The term “employment law” encompasses a rather broad and diverse range of issues that can come up around an employer-employee relationship. This is to say that employment discrimination can come in a staggering variety of forms. Litigation regarding sexual harassment in the workplace, for example, may take a much different tone and call for totally different legal strategies than a claim that seeks to resolve miscalculated overtime.

Some workplace disputes tend to remain quite businesslike by their very nature, while others can be as emotionally charged and intense as any civil or criminal case. Thankfully for the people of San Bernardino, Theory Law is not just a local firm that understands the full spectrum of employment law issues that can come up in California workplaces but a tireless and steadfast ally for California’s working people in these situations.

Regardless of the specific type of workplace issue you’re facing, understanding your rights under California law can help you better navigate this challenging ordeal. The same is true of partnering with a qualified and talented employment attorney from Theory Law. 

Some of the different types of employment cases and claims we’re equipped to handle include:

• Unpaid Wages – Many people don’t realize it, but wage theft is one of the single largest types of theft in modern society, accounting for billions of dollars stolen from workers each year. Employers in California are legally required to pay employees for all hours worked, at or above the legally established minimum wage, and in accordance with all overtime laws.

  If unpaid hours or routinely miscalculated wages are jeopardizing your ability to make ends meet, contact Theory Law for assistance.

• Wrongful Termination – Being unexpectedly fired for reasons of discrimination or retaliation isn’t just highly upsetting and a threat to your livelihood. It also constitutes wrongful termination–a serious violation of the law–and is a substantial affront to your rights as a working Californian.

  State law provides a range of protections in firing scenarios, and some workers may even have additional contractual protections against firing, such as the specific language included in a union agreement. Your employment attorney can help you understand the full extent of your individual legal protections against losing your job.

• Workplace Harassment – Every Californian worker deserves the chance to do their job without being exposed to harassment, hostility, unwanted touching, racist jokes, and other noxious workplace behaviors.

  Workplace harassment–including and especially harassment of a sexual nature–creates a toxic environment that is incompatible with work, severely affecting not only an employee’s on-the-job productivity but also their overall well-being. Companies that fail to take corrective action when one employee harasses another can be held accountable in court.

• Discrimination – Refusing to hire, promote, or fairly evaluate employees based solely on protected characteristics such as their race, gender, religion, sexual identity, or disability status is completely illegal. If proven in court, these violations can result in severe penalties for discriminatory employers, with substantial damages awarded to impacted employees.
• Retaliation – Employers are legally barred from retaliating against employees who exercise their rights. This includes all sorts of scenarios, from injured workers who file a workers’ compensation claim to whistleblowers who report illegal workplace activities to government authorities.

  Thanks to these robust whistleblower protections, every working person in California should feel fully empowered to take action if they encounter unsafe or illegal activities in their workplace. In short, you can take action against retaliation, and the law is firmly on your side when you do.

• Workers’ Compensation – Workers’ compensation is a unique system at the intersection of insurance, personal injury, and labor law. Rather than going through the standard court system, workers’ compensation cases are overseen by a parallel claims process that is designed to get injured workers financial benefits as quickly as possible without requiring their employer to take legal responsibility for causing the injuries.

  Because of its unique nature and its circumventing of the standard legal system, workers’ comp cases are sometimes seen as falling outside the purview of standard employment (or personal injury) law.

Please understand that the above are merely some of the main categories of workplace legal issues we can handle on behalf of employees in the San Bernardino area. Even if your specific situation is not outlined above, Theory Law can help you evaluate the potential merits (and likely monetary value) of your claim. If your case is viable, and you decide our firm meets your individual needs, we will then move ahead by building a powerful legal strategy for seeking justice.