Skilled at Navigating Your Employment Law Discrimination Case To Victory
As an employee in California, you have a right to be treated fairly, respectfully, and without discrimination by your employer.
Did you know your employment is regulated by federal and state laws? Unfortunately, not everyone has a positive or pleasant experience at their workplace. You may feel you have been the victim of discrimination, wrongful termination, or sexual harassment.
Michael Kent and Emily Pincin understand that for many of you, your work is more than just a job. It can often be a very large part of your identity, and when that is ripped away from you for whatever reason, it can be painful. It can be even more disquieting and upsetting if you are dealing with the stress of an unpleasant or hostile work environment or loss of income.
What Types of Cases Do Employment Lawyers Handle?
Many people ask what types of cases do employment lawyers handle when they are looking for an attorney. At Kent | Pincin, we understand the importance of your livelihood and want a fair outcome in any legal action you decide to undertake.
Our attorneys cut through the legal jargon and navigate the complex employment litigation landscape on your behalf.
At Kent | Pincin, we are committed to fighting for your employment law case with efficiency and dedication in several different areas. We want you to get the healing you need.
Discrimination
Your career and well-being can be profoundly affected by workplace discrimination, which can take many forms.
If your employer is treating you differently based on your race, national origin, religion, age, disability (mental or physical), sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, medical condition, and military and veteran status, you have the right to take action as a victim of discrimination.
You may also have felt you have been subjected to unfair practices because you have been discriminated against, or you were able to advance in your career due to being treated differently from other employees.
Discrimination can include unlawful termination, suspension, demotion, reprimand, loss of pay, failure or refusal to hire, failure or refusal to promote, or unfair hiring practices. They can also include another action or failure to act that adversely affects your employment rights.
If you feel you have been denied a job or promotion due to your pregnancy or were forced to take a leave of absence before or after giving birth, you may have been discriminated against, which is illegal.
More specific examples of workplace discrimination include:
You didn’t get hired because of your age, race, gender, religion, or disability status
You weren’t paid the same amount as a co-worker with the same job title and responsibilities based on your gender or race
You were subjected to derogatory comments or jokes based on your gender, race, religion, or disability
You believe you were refused reasonable accommodations when you had a disability, such as accessibility for your wheelchair or specialized equipment
Other employees were promoted over and above you and given more opportunity as a result of your race, gender, religion, or other protected characteristics when you had the equivalent qualifications and performance level
You have a right to equal treatment in the workplace, and at Kent | Pincin, we are committed to fighting for a better working environment and experience for all employees.
We will work tirelessly to help you achieve a fair and just outcome as a victim of discrimination.
Harassment and Hostile Work Environment
Working in a hostile environment can be unpleasant and difficult. If you feel like you are being harassed, discriminated against, or treated in an offensive manner at work, it can leave you feeling taunted, hurt, and isolated. You may suffer from depression and anxiety due to what you are going through.
Harassment at work or having to endure a hostile work environment can include being the victim of inappropriate jokes or offensive comments based on your race, gender, age, disability, or religion. It can also include verbal harassment, obscene language, demeaning comments, slurs, or threats.
You may have been a victim of physical harassment, such as unwanted touching or assault, or felt you were physically interfered with, which prevented your normal work or movement.
Visual harassment is also a violation of your rights. Were you subjected to offensive posters, objects, cartoons, or drawings? Did you experience unwanted sexual advances, or were you exposed to unwanted or offensive photographs, text messages, internet postings, or emails?
Whenever your employer violates your rights, you are entitled to take action. You shouldn’t have to feel stressed and emotionally drained by your job or the people you work with. No one deserves to feel uncomfortable in their workplace.
We aim to help you understand your legal options and hold your workplace and employer accountable.
Sexual Harassment
If you are a victim of sexual harassment in your workplace, you no doubt feel it’s almost impossible to carry out your duties. You may also be feeling alone and unable to confide in anyone about what you are going through.
Sexual harassment can have a long-lasting impact on your mental and physical well-being. It can also have a detrimental effect on you professionally and personally.
Inappropriate and unwanted sexual harassment can take many forms in the workplace. You may be the victim of inappropriate touching, sexual assault, or unwanted romantic attention by a colleague.
Maybe you have experienced inappropriate comments made at your expense by co-workers, your boss, or your supervisor.
You don’t need to suffer in silence, and the person or group subjecting you to harassment should be held accountable for their actions.
