Know Your Rights at Work in California
Plain-English explanations of California employee rights, written by a working employment litigator. Read what applies to your situation, then call us when you need to act.
California has some of the strongest employee protection laws in the country. Wages must be paid on time. Overtime is required for non-exempt workers. Meal and rest breaks are mandatory. Discrimination and harassment are prohibited. Retaliation against employees who report misconduct is illegal. Severance agreements are negotiable contracts, not gifts. Arbitration agreements have limits.
But knowing the law and knowing what to do about it are two different things. Most employees discover their rights only after something has already gone wrong — a termination, a missing paycheck, a severance offer with a short deadline, an arbitration clause they didn't realize they signed. The pages below are written to help you understand your rights before the deadline pressure starts, and to know when calling a lawyer is the right next step.
ShortLegal represents California employees in wage-and-hour, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, severance review, class action, and PAGA litigation. We are a working trial firm, not a paper-pushing practice. When we evaluate your situation, we evaluate it the way we would if we were going to take it to court — because if your employer broke the law, that may be exactly what comes next.
What's Happening at Work?
Find your situation below. Each page explains what your rights are, what to watch out for, and when to call a lawyer.
A severance agreement is a contract, not a gift. You may be releasing claims you don't even know you have. Read what to look for — and how the payment structure can affect what reaches your bank account — before you sign.
Read the guideSalary does not automatically mean exempt. California has specific tests for who qualifies as exempt — and many employers get the classification wrong. Find out whether you may be owed unpaid overtime.
Read the guideCalifornia's meal and rest break laws are strict, and so are the penalties for employers who violate them. If your employer is pressuring you to skip breaks or work without pay, you may have a claim.
Read the guideArbitration agreements give up your right to a jury trial and often your right to participate in a class action. Some are enforceable. Others are not. Find out which kind you're dealing with.
Read the guideCalifornia law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for known disabilities — but the law only protects what your employer knows about. Find out when and how to disclose, and what to ask for.
Read the guideWhen an employer's practice affects many workers, California offers powerful tools: class actions and PAGA representative actions. Understand how they work and whether your situation may qualify.
Read the guideCalifornia law protects your right to take paid sick leave for yourself or a family member. If your employer disciplined, demoted, or fired you for using it, that may be unlawful retaliation. Learn what the law provides and what you can do.
Read the guideCalifornia Employment Law Topics
The same content organized by legal topic, for readers who already know what they're looking for.
Severance and Separation Agreements
Reviewing severance agreements, what you give up when you sign, deadlines, what's negotiable, and payment structure.
Read more →Wage and Hour Rights
Unpaid wages, overtime, exempt/non-exempt classification, salary requirements, and wage statement violations under California law.
Read more →Meal Breaks, Rest Breaks, and Off-the-Clock Work
California meal and rest break requirements, employer obligations, premium pay for missed breaks, and off-the-clock claims.
Read more →Arbitration Agreements and Class Action Waivers
What arbitration agreements are, when they're enforceable, the FAA preemption question, and class action waivers in California.
Read more →Disability Accommodation and Medical Leave
Reasonable accommodation, the interactive process, employer knowledge of disabilities, and California medical leave protections.
Read more →Class Actions and PAGA Representative Actions
How class actions and PAGA claims work in California, when they're appropriate, and what makes them succeed or fail.
Read more →Wrongful Termination
When a termination violates California law — public policy, statutory protections, retaliation, and what to do about it.
Practice area page →Discrimination and Harassment
Protected categories under California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, what counts as harassment, and how claims work.
Practice area page →Retaliation
When an employer punishes you for asserting your rights, reporting misconduct, or refusing to participate in illegal activity.
Practice area page →Paid Sick Leave and Retaliation
California's paid sick leave protections, what retaliation for using sick leave looks like, and the remedies available under Labor Code section 246.5.
Read more →What the Courts Are Saying Now
ShortLegal publishes plain-English reviews of recent California appellate decisions affecting employees — what was decided, what it changes, and what it means for California workers facing similar issues. New decisions are added as they come down.
See Recent DecisionsLitigation Experience on Your Side of the Table
Many employment law practices are document-review services. They look at the paperwork, flag a few clauses, and send you a polite memo. That is not how ShortLegal works.
ShortLegal is an active California employment litigation firm. We try cases. We have taken complex wage-and-hour and class action matters through trial. When we evaluate your severance agreement, your wage claim, your discrimination case, or your arbitration dispute, we evaluate it the way we would if it were going to court — because if your employer broke the law, that is often exactly what is needed.
That matters when employer-side lawyers are on the other side of a negotiation. They know which firms negotiate hard and which do not. A litigator with a track record changes the dynamics of the conversation.
Have a Workplace Issue Now?
Call ShortLegal. Initial consultations are confidential and prompt. If your situation involves a deadline — a severance agreement, an EEOC or DFEH filing window, or an upcoming termination — call sooner rather than later.