We serve individuals throughout the following locations: Beverly Hills, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Orange County, Pasadena, San Diego and West Hollywood.