Employment Lawyer in Inglewood California
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Santa Clarita is one of the fastest-growing cities in Los Angeles County and, by any measure, one of its most economically active. The Santa Clarita Valley is home to more than 28,000 workers spread across aerospace and defense, healthcare and medical devices, advanced manufacturing, theme parks, logistics, and professional services. Companies like Six Flags Magic Mountain, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, Boston Scientific, and dozens of aerospace firms employ tens of thousands of people in the region every year.
But a business-friendly economy does not automatically mean a worker-friendly one. Wage theft, wrongful terminations, disability accommodation failures, age discrimination in workforce reductions, and retaliation after safety complaints all happen in Santa Clarita, just as they do everywhere else in California. And when they happen, workers here sometimes assume that their options are limited, or that the employer’s size or local prominence means nothing can be done.
That assumption is wrong. If you need an employment lawyer in Santa Clarita, Setareh Law Group is here. We are based in Beverly Hills and serve workers across all of Los Angeles County, including the Santa Clarita Valley. We have spent more than 30 years exclusively representing employees and have recovered over $1 billion for California workers. We take every case on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we win.
An employment lawyer in Santa Clarita helps workers enforce their rights under California and federal law when employers commit wage theft, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Most employment attorneys, including Setareh Law Group, work on contingency, meaning no cost to you unless your case is won or settled.
Santa Clarita’s Major Employers and Where Issues Arise
Among the 50 largest employers in the Santa Clarita Valley, there were 28,731 workers as of September 2024. The region’s biggest private employer is Six Flags Magic Mountain with around 3,000 employees, followed by Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, Boston Scientific, Princess Cruises, and more than 28 aerospace and defense manufacturers. Each of these industries carries its own history of employment law issues, and knowing where violations tend to occur helps workers understand when something that happened to them may actually be illegal.
Six Flags Magic Mountain | The Valley’s Biggest Private Employer
Six Flags Magic Mountain is the single largest private employer in Santa Clarita, with around 3,000 workers during peak season, a number that grew by about 20 percent in 2024. That sounds great on paper, but theme parks are also among the most common sources of wage and hour claims in California.
Here is the reality for many Six Flags workers: seasonal and part-time employees are often required to show up early for mandatory pre-shift briefings or uniform checks without being paid for that time. Food service and ride operators regularly work through their meal breaks during busy park days without receiving the extra hour of pay California law requires. Workers classified as part-time sometimes work enough hours to trigger overtime protections they never see. And when seasonal workers complain, they are sometimes simply not brought back the following season, a form of retaliation that is illegal even for seasonal employees.
If you work at Six Flags and you feel like your pay does not add up or you are being treated unfairly, California law gives you real options
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital | Healthcare Workers and the Break Problem
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital generated $2.74 billion in gross patient revenue during the 2024–2025 fiscal year and is one of the most important healthcare employers in the Santa Clarita Valley. It also employs nurses, technicians, and support staff who work demanding shifts in a high-pressure environment.
The most common employment issues we see from hospital workers in this region are ones you might recognize: a shift runs long because a patient needs attention, and the meal break never happens. A nurse works through a rest break to handle a code situation and no premium payment shows up on the check. A healthcare worker raises a concern about unsafe staffing conditions and then suddenly starts getting scheduled for fewer hours or receives a performance warning that has no prior history behind it.
California law is clear on all of these. Missed breaks must be compensated. Retaliation for safety complaints is illegal. And disability accommodation failures, which happen in healthcare settings when injured workers return from leave and find their role has changed, are actionable under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.
Princess Cruises and the Corporate Headquarters Workforce
Princess Cruises maintains its corporate headquarters in Santa Clarita and is one of the larger professional employers in the region. Corporate office workers in HR, finance, operations, marketing, and legal, are often surprised to learn that the most common employment claims in their environment are not about wages but about discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Pay equity issues between male and female employees in comparable roles, age discrimination when companies go through restructuring, and wrongful termination after internal HR complaints are the claims we see most often from white-collar and professional employees.
What Employment Claims Come Up Most Often for Santa Clarita Workers?
The most common employment law claims from Santa Clarita workers involve wrongful termination, wage theft and unpaid overtime, age discrimination, disability accommodation failures, workplace harassment, retaliation, and meal and rest break violations. The aerospace and manufacturing sectors generate more age discrimination and safety retaliation claims. Healthcare generates more break violations and disability accommodation cases. Retail and theme parks generate more wage theft claims.
