California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) provides broad protections against workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Despite these protections, unlawful conduct remains common—and often goes unreported.
FEHA makes it illegal for employers to discriminate or harass employees based on protected characteristics, including:
- Race or ethnicity
- Gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation
- Disability (physical or mental)
- Medical condition
- Age (40+)
- Religion
- National origin
- Marital status
These protections apply to hiring, firing, promotions, pay, and other terms of employment.
Common Examples of FEHA Violations
1. Unequal Treatment
Employees are treated differently because of a protected characteristic.
2. Sexual Harassment
Sexual Harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
2. Hostile Work Environment
Harassment becomes severe or pervasive enough to alter working conditions.
4. Retaliation
It is illegal to punish employees for:
- Complaining about something you believe to be illegal
- Reporting discrimination or harassment
- Participating in an investigation
What You Can Do
If you believe you are experiencing discrimination or harassment:
- Document incidents (dates, witnesses, communications)
- Use internal complaint procedures where appropriate
- Contact us to see if you have a case.