Practice Area
Los Angeles Wrongful Termination Lawyer
We represent California employees, only employees, against the companies that fired them for an illegal reason. If your firing felt wrong, let us tell you whether it was unlawful.
Free consultation. Most employment cases handled on contingency. Serving employees across California.
- Super Lawyers, selected 2022 to 2025
- Best Lawyers, since 2017
- Avvo 10.0 “Superb”
- Latham & Watkins trained
- We represent employees, only employees
Losing your job is destabilizing, and it is worse when you suspect the real reason was illegal. California law protects workers who are fired for unlawful reasons, and representing employees is the core of our practice. We do not work for employers.
This page is for deciding what to do next. If you want the full background on what wrongful termination means, our California Wrongful Termination Playbook explains it in plain English.
Can you be fired for no reason in California?
Usually yes, and that surprises people. California is an at-will state, so an employer often does not need a good reason or any notice to end your job.
But at-will has a limit: an employer cannot fire you for an illegal reason. If the real motive was discrimination, retaliation, a protected complaint, a disability or leave request, or your refusal to break the law, the firing may be unlawful no matter what the termination letter says. See the playbook for the deeper version.
Common grounds for a wrongful termination claim
These are the situations that most often turn a firing into a wrongful termination case. Recognizing your situation here does not prove a claim by itself, but it is the signal to talk to us.
- Discrimination: fired because of race, sex, age 40 and over, disability, religion, national origin, pregnancy, or sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Retaliation and whistleblowing: punished for reporting or opposing conduct you reasonably believed was unlawful.
- Refusing to commit an illegal act: fired for refusing to break the law on your employer’s behalf.
- Protected medical or family leave: fired for taking leave you were entitled to take.
- Wage complaints: fired after raising unpaid overtime, minimum wage, or other pay issues.
- Jury duty: fired for serving when you were summoned.
- Constructive discharge: conditions made so intolerable that you were forced to resign.
California and federal laws that protect you
California law
- FEHA (Fair Employment and Housing Act): bars discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and failure to accommodate based on protected traits.
- Labor Code § 1102.5 (whistleblower): an employer generally cannot fire an employee for reporting information the employee reasonably believes discloses a violation of law, whether to a government agency, a supervisor, or internally.
- Labor Code § 132a: protects against retaliation for filing a workers’ compensation claim.
- Labor Code § 98.6: protects against retaliation for asserting wage and labor rights.
- Pregnancy Disability Leave Law: protects time off for pregnancy-related conditions.
- Implied contract and public policy: a firing that breaks an implied agreement or violates public policy may be actionable.
Federal law
- Title VII: bars employment discrimination based on protected classes.
- ADA: protects qualified employees with disabilities, including the right to reasonable accommodation.
- ADEA: protects workers age 40 and over from age discrimination.
- FMLA: protects eligible employees who take qualified medical or family leave.
What can you recover if you win?
If your claim succeeds, California law may allow several kinds of recovery. What actually applies depends on your facts and the law your claim is brought under.
- Lost wages and back pay: earnings you lost because of the firing.
- Front pay: future lost earnings, where reinstatement is not practical.
- Reinstatement: return to your job, where appropriate.
- Emotional distress: damages for the harm the conduct caused.
- Punitive damages: in cases involving serious misconduct.
- Attorneys’ fees: recoverable under many of the statutes above.
How long do you have to file?
Not long, and some deadlines run earlier than people expect. As general ranges only:
- About 3 years: FEHA, through the Civil Rights Department.
- About 300 days: federal EEOC charge.
- About 2 years: public-policy wrongful termination, in court.
What to do if you think you were wrongfully terminated
- 1Write a timeline of events in chronological order, while the details are fresh.
- 2Save documents now: emails, texts, performance reviews, pay records, and your termination letter.
- 3Note who knew about your complaint, disability, leave, or protected activity, and when.
- 4Do not rely only on the reason your employer wrote in the termination letter.
- 5Be careful with severance. You usually do not have to sign the same day, so have it reviewed first.
- 6Talk to an employment lawyer before deadlines run. The sooner you act, the more options you tend to have.
Why Delshad Legal
We represent employees, only employees. We do not work for employers, and we keep our caseload limited so each client gets real attention.
Mr. Delshad trained at Latham & Watkins, one of the largest defense firms in the world, and now uses that experience against employers. He holds a JD/MBA from UCLA and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the California Wrongful Termination Law Review. We are comfortable taking strong cases against well-resourced employers and their lawyers, including high-profile matters in the entertainment industry.
Recognition and credentials
- Super Lawyers, selected 2022 to 2025
- Best Lawyers, since 2017
- Avvo 10.0 “Superb” rating
- Editor-in-Chief, California Wrongful Termination Law Review
- Latham & Watkins training
- JD/MBA, UCLA
- Member, California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA)
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as wrongful termination in California?
A firing is wrongful when it is tied to an illegal reason, not just an unfair one. That usually means discrimination, retaliation or whistleblowing, refusing to break the law, a protected leave or accommodation, a wage complaint, or a firing that violates public policy or an implied contract. A harsh or unfair firing alone is generally not enough without one of these legal hooks.
Can I be fired for no reason in an at-will state?
Often yes. At-will means your employer usually does not need a good reason or notice to let you go. What it cannot do is fire you for an illegal reason. So “no reason” can be lawful, but a hidden illegal reason is not.
How do I know if my firing was illegal?
These are the kinds of facts that tend to matter: a protected right or status was involved, a decision-maker knew about it, an adverse action followed, and the timing or your employer’s shifting explanations point to the real motive. We cannot tell you from a web page whether your firing was unlawful. A free consultation is the most reliable way to know.
How long do I have to file a wrongful termination claim in California?
Deadlines vary by claim and can run earlier than expected. As general ranges, FEHA claims are generally around three years, federal EEOC charges around 300 days, and public-policy claims generally within about two years. Do not calendar from a guide. Confirm your actual deadline with us right away.
What can I recover if I win?
Depending on your claim, recovery may include back pay and lost wages, front pay, reinstatement, emotional distress damages, punitive damages in serious cases, and attorneys’ fees. What applies depends on your facts.
What is constructive discharge?
Constructive discharge is when your employer makes working conditions so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel forced to quit. If you resigned under that kind of pressure, the law may treat it like a firing for purposes of a claim.
Should I sign the severance agreement my employer offered?
Not before you understand what you are giving up. A severance agreement is usually a trade: money for a release of claims and other promises. You often do not have to sign the same day, and California provides review time in many situations. Have it reviewed before you sign.
How much does a wrongful termination lawyer cost?
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.
Talk to a Los Angeles wrongful termination lawyer today
Fired and unsure if it was legal? Tell us what happened. The consultation is free, and the sooner you act, the more options you tend to have.
The Law Offices of Jonathan J. Delshad is a Los Angeles based employment law firm representing employees across California in wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wage and hour matters. Representing employees is the core of the firm’s practice. Mr. Delshad serves as Editor-in-Chief of the California Wrongful Termination Law Review. Recognition includes Super Lawyers (2022 to 2025), Best Lawyers (since 2017), and an Avvo 10.0 “Superb” rating.
Reviewed for California employment law accuracy. Last updated: June 22, 2026.
Law Offices of Jonathan J. Delshad, PC
1663 Sawtelle Blvd, Suite 220, Los Angeles, CA 90025 · (424) 255-8376
Serving 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.