Wrongful Termination
California is an at-will state, your employer can fire you for most reasons. But they cannot fire you for an illegal reason. That includes firing someone because of their age, race, gender, disability, national origin, religion, pregnancy, or sexual orientation. It includes firing someone in retaliation for a complaint. And it includes firing someone in violation of a contract or a clear public policy.
In Santa Clarita’s aerospace and manufacturing sector, wrongful termination cases often involve long-tenured engineers or production workers who are let go during a restructuring when older employees are disproportionately selected. In healthcare, they often follow a safety complaint or a leave of absence for a medical condition. In either case, the pattern, a clean employment record, a protected event, and a sudden termination, tells a story courts take seriously.
Wage Theft and Unpaid Overtime
California requires overtime at 1.5 times your regular rate for hours over 8 in a workday. That daily threshold, not just 40 hours per week, matters for Santa Clarita’s manufacturing workers who routinely work 10-hour shifts, and for theme park workers who work long event days. Auto-deducting meal breaks that were never taken, requiring pre-shift work before the clock starts, rounding time records in the employer’s favor, all of these are violations under California law and can be recovered going back three years.
Age Discrimination
Workers 40 and older are protected from age discrimination under both California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act and the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act. In Santa Clarita’s aerospace and medical device sectors, age discrimination most often surfaces in workforce reductions. When a company lays off workers and the selection list skews toward employees over 40, when experience is quietly penalized in performance reviews, or when job postings favor “fresh” candidates in ways that screen out senior workers, those patterns are legally significant.
One thing worth knowing: if you are 40 or older and your employer asks you to sign a severance agreement, federal law, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, requires them to give you at least 21 days to consider the agreement and 7 days to revoke after signing. If that process was not followed, the waiver may not be enforceable.
Disability Discrimination and Failure to Accommodate
California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act requires employers to provide a reasonable accommodation for a known disability, engage in a genuine interactive process to figure out what adjustment would work, and refrain from using a disability as a reason to demote or terminate an employee. For Santa Clarita’s manufacturing and healthcare workers, where physical demands are high, these protections are particularly important.
The most common failure to accommodate situation we see looks like this: a worker is injured or develops a health condition, takes leave, and comes back to find that their role has been restructured, their supervisor has changed, or a performance improvement plan has appeared for the first time in their file. That timing, a leave followed immediately by adverse employment action, is a red flag that courts recognize.
Workplace Harassment
Harassment based on sex, race, national origin, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, or another protected characteristic is illegal under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act. This applies in every workplace in Santa Clarita, from aerospace engineering floors to hospital units to theme park operations. Employers are strictly liable for harassment by supervisors and may be liable for co-worker harassment if they knew about it and failed to act.
How Does the Process Work When You Hire an Employment Lawyer in Santa Clarita?
You call us, tell us what happened, and we handle everything from there. We investigate your case, file the right claims, negotiate with your employer, and litigate if necessary. You pay nothing unless we win. Here is what each step actually looks like.
1 | Free, Confidential Consultation You describe what happened. We listen, ask a few questions, and give you an honest read on whether you may have a viable claim. No charge, no obligation, no pressure. |
2 | We Investigate Your Case We review your pay records, employment contract, performance history, and any relevant messages or documents. We figure out which claims are strongest and give you a realistic picture of the process and potential recovery. |
3 | We File the Right Claims For discrimination, harassment, or retaliation claims, we file an intake form with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) to protect your right to sue. For wage claims, we may send a formal demand to your employer. Every deadline is our responsibility. |
4 | We Negotiate on Your Behalf Many employment cases settle before trial. We present your claim in its strongest form and negotiate. You decide whether to accept any offer, we never pressure you into taking less than what your case is worth. |
5 | We Litigate If Needed If your employer will not resolve your claim fairly, we file in the Santa Clarita Courthouse, the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, or the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, depending on the claims. We handle every court appearance and every stage of the case. |
Filing Deadlines Can End Your Case Permanently
Every employment claim in California has a deadline. Miss it, and your case is over, regardless of how strong the facts are. A consultation is free and takes 20 minutes. If something happened at work that felt wrong, call us today.
