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Derek Smith Law Group represents employees in the Arts District, Los Angeles, dealing with workplace misconduct, retaliation, unpaid wages, and unlawful termination. If your employer has put your livelihood at risk, we can help you understand your rights and decide how to respond.
With more than 30 years of combined experience, we bring substantial expertise in employment law to your case. We take your concerns seriously, whether you are questioning a recent firing or trying to address a problem while keeping your job.
Contact us for a consultation with an Arts District employment lawyer. We will review your situation, explain which protections may apply, and discuss the steps available to you.
Not every frustrating experience at work supports a lawsuit. But if you were fired after reporting discrimination, denied wages you earned, or punished for taking protected leave, your employer may have violated the law. We assess the conduct against the legal protections that apply to your job.
Employment claims can involve discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, unpaid wages, disability accommodations, and family or medical leave. Several violations may overlap. For example, denying a disability accommodation and then firing you for related absences may give rise to more than one claim.
An employment attorney serving the Arts District can help identify those claims before you decide what to do. We can also explain whether your situation calls for an employer complaint, an agency filing, negotiations, or a lawsuit.
Our Arts District employment lawyers represent workers facing a range of employment disputes. Our practice includes:
We also handle workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, and disability accommodation claims. If your situation involves several of these issues, we evaluate them together so that no violation goes unaddressed.
Preserve records that you lawfully possess, including pay stubs, schedules, reviews, disciplinary notices, and communications about complaints or leave. A dated timeline can help you explain what happened and show when your employer’s treatment changed.
Continue communicating professionally and avoid deleting relevant information. Review any internal complaint procedure, but get advice if you are unsure how to report misconduct or fear retaliation. Do not access restricted systems or take records you are not authorized to obtain.
Different employment claims have different deadlines and filing procedures. FEHA claims generally require a Civil Rights Department complaint and a right-to-sue notice before a lawsuit. The usual CRD filing period is three years, while federal discrimination charges in California generally have a 300–day EEOC deadline.
Wage claims and other employment claims follow different rules. An internal complaint generally does not stop an agency filing deadline from running. We can identify the applicable deadlines and determine whether to proceed through an agency, a court, or another available process.
We begin with your account, employment history, records, and the employer’s explanation. Our Arts District employment attorneys assess which claims the evidence supports and explain any weaknesses that could affect your case.
Routine documents can reveal inconsistencies. Payroll records may show unpaid work, while performance reviews may contradict a claim that you were fired for longstanding performance problems. We also examine whether your employer followed its policies and treated comparable employees consistently.
Witness accounts, internal messages, and personnel records can help fill gaps. We identify the evidence already available and the information we may need to request through the legal process.
Our DSLG process helps us keep cases moving efficiently while pursuing the best available outcome. Depending on your claims, we may use demand letters, agency proceedings, settlement negotiations, or litigation.
We explain proposed resolutions and how they address your losses. Depending on the law and the evidence, recovery may include unpaid wages, lost earnings, damages for emotional distress, statutory penalties, or other relief. Each claim has its own requirements.
Your employer may have human resources staff and legal counsel reviewing events before you know whether your rights were violated. We help you assess its explanations, preserve evidence, and respond with a clear understanding of your options.
Different laws can also protect you in different ways. For example, the California Family Rights Act generally provides eligible employees of employers with five or more employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying reasons. Eligibility generally requires at least 12 months of service and 1,250 hours worked in the preceding 12 months.
Federal FMLA eligibility has additional requirements, including generally working at a location where your employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles. We review which leave laws apply rather than relying only on your employer’s description of its policy.
You may need help recovering missing pay, challenging a firing, or deciding how to report ongoing misconduct. At Derek Smith Law Group, we take the time to understand the outcome you are seeking and explain what the evidence and law may support.
Arrange a free consultation with an employment lawyer serving the Arts District to review your concerns. Bring any notices, pay records, or correspondence you have available, and we can discuss a practical course of action.
