Costa Mesa Employment Lawyers

It can be frustrating to be taken advantage of by your employer, but you don’t want to end up in a situation where you are unable to fight back. In the event of wrongful termination, harassment, retaliation, or some other workplace grievance, you need to make sure you take steps to protect yourself. If you are facing a similar situation, you may want to consider reaching out to our Costa Mesa employment lawyers for help.

The legal team at California Employment Counsel, APC, understands the difficulties of pursuing legal action against your employer. It can feel like burning a bridge. It’s understandable to be apprehensive about it. Having a Costa Mesa employment attorney by your side can make a significant difference. Working with an attorney with extensive experience handling employment matters and a deep knowledge of employment law can lead to a better outcome for your case.

When you are facing issues with your employer, the most important thing you can do for your case is to hire an employment lawyer to protect your interests and make sure nobody can take advantage of you. A trusted employment lawyer can help you build a case, gather evidence, and hold your employer accountable.

At California Employment Counsel, APC, our legal team focuses on the rights of workers. We’ve helped clients reach verdicts upward of $7.5 million against Fortune 500 companies. Many of our lawyers have been designated Super Lawyers, including Raymond E. Hane III and Mark Swatik. We can bring you peace of mind and make sure you get the compensation you need to move forward.

Employment law situations are not rare in the state of California. Recent data from the state’s Employment Development Department (EDD) showed that the number of employed Californians as of September 2025 was over 18 million. According to recent federal data, there were nearly 2,600 cases of workplace retaliation throughout the state in 2024 alone.

Employment law claims in Costa Mesa are generally handled at the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, which is located at the Costa Mesa Justice Complex at 3390 Harbor Blvd. According to recent statistical information collected by the State Bar of California, the California legal services market represented 15% of the total legal services available in the United States.

There are many kinds of situations that an employment lawyer can help you with. Employment lawyers largely assist employees with complicated situations that arise in the workplace and cannot be settled easily. That includes settling labor disputes, battling workplace harassment, and challenging incidents of mistreatment. Here are some of the different situations that an employment lawyer may be able to help you work through:

• Wrongful termination. It’s important to remember that California is an at-will employment state. That means that your employer can terminate your job whenever they wish. They don’t need to provide you with a reason. However, there are some reasons for firing that are illegal in California, including discrimination, retaliation, or a breach of your employment contract.
• Workplace discrimination. State and federal law both make it illegal to discriminate against anyone because of their protected class. Those protected classes include race, age, skin color, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, and pregnancy.
• Workplace harassment. There is never any excuse for harassment, especially in the workplace. Harassment can take many different forms, and all of them can affect your job performance and make you feel devalued. Harassment can be verbal, physical, visual, psychological, and even sexual.
• Wage and hour violations. California’s labor laws are very protective of employees. There’s nothing wrong with expecting to be paid a certain amount for hours worked, especially if you have worked overtime. If your employer is withholding your pay or refusing to pay out for overtime, you may be the victim of wage theft.
• Retaliation. If you were to report illegal activity that your employer engaged in, your employer cannot legally retaliate against you. However, that may not stop some employers from doing it anyway. Retaliation can take many forms, including termination, demotion, docked pay or hours, or even basic mistreatment.
• FMLA leave. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, you may be entitled to take medical leave if you qualify for it. If that’s the case, then your employer cannot legally refuse your leave and must provide you with the right accommodations.

In general, employees can file a legal claim within three years of an unlawful action by an employer, whether that is discrimination, wage and hour issues, or wrongful termination. However, the process can vary, depending on the unique facts of the case and the government agencies involved.

For example, the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, also known as the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), enforces wage and hour violations, but the Civil Rights Department (CRD) enforces discrimination laws. In some cases, federal agencies such as the Department of Labor may also be involved.

Agencies work together whenever possible, but each may have its own procedures, timelines, and other requirements. This can make employment law cases complicated and overwhelming for employees. An employment lawyer who is well-versed in state and federal employment law can help you determine your next right steps and take quick action so you can get the compensation you need.

If something has happened at your workplace that is creating a hostile work environment for you or making you feel singled out, you may have grounds to take legal action. At the very least, you should speak with an employment lawyer to learn your options.

At California Employment Counsel, APC, our top priority is providing high-quality legal representation so employees can fight back against unlawful treatment by employers. Our skilled legal team can assist you in developing your case, gathering evidence, and protecting your interests as you navigate this difficult time.

Reach out to our office today to set up an initial consultation and learn how our trusted lawyers can advocate for you.