Claim Type | Deadline | Where to File |
Discrimination / Harassment / Retaliation | 3 years from last unlawful act | California Civil Rights Department (CRD) |
Wrongful Termination (FEHA-based) | 3 years from termination | CRD → Inglewood or Stanley Mosk Courthouse |
Wage Theft / Unpaid Overtime | 3 years (4 years if written contract) | CA Labor Commissioner or Superior Court |
Meal & Rest Break Violations | 3 years per missed break | CA Labor Commissioner or Superior Court |
Federal Discrimination (Title VII / ADA / ADEA) | 300 days from last unlawful act | EEOC → U.S. District Court, Central District CA |
Where Are Santa Clarita Employment Cases Filed?
Most Santa Clarita employment cases are filed at the Santa Clarita Courthouse (Los Angeles Superior Court, North Valley District) for state law claims, or at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California for federal claims. Larger or more complex cases are transferred to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles.
Santa Clarita Courthouse | Los Angeles Superior Court (North Valley District)
23747 W. Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, CA 91355 · Civil: (661) 253-7313 · Small Claims: (661) 253-7311 · Admin: (661) 253-7301 · Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
The Santa Clarita Courthouse is the primary trial court for civil and employment matters in Santa Clarita and surrounding unincorporated areas including Canyon Country, Castaic, Newhall, Saugus, Stevenson Ranch, and Val Verde. It handles wrongful termination, FEHA discrimination and harassment, and wage-and-hour claims under the North Valley District’s jurisdiction. The Judicial Council of California has approved construction of a new Santa Clarita Courthouse that will consolidate operations and expand the court’s capacity to serve the region’s growing population, making it a full-service civil hub for the Santa Clarita Valley.
Stanley Mosk Courthouse | Los Angeles Superior Court (Central District)
111 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 · General Civil Jurisdiction
Employment class actions, complex litigation, and cases that exceed the Santa Clarita Courthouse’s civil limited jurisdiction threshold are typically filed or transferred to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, the largest trial courthouse in the United States. Multi-plaintiff wage-and-hour cases against major Santa Clarita Valley employers are commonly litigated here.
U.S. District Court | Central District of California
350 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 · Federal Jurisdiction
Federal employment claims, Title VII discrimination, ADA violations, ADEA age discrimination, FMLA retaliation, and FLSA wage claims are filed in federal court. The Central District of California covers all of Los Angeles County, including Santa Clarita. Our attorneys are admitted to practice in the Central District and handle federal employment claims alongside state court matters.
Before filing a FEHA-based lawsuit, most workers must submit an intake form with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) and receive a right-to-sue notice. For federal discrimination claims, a charge must be filed with the EEOC within 300 days of the last discriminatory act. We manage all administrative steps and deadlines for our clients.
Why Do Santa Clarita Workers Choose Setareh Law Group?
We have represented employees only, never employers, for more than 30 years. We know Los Angeles County’s courts and the industries that employ Santa Clarita workers. Every case is handled on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we win. And every client works directly with the attorney handling their case, not a call center or a paralegal.
What Working with Us Looks Like
- Employee-side only, always: We have never represented an employer. Every strategy, every relationship, and every lesson from three decades of litigation is directed toward winning for workers.
- $1 billion recovered for California workers: Our results include significant verdicts and settlements across individual discrimination and wrongful termination cases and large wage-and-hour class actions throughout Los Angeles County.
- Contingency fee | zero upfront cost: You owe us nothing unless we win or settle your case. We advance all litigation costs and recover them only if your case succeeds.
- Direct attorney access: The attorney who evaluates your case is the one who handles it. You are not handed off to a paralegal or a call center. When you have a question, you get a real answer.
- Bilingual | Hablamos Español: The Santa Clarita Valley has a diverse workforce that includes a significant Spanish-speaking community. We serve our clients in both English and Spanish. Language should never prevent a worker from getting legal help.
What Should You Do Right Now If You Think Your Employer Has Broken the Law?
Write down what happened while the details are still fresh. Save your records somewhere outside your work accounts. Do not sign any severance or separation agreement without an attorney reviewing it first. And call an employment lawyer in Santa Clarita before speaking with your employer’s HR team, they work for the company, not you.
- Write down the timeline today. While the details are clear, write out what happened, dates, what was said, who was present, and how it affected your job or pay. Courts look at timelines, and your memory is sharpest right now.
- Save your records somewhere safe. Make copies of your pay stubs, offer letter, contract, performance reviews, and any relevant emails, texts, or messages. Save them to a personal account outside your work devices, as employers often cut off access immediately after a termination.
