Los Angeles Retaliation Lawyer
| Feher Law
- Top Rated Trial Firm
- Over $170 Million Recovered For Clients
- No Fees Unless We Win
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Retaliation is the most common reason Los Angeles workers come to us. Employers cannot lawfully fire, demote, cut hours, or otherwise punish you for reporting harassment or discrimination, complaining about unpaid wages, taking protected leave, reporting safety problems, or refusing to break the law.
A Los Angeles retaliation lawyer at Feher Law builds the proof of the protected activity, the adverse action, and the link between them. See our Los Angeles employment lawyer page for the broader picture. You pay nothing unless we win.
Key Takeaways
- Labor Code 1102.5 bars retaliation against workers who report suspected violations of law, or who refuse to take part in one. Penalties can reach $10,000 per violation, and the court may award attorney’s fees.
- Under Labor Code 1102.6, once you show your protected activity was a contributing factor in what happened to you, the employer must prove by clear and convincing evidence that it would have acted the same way anyway.
- Under Labor Code 98.6, action within 90 days of a protected complaint is presumed retaliatory.
- FEHA, Government Code 12940, separately protects workers who complain about discrimination or harassment, and the California Family Rights Act protects workers who take family or medical leave.
- You do not have to be fired to have a claim. You pay nothing unless we win.
Table of Contents
Why Choose Feher Law
Retaliation cases are won on timing and paper. We build both: the timeline of what you reported and when, and the paper trail that shows how your employer’s treatment of you changed afterward.
- Trial experience: Tom Feher has tried more than 50 cases to verdict.
- Early focus on evidence: we move quickly to preserve emails, messages, and personnel records.
- Several laws, one case: a single retaliation can violate FEHA, the Labor Code, and public policy, and we pursue the claims that give you the most leverage.
Verdicts & Settlements
$170M+ Recovered for California Workers & Injury Victims
Real case outcomes from Feher Law across personal injury and employment matters, resolved under California law.
See what your case could be worth.
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Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its specific facts under California law. View full results on our Case Results page.
Why Acting Fast Protects Your Case
Retaliation claims have different deadlines depending on what you reported. A FEHA retaliation complaint goes to the Civil Rights Department within three years, and a public policy claim for a firing is generally a two-year lawsuit.
- Employers often document “performance problems” right after a complaint, and the earlier we see that record the better
- Texts, chats, and calendar entries around the date of your complaint can be deleted
- Workplace changes such as cut hours, new assignments, or a transfer are easiest to prove while you remember the dates
- A short severance offer window can end the claim if you sign
Free consultations. No fee unless we win.
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Why California Clients Choose Feher Law
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Meet Our Team
Thomas Feher, Esq.
Founding Attorney
Stephen Wiard, Esq.
Senior Trial Attorney
Sandy Luu, Esq.
Associate Attorney
Alex Ballard, Esq.
Associate Attorney
Karen Parra, Esq.
Associate Attorney
Chase Nielsen, Esq.
Associate Attorney
Betsy Gomez
Managing Paralegal
Erica Feher
Chief of Operations
Austin Wallick, Esq.
Associate Attorney
Samantha Marquez
Legal Secretary
Marcela Guzman
Intake Specialist (Employment)
Alejandro Zelaya
Intake Specialist (Personal Injury)
Daniela Ramirez
Litigation Assistant
Marvin Rodriguez
Paralegal
Cassandra De Vera
Law Clerk
Laws That Protect Los Angeles Workers From Retaliation
California protects workers from retaliation under several overlapping laws, and each protects a different kind of activity:
- Whistleblowing: Labor Code 1102.5 covers reports to a government or law enforcement agency, to a supervisor, or to someone with authority to investigate or correct the problem, and also refusing to take part in illegal conduct.
- Wage and rights complaints: Labor Code 98.6 protects workers who complain they are owed wages or who exercise rights under the Labor Commissioner’s jurisdiction.
- Safety complaints: Labor Code 6310 protects workers who report unsafe conditions to Cal/OSHA or to their employer.
- Discrimination and harassment complaints: FEHA protects anyone who opposes discrimination or takes part in an investigation.
- Family and medical leave: the California Family Rights Act, Government Code 12945.2, protects eligible employees who request or take up to 12 workweeks of leave.
- Workers’ compensation: retaliation for filing a claim is handled under Labor Code 132a before the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, not in the ordinary courts.
Common Forms of Illegal Retaliation
- A sudden negative review or performance plan after a complaint
- Cut hours, a changed schedule, or a lost shift
- Being reassigned to a worse role or a different location
- Being excluded from meetings, projects, or promotions
- A threat of firing or immigration consequences
- A firing that follows a protected act by days or weeks
What Employers Must Do About Retaliation
Employers have a duty to prevent and correct retaliation, not just to avoid committing it. They are expected to keep a complaint process, investigate promptly, protect the person who complained, and keep records. An employer that ignores a complaint, or lets a manager punish the person who made it, can be liable. Employers also need to be careful about adverse actions taken soon after a protected complaint, because the law treats timing as evidence.
How to Build a Retaliation Case in California
A retaliation case needs three things: protected activity, an adverse action, and a connection between them. To build them:
- Identify what you reported or did, to whom, in what form, and on what date.
- List what changed afterward: reviews, pay, hours, assignments, discipline, and how people treated you.
- Collect the proof: the complaint itself, the responses, your earlier reviews, and messages from before and after.
- Name the witnesses who saw or heard the change.
- Call a lawyer before you answer a severance offer or respond to a disciplinary meeting in writing.
