Walnut Creek Employment Lawyer
Although there are a wide range of federal and California state laws designed to protect employees’ rights, workers are often still at an enormous disadvantage when it comes to resolving disputes with their employers. After all, most workers do not even know what rights they have under the law–and their employer is often not eager to tell them. This means that in order to assert those rights in a meaningful way, employees need help.
That is where we come in. At Venardi Zurada, our Walnut Creek employment lawyers can help you level the playing field. If you have been the victim of wrongful termination, employment discrimination, or a wage and hour law violation, you do not have to sit there and take it. You have rights–and we will work with you to vindicate them in court.
- Age Discrimination
- Class Action Wage & Hour Claims
- Disability Discrimination
- Employee Discrimination & Harassment
- Employment Contract
- Gender & Sex Discrimination
- Meal & Rest Break
- Misclassification & Exempt/Hourly
- Misclassification & Independent Contractor
- National Origin Discrimination
- Overtime & Double Time
- Pay Stub Violations
- Pregnancy Discrimination
- Race & Color Discrimination
- Religious Harassment
- Retaliation & Wrongful Termination
- Retaliation For Complaints
- Sexual Harassment
- Sexual Orientation & LGBT Discrimination
- Unpaid Hours
- Wage & Hour Law
- Wage & Hour Record Keeping
- Weight Discrimination
- Whistleblower
How The Law Protects Workers
Some of the more common type of employment law disputes that we assist clients with include:
- Wrongful Termination – Although most workers are “at-will” employees under California law–meaning they can be fired at any time without reason–there are certain exceptions that constitute grounds for a wrongful termination claim. For example, an employer cannot fire a worker for engaging in protected whistleblower activity or because they asserted their rights under another labor law.
- Employment Discrimination – Employees are also protected from termination, discipline, or any other unfavorable workplace treatment based on a variety of personal characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, pregnancy, or physical or mental disability.
- Hostile Work Environment – A subset of employment discrimination, an employer can be held legally liable if it creates or allow a workplace environment that is pervasive enough to prevent employees from performing their duties.
- Wage and Hour Laws – California sets certain minimum standards for employee pay, overtime, and meal and break periods. Employees can take legal action if their employer fails to strictly follow these standards.
Negotiating with Employers
Even if you are not looking to take legal action against an employer, a Walnut Creek employment attorney can still advise and assist you when it comes to negotiating contracts with current or prospective employers. Many employees are hired under contracts that spell out the terms of their employment, including compensation and benefits. Similarly, employees who wish to leave a company may be offered a severance agreement that provides some additional compensation in exchange for agreeing to certain post-employment restrictions.
As with any contract negotiation, you are in a stronger position if you are represented by experienced counsel. Employers often count on the fact that employees do not have representation to force unfavorable terms. And once the employee signs on the dotted line, it is often too late for them to challenge such provisions later.
So if you need advice or assistance with any employment related matter, call Venardi Zurada, LLP, today to schedule a consultation. Our Walnut Creek employment lawyers are eager to sit down and discuss how we can best help you.
