Employment Lawyer Los Angeles

A crowded workplace can look calm from the outside—laughing customers, steady routines, easy chatter. But inside, someone may be quietly enduring discrimination, sexual harassment, or retaliation. Unfortunately, Los Angeles workers deal with this far more often than they admit. When it happens, the first few questions are simple: What does an employment lawyer in Los Angeles do for workers? How do I figure out whether I need one?

The answer to both questions? Call the Law Office of John Dalton first. During that first call, John Dalton will listen closely to what happened, stop you from taking actions that could damage your case, and identify the next safe step. He focuses on protecting your rights immediately, long before an employer’s story hardens or paperwork locks you into a version of events that hurts your claim.

At the Law Office of John Dalton, we’ve secured over $100 million for California workers. Yet John still answers his own phone. That simple fact tells clients exactly what to expect: direct access, straight answers, and a lawyer who treats their situation as worthy of our immediate attention.

How Does an Employment Lawyer in Los Angeles Protect Me?

California employment law offers some of the strongest worker protections in the country. The Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) covers discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and failure to prevent harassment, and its remedies extend farther than those under federal law. Although federal statutes also exist, California’s rules typically provide better paths forward. 

An employment attorney in Los Angeles, like John Dalton, looks at your situation through the lens of these laws to build a case, studying factors such as:

• Power dynamics—harassment by a supervisor or someone in a position of authority;
• Adverse actions—cuts to hours, schedule reshuffling, demotions, write-ups, or veiled termination threats after you resisted misconduct or spoke up;
• Patterns—whether coworkers describe similar treatment, signaling a workplace culture that ignores or enables misconduct; and
• Damages—lost income, emotional harm, medical consequences, disrupted career paths, and future earning loss.

These factors support the legal frame, but your next step determines the strength of your case. Call the Law Office of John Dalton first before filing anything with the California Civil Rights Department (formerly DFEH) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). You need to protect every detail before an employer, agency, or HR department can distort the narrative. John tells you what not to say, what not to sign, and what traps to avoid. 

What Does a Los Angeles Employment Lawyer Actually Do for Clients?

An employment lawyer steps in early and handles the parts employees should never face alone. Here’s what we take off your shoulders:

• Speaking to employers when communication has turned hostile or manipulative,
• Preserving evidence before companies “lose” messages or wipe platforms,
• Coordinating medical or psychological documentation where appropriate,
• Preparing government filings correctly if they become necessary,
• Documenting your financial and emotional losses so nothing gets overlooked,
• Negotiating directly with corporate counsel and/or insurance defense, and
• Litigating in California courts, where John has delivered some of the largest harassment verdicts in state history.

John’s career has always centered on workers who feel overpowered. He understands the pressure you are experiencing and will fight tirelessly to protect your rights.

What Common Claims Does a Los Angeles Employment Attorney Handle?

All employment violations share a common thread: someone abused power, and they expect the victim to stay quiet. Here are the most common.

Sexual Harassment

California law prohibits any workplace harassment tied to protected characteristics or unwanted sexual conduct. This includes: 

• Unwanted touching;
• Inappropriate comments or messages;
• Pressure for dates, favors, or attention; and
• Hostile environments due to this type of conduct created by supervisors or coworkers.

Even if you’re unsure your situation applies, call our office the moment you sense something is off. John can help you understand California law and can prevent employers from twisting your narrative to their advantage.

Discrimination

When an employer makes decisions based on protected traits rather than an individual’s performance, California law intervenes. This includes actions like:  

• Decisions based on race, gender, disability, pregnancy, age, sexuality, religion, or national origin;
• Denied promotions  based on race, gender, disability, pregnancy, age, sexuality, religion, or national origin;
• Termination after disclosing pregnancy or medical needs; and
• Reduced hours or significant duty changes after protected disclosures.

If you think you’re experiencing discrimination, contact John before filing an internal complaint. Early missteps often affect how companies defend themselves. John can help you protect the strength of your claim from the first conversation forward.

Retaliation 

California forbids any punishment tied to protected activity. This includes:

• Punishment after reporting discrimination, harassment or other illegal activity;
• Pay cuts, schedule changes, or sudden discipline; and
• Firing after filing internal complaints.

If you reported harassment or discrimination, or even hinted at concerns, you need to call us immediately. Retaliation cases often hinge on timing, intent, and internal dynamics that we can safeguard from day one. Once John understands your timeline, he can preserve the evidence that matters and prevent employers from reshaping events.

Wrongful Termination 

Wrongful termination occurs when an employer fires someone for reasons that violate public policy. That includes retaliation, discriminatory motives, and terminations tied to protected actions, characteristics, or complaints. If you believe your employer terminated you wrongfully, reaching out first allows John to evaluate your claim before your employer can distort the facts. 

What Are the Signs I Might Need an Attorney?

People in distress often spend weeks trying to handle problems themselves. They hope things “settle down,” or “get better,” or stop. Employers count on that silence. Serious warning signs you might need a Los Angeles employment attorney include:

• You feel unsafe around a supervisor,
• You’re asked to stay quiet about inappropriate behavior,
• HR minimizes or dismisses your concerns,
• You’re disciplined after reporting something,
• Your employer terminates you  right after speaking up, and
• You’re suddenly isolated, reassigned, or written up.

If any of this sounds familiar, call John Dalton immediately. Delay rarely helps. John has secured some of California’s largest verdicts by stepping in early, before clients try to “fix” situations on their own. 

Never assume you need a written complaint or perfect documentation to have a viable claim. Many of our highest-value cases came from clients who were too scared to complain internally. You only need to call.

Contact an Employment Attorney Los Angeles Workers Count On

John Dalton has spent decades representing workers across the state, securing over $100 million in recoveries and trying some of the largest sexual-harassment cases in California history. His career grew from a simple belief: people deserve a lawyer who treats the practice of law as a public service, not a transaction.

John takes the time to explain your rights, the timing issues that can shape a case, and the pressure points employers rely on when they think no one will push back. He learned early that clarity and compassion change outcomes as much as strategy.

Contact the Law Office of John Dalton for a free case review today. Speak with John directly. Understand your options. Take the first step toward protecting yourself under California law.