We then decide whether the claim belongs in front of the Civil Rights Department, the Labor Commissioner, or a court.
Deadlines for Retaliation Claims
Retaliation deadlines depend on the claim. A FEHA retaliation complaint must be filed with the Civil Rights Department within three years of the retaliation, then suit within one year of the right-to-sue notice. A claim that a firing violated public policy is generally a lawsuit within two years under Code of Civil Procedure 335.1. Labor Code claims can have their own periods. Treat the earliest date as the real one.
Retaliation Cases We See in Los Angeles
Los Angeles workers come to us after reporting sexual harassment, complaining about unpaid overtime or missed breaks, reporting unsafe conditions to Cal/OSHA, taking family or medical leave, or reporting suspected fraud, especially in healthcare, hospitality, logistics, and retail. Filing a wage complaint with the Labor Commissioner is protected, and under Labor Code 98.6 an adverse action within 90 days of the complaint raises a presumption of retaliation.
Proving Retaliation in Los Angeles: Timing, Records, and Witnesses
Retaliation cases are won on the timeline. We collect your performance reviews before the complaint, the emails and messages around it, and any change in your schedule, pay, or duties afterward, and we compare how similar employees were treated. Under Labor Code 1102.6, once you show the protected report was a contributing factor, the employer must prove by clear and convincing evidence that it would have acted anyway.
What to Expect When You Work With Feher Law
- Free case evaluation and a review of your timeline.
- Claim selection: we decide which retaliation laws apply and which forum is best.
- Evidence: we collect the records that show before-and-after treatment.
- Filing and negotiation: we file the CRD complaint or lawsuit and pursue settlement.
- Trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court if the employer will not resolve the case fairly.
Claims That Travel With a Retaliation Case
Retaliation often comes with another claim. We also handle:
- Wrongful termination when the retaliation ends in a firing.
- Discrimination and harassment that you reported.
- Wage and hour violations you complained about.
- Leave and accommodation violations.
California Retaliation Protections Versus Federal Law
California offers multiple retaliation protections beyond federal law:
| Statute | Protected Activity | Damages | Filing Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| FEHA | Reporting discrimination, harassment, requesting accommodation | Back pay, emotional distress, punitive (Civil Code 3294), attorney fees | 3 years to CRD |
| Labor Code §1102.5 | Whistleblowing on legal violations | Back pay, emotional distress, fees, $10K civil penalty | 3 years |
| Cal. Labor Code §6310 | OSHA/safety complaints | Back pay, lost benefits, fees | 1 year to Labor Commissioner under Labor Code 98.7 |
| Federal Title VII | Discrimination/harassment reporting | Back pay, capped compensatory + punitive | 180-300 days to EEOC |
| Federal SOX (publicly traded) | Securities fraud reporting | Back pay, special damages, reinstatement | 180 days to OSHA |
This comparison is a general summary and not legal advice. How these rules apply depends on the facts of your case, and no outcome is guaranteed.
What Drives the Value of a Los Angeles Retaliation Claim
Los Angeles retaliation settlements depend on protected activity, adverse action, and damages:
| Case Type | Typical Settlement | Severe / Punitive |
|---|---|---|
| Demotion / Reduced Hours | $25,000 – $150,000 | $300,000 – $750,000 |
| Hostile Treatment | $50,000 – $300,000 | $500,000 – $1,500,000 |
| Constructive Discharge | $100,000 – $500,000 | $1,000,000 – $3,000,000 |
| Termination After Complaint | $100,000 – $500,000 | $1,000,000 – $3,000,000 |
| Whistleblower Retaliation | $200,000 – $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 – $10,000,000+ |
The ranges in this table are general illustrations and not a prediction of what any case is worth. Every case depends on its own facts, the evidence, the law that applies, and the insurance available. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This is not legal advice.
What a Retaliation Lawyer Costs
You do not pay legal fees upfront, and we collect a fee only if we recover money for you. The fee terms are in a written agreement, and we go through them with you before you sign.
We represent workers throughout Los Angeles County, from downtown and the Westside to the San Fernando Valley, the South Bay, and Long Beach.
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Talk to a Los Angeles Retaliation Lawyer
If you were punished after speaking up, you do not have to accept it. Bring us your timeline and your records. We will tell you whether the facts support a claim and what it may be worth. Use our wrongful termination settlement calculator for a first estimate if you were fired, or contact Feher Law or call (310) 340-1112 for a free, confidential consultation.
Last reviewed by Thomas Feher, Esq. – October 2026
Services We Offer
When it comes to your recovery and peace of mind, it’s vital to have an expert by your side that really understands the bigger picture of employment law. Explore the full range of services we offer below.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What if my employer retaliated after I filed a workers' compensation claim?
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Our team is standing by and ready to assist you. Consultations are completely free and confidential. We will help you determine if you have a case.
- Over $170 Million Recovered For Clients
- No Fees Unless We Win
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Other Los Angeles Practice Areas
Feher Law also serves Los Angeles clients in these related practice areas:
- Los Angeles Wrongful Termination Lawyer
- Los Angeles Employment Lawyer
- Los Angeles Workplace Discrimination Lawyer
- Los Angeles Sexual Harassment Lawyer
- Los Angeles Employment Contract Attorney
- Los Angeles Brain Injury Lawyer
- Los Angeles Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer
- Los Angeles Amputation Lawyer
- Los Angeles CRPS Lawyer
For a general overview of how we represent Los Angeles County clients across all practice areas, see our Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer page.