Employment Lawyer Pasadena

Employment disputes in Pasadena often come down to timing and documentation—especially when a termination follows a complaint, a request for accommodation, or the use of protected leave. Those cases are usually litigated under California law, but the facts that matter are local: who made the decision, how it was communicated, and what the employer documented internally.

Pasadena is also one of the cities with its own minimum-wage ordinance, which can create a separate compliance issue in wage-and-hour disputes for work performed within city limits. When wage claims arise, the initial questions are often basic but determinative: what rate applied, how hours were tracked, and whether the employer’s pay practices matched California requirements and any applicable local wage standard.

California United Law Group, P.C. represents employees only. Our work in Pasadena focuses on disputes involving termination, pay practices, and workplace treatment that do not align with California law and applicable local wage standards. We routinely handle matters that proceed through administrative agencies and, when necessary, into the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Applying Employment Law in Pasadena

California employment statutes govern most workplace rights in Pasadena. The Labor Code sets baseline rules for wages, hours, reimbursement, and retaliation. FEHA addresses discrimination, harassment, and failure to accommodate. Those frameworks are familiar to most employers. What is often missed is how Pasadena’s local wage and sick-leave rules fit into that structure.

Pasadena has adopted a local minimum wage that exceeds the statewide floor and applies to many employers within city boundaries. The city also enforces paid sick-leave obligations that differ in accrual and usage from state law. When disputes arise, liability often turns on whether an employer tracked hours correctly, applied the right rate, or used the proper accrual standard.

Discrimination and retaliation claims follow statewide law, but the practical posture matters. Pasadena has a large population of professional, academic, and healthcare employees whose claims frequently involve accommodation requests, leave usage, or internal complaints. These cases are typically fact-driven and hinge on timing, documentation, and how decisions were communicated.

Our Areas of Practice

• Wrongful Termination: Representing employees terminated for unlawful reasons, including after raising concerns about workplace misconduct, requesting protected leave, or refusing to participate in illegal activity.
• Retaliation: Handling retaliation claims involving adverse action after reporting discrimination or harassment, complaining about wage issues, requesting accommodations, or engaging in other protected activity.
• Discrimination & Harassment (including Sexual Harassment): Representing employees subjected to discrimination or harassment based on protected characteristics, including claims involving hostile work environments and sexual harassment.
• Wage & Hour Violations: Pursuing claims for unpaid wages, overtime, missed meal and rest breaks, off-the-clock work, failure to reimburse business expenses, and misclassification.
• PAGA & Class / Representative Actions: Bringing representative actions when labor violations affect groups of employees and the issues are systemic rather than isolated.

Navigating the Local Legal Process

Employment claims in Pasadena typically move through a defined sequence. The substance of the law matters, but so does posture. Early procedural decisions often determine whether a case can move forward.

Administrative Filings (CRD & DLSE)

Many discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims begin with the California Civil Rights Department. Wage claims may involve the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. These filings are time-sensitive. Missed deadlines can bar otherwise viable claims.

In Pasadena matters, administrative filings are often used to preserve claims before litigation rather than to resolve them. Understanding when to proceed administratively and when to move directly toward court is part of responsible case evaluation.

Los Angeles County Superior Court

When cases proceed to litigation, Pasadena claims are filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, often at the Pasadena courthouse. Local scheduling practices, discovery expectations, and motion timelines affect how cases progress.

Employment cases here are managed under countywide rules, but judicial expectations can vary. Discovery disputes, summary judgment motions, and settlement conferences are common inflection points. Preparation and restraint matter.

Industry-Specific Considerations in Pasadena

Pasadena’s workforce reflects the city’s institutional and professional base. Employment disputes often arise in predictable contexts tied to those industries.

• Healthcare and Medical Services
  Claims frequently involve accommodation requests, protected leave, and retaliation following patient-care or compliance concerns.
• Education and Research Institutions
  Faculty, staff, and research employees often raise issues related to disability accommodation, internal complaints, and contract-adjacent employment disputes.
• Technology and Engineering
  Disputes commonly involve exempt classification, long-hour expectations, and retaliation following reports of internal policy violations.
• Hospitality and Food Service
  Wage compliance, tip practices, scheduling, and harassment claims remain recurring issues.
• Nonprofit and Arts Organizations
  Smaller administrative structures can lead to blurred lines around supervision, reporting, and accommodation obligations.
• Professional and Office-Based Employment
  Termination and retaliation claims often follow internal complaints, leave usage, or resistance to unlawful practices.

Why Choose California United Law Group, P.C.

Our firm represents employees only. We do not advise employers or management. That focus informs how we evaluate cases and how we approach resolution.

We handle most employment matters on a contingency-fee basis, meaning attorney fees are typically tied to recovery. We are familiar with the procedural realities of Los Angeles County courts and the local issues that arise in Pasadena-based employment disputes.

Consult an Employment Lawyer Serving Pasadena

California statutes of limitation are strict, and local wage rules add another layer of timing and compliance. Delay can limit options.

If you work in Pasadena and have concerns about wrongful termination, pay practices, discrimination, or retaliation, a focused legal evaluation can clarify where you stand under California law and applicable local ordinances. Confidential consultations are available to discuss potential claims and next steps.