- Do not sign anything yet. Severance agreements and NDAs commonly include waivers of your legal claims. Under federal law, workers 40 and older have at least 21 days to consider a severance agreement that waives age discrimination claims. Speak with an attorney before signing anything.
- Note your witnesses. Think about who saw or heard what happened or who might have relevant knowledge. Witness availability becomes harder to secure the longer you wait.
- Call us before talking to HR. HR works for the company. Statements you make to HR can be used against your claim. Know your legal position first.
- Call Setareh Law Group. Your consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation. We will give you a straight read on your situation, including if we think you may not have a viable claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. I work at an aerospace or manufacturing company in Santa Clarita. Do California employment laws apply to my employer?
Yes. California employment law, including FEHA, the Labor Code, and wage-and-hour rules, applies to all California employers regardless of industry. Aerospace and defense manufacturers, including federal contractors, are subject to California’s anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, anti-retaliation, and wage-and-hour protections. Federal contractor status adds some requirements but does not replace California law for employees working in California.
2. I was laid off as part of a workforce reduction at my Santa Clarita employer. Could that be age discrimination?
Possibly. A layoff framed as a neutral business decision can still be age discrimination if the selection of employees disproportionately affected workers over 40, if the criteria used for selection functioned as a proxy for age, or if the process did not comply with the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act requirements for group termination waivers. These patterns require close examination of the data and internal records, which an attorney can obtain through formal discovery.
3. How long do I have to file an employment claim as a Santa Clarita worker?
It depends on the claim type. For discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, you generally must file an intake form with the California Civil Rights Department within three years of the last unlawful act. Wage claims carry a three-year limit, extended to four years for written contract claims. Federal discrimination claims require an EEOC charge within 300 days. Missing any deadline may permanently bar your claim.
4. I work at Six Flags Magic Mountain and I never get my meal breaks. What can I do?
California requires a 30-minute unpaid meal break for shifts over five hours and a 10-minute paid rest break for every four hours worked. For each missed break, your employer owes you one additional hour of pay as a premium. Theme park employers are not exempt from these requirements. If you have been regularly working without proper breaks, those accumulated premiums can be recovered going back three years through the California Labor Commissioner or in court.
5. I came back from medical leave and my employer put me on a performance improvement plan. What should I know?
A performance improvement plan that appears for the first time after a medical leave or disability accommodation request is a legal red flag. California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act requires employers to engage in a good-faith interactive process when an accommodation is requested and prohibits adverse action based on a disability or medical condition. The timing and circumstances of the PIP, especially when compared to a clean employment record before the leave, can support a disability discrimination or retaliation claim.
6. Can I file a claim while I am still employed at my Santa Clarita company?
Yes. California’s anti-retaliation laws protect employees who report legal violations or file claims while still working. If your employer takes any adverse action after learning of your complaint or legal filing, that may constitute an independent retaliation claim under Labor Code Section 1102.5 and FEHA.
7. My Santa Clarita employer asked me to sign a severance agreement. Should I sign it?
Not before having an attorney review it. Severance agreements often contain broad waivers of legal claims and NDAs. Workers 40 and older have at least 21 days to consider a severance agreement that waives age discrimination claims, and 7 days to revoke after signing. Even for workers under 40, the review period matters. Once signed and the revocation window closes, those waivers are generally binding.
8. I was paid in cash at a Santa Clarita employer. Can I still file a wage claim?
Yes. California law requires all wages to be paid regardless of payment method. Cash pay below minimum wage, unpaid overtime, and unauthorized deductions are all wage violations. Personal time records, text messages confirming schedules, and witness accounts can all support a cash-pay wage claim even without formal pay stubs.
9. How much does it cost to hire an employment lawyer in Santa Clarita?
Setareh Law Group handles all Santa Clarita employment matters on a contingency-fee basis. You pay no attorney fees unless we win or settle your case. The initial consultation is free and confidential. We advance all litigation costs and recover them only if the case succeeds.
10. Does Setareh Law Group serve Spanish-speaking workers in Santa Clarita?
Yes. Our team provides full bilingual support in Spanish (Hablamos Español) throughout consultation, intake, and all stages of representation. The Santa Clarita Valley has a significant Spanish-speaking workforce, and language should never be a barrier to legal protection.
Contact us today:
📞 Phone: 310-888-7771
✉️ Email: help@setarehlaw.com
🌐 Address: 420 N Camden Dr, Beverly Hills CA, 90210
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and circumstances. Consult with a qualified California employment Lawyer to discuss your individual situation.
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