Our lawyers want to give you a voice and are here to provide you with the support and guidance you need to hold your employer, individual, or people accountable and seek justice.
Other specific examples include:
Someone has kissed, hugged, or touched you without your permission
You’ve been groped or assaulted
You experienced unwelcome advances
You’ve been the victim of sexually explicit jokes, pranks, or language
Catcalls or comments have been made about your body
You’ve been sent unwanted gifts, texts, phone calls or have been followed
An individual or group has sent or shown pornographic or offensive images
At Kent | Pincin, we understand taking action against a company or individual for sexual harassment can be an emotional experience. You have the right to feel protected at work from any kind of unwanted sexual behavior. We strive to help you be free to work in an environment free of sexual harassment.
Retaliation
If you have reported discrimination or harassment in your workplace, you may find your employer has retaliated against you as a result.
Retaliation can be based upon reporting discrimination, retaliation, or harassment under FEHA (Fair Employment and Housing Act).
Retaliation can also result in reporting what you believe to be illegal conduct, patient safety complaints, workplace safety issues, requesting accommodations for a disability, and any other form of activity protected under a labor code.
You may have experienced being passed over for promotions or even lost your job. It can lead to a very stressful situation as you undoubtedly feel victimized or are coping with a loss of income. Maybe you are experiencing bullying behavior for taking a stand against misconduct at your workplace.
If you've experienced retaliation, it's essential to speak with an experienced attorney who can help you understand your legal rights and options.
At Kent | Pincin, we take an in-depth approach to gathering evidence so we can build a strong case against your employer. You have a right to justice and compensation for doing the right thing and for standing up for yourself or others.
Your employer shouldn’t be able to make you feel victimized by this kind of inappropriate misconduct. We want you to move on to a brighter future and take steps towards getting closure.
Disability Discrimination
As someone with a disability, you have a right to be free from discrimination in the workplace. You are entitled to be granted reasonable accommodations so you can carry out your duties in the best way possible.
It is important to know it is illegal to discriminate against anyone with a disability in the workplace.
Despite this, many employers continue to fail to provide employees with accommodations and even terminate employees who have disabilities or request reasonable accommodations.
If you have a disability and are not being treated well at work, this can leave you feeling alone and segregated from your colleagues through no fault of your own.
Kent | Pincin is dedicated to improving your experience in the workplace. We want to ensure you have access to the right kind of working environment and the same remuneration as everyone else.
Wrongful Termination
Being fired can be devastating not only because it can often come as a shock but also because you have to deal with the loss of income and the emotional impact it can have on your life.
When an employee loses their job, it sometimes has nothing to do with their performance or ability. Maybe you feel you were mistreated or that your employer violated your legal rights.
You may have taken a stand, reported discrimination, been penalized for requesting reasonable accommodations in the workplace, or asked for protected leave.
You have the right to compensation for your loss of earnings and any emotional damage you may be experiencing.
Your employer has no right to get away with this kind of misconduct. Let us fight in your corner with competent and skilled litigation strategies designed to get you the win you deserve.
Other examples of wrongful termination include:
You were fired for refusing to do something illegal, like lying to customers or falsifying records
You reported illegal behavior by a co-worker or supervisor to management or regulatory agencies
You were let go for exercising your legal rights, such as by filing a workers' compensation claim
You reported illegal activity by the company or a co-worker, which is protected under various state and federal laws
You reported sexual harassment or other workplace misconduct
If you believe you have been wrongfully terminated, or there has been a deliberate move by your employer to remove you from the workplace due to an ulterior motive, you may have a wrongful termination case.
Whistleblower Retaliation
Deciding to be a whistleblower and taking a stand against your employer can be daunting. You shouldn’t feel defenseless or unprotected if you report illegal behavior at your place of work.
Unfortunately, whistleblowers can often be fired or victimized because they have stood up for what they believe in. However, this is illegal, and as a whistleblower, you are entitled to legal protections.
Kent | Pincin is dedicated to protecting you if you take legal action against retaliation from your employer after you have reported wrongdoing. Our firm places honesty and integrity as core values of our practice. Therefore, we believe you should have the right to speak out if you feel you have witnessed or experienced legal violations of any kind in your place of work.
We understand that coming forward with information can be a difficult and stressful experience, and we're here to provide you with the support and guidance you need.
Don't let your employer get away with retaliating against you for doing the right thing. We can help you fight back.