Fired by a government employer? The rules are different — and so is the lawyer you need.
Working for a government agency doesn't mean you have fewer rights when something goes wrong at work. It means those rights get enforced differently, and most employment lawyers don't know how.
Free consultation · No fee unless we win.
We take the cases other firms turn away: transit agencies, cities and counties, school districts, sanitation and utility districts, and civil service employers across California.
This page is for public employees, not for someone hurt in a bus accident. If you were injured as a passenger or in a collision, that's a different kind of case and we handle those separately.
Informational only. It explains how these cases generally work; it doesn't tell you what to do about yours. That's what the consultation is for.
General information, not legal advice. How these rules apply depends on your employer and your facts.
Talk to us firstLA Metro (MTA) and other transit agencies.
Public utility and sanitation districts.
Frontline staff through management.
Teachers, staff, and administrators.
Positions with civil service protection.
Depending on your facts, that can include:
Public-employer cases carry an extra layer of procedure that sends most firms elsewhere. We built our practice around employees — including the ones other firms decline.
Most employment cases are handled on contingency. We advance the costs and only get paid when you do.
Two results that show what a government-employer case looks like when it's handled correctly.
Disability discrimination verdict for a Metro employee.
Sex-based discrimination verdict against a public sanitation district.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.
See all case resultsShort, straight answers. The specifics depend on your situation — that's what the free consultation is for.
Yes. Public entities can be sued for employment violations, but special rules apply. For many damages claims you must file a written government claim first — often within six months — and claims like discrimination follow their own administrative track. The deadlines are shorter and less forgiving than against private employers.
The due-process step before serious discipline for permanent public employees: notice of the charges, the materials the agency relied on, and a chance to respond before the discipline takes effect. If your agency skipped it or rushed it, that matters to your case.
A written claim filed with the public entity before you can sue it for money damages. For many claims the deadline is six months from the harm. A late or defective claim can bar the lawsuit entirely, though courts can sometimes grant relief from a late filing.
Yes — but usually through specific statutes such as FEHA or whistleblower protections rather than the common-law wrongful termination claim available against private employers, and often only after required internal or administrative steps.
Many do — FEHA covers public employers — but some laws apply differently or not at all, and civil-service rules or a union agreement add their own layer. Which laws fit depends on who employs you and what happened.
Emotional-distress damages are often available as part of a statutory claim — for example FEHA discrimination or retaliation. Standalone emotional-distress claims against public entities face additional hurdles under the Government Claims Act.
Talk to a firm that already knows this process. Tell us what happened — the consultation is free.
Prefer to talk? Call (424) 255-8376 — a real person answers.
The consultation is free. We handle most employment cases on a contingency-fee basis: you do not pay an attorney's fee unless we recover for you, and you are not responsible for the costs we advance if there is no recovery. We will explain the specific fee terms in writing before you decide to move forward.
Reviewed for California employment law accuracy. Last updated: July 14, 2026.
Law Offices of Jonathan J. Delshad, PC
1663 Sawtelle Blvd, Suite 220, Los Angeles, CA 90025 · (424) 255-8376
Serving public employees throughout Los Angeles, Southern California, and across California.
Attorney advertising. This page is educational only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship, which exists only under a signed engagement agreement. Every case is different, and outcomes depend on the specific facts. Deadlines can run early; consult a lawyer promptly about your situation.
