San Francisco Discrimination Lawyers

Protecting Employees from Discrimination and Harassment in Northern California

Here’s how our trial attorneys can help your employment discrimination case:

• We embrace diversity, and the award-winning attorneys in our law firm will fight to protect your rights.
• If you have experienced discrimination of any kind, you need an honest and tenacious lawyer who will offer you the aggressive representation that you deserve.
• As some of the best discrimination lawyers in the Bay Area, our lawyers have earned top reviews and have set us among the highest respected law firms in California.

If you’re dealing with discrimination at work in any form, it needs to stop. The employment discrimination lawyer represents workers who are the victims of discrimination by employers in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout Northern California. If you are a victim of employer discrimination, now or in the future, take the first step toward justice and call the San Francisco discrimination attorneys with Geonetta & Frucht as quickly as possible.

Contact us to set up a free strategy session today!

Employment Discrimination Claims in California

When an employer treats you differently due to your race, gender, nationality, orientation, religion, age, disability, or pregnancy, it’s a violation of your rights and the law.

What Are Some Examples of Employment Discrimination?

Employment discrimination includes favoritism, denying benefits, making unwanted advances, or terminating someone because of race, gender, nationality, orientation, religion, age, disability, or pregnancy. These forms of workplace discrimination and harassment are prohibited by federal laws.

WHAT IS CALIFORNIA’S FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING ACT?

California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act explicitly forbids employment discrimination for any of these reasons:

• Race
• Color
• Religion
• Marital status
• Sexual orientation
• National origin
• Ancestry
• Mental or physical disability
• Medical condition
• Age, or pregnancy
• Sex, gender
• Gender identity
• Gender expression

Our discrimination attorneys prefer to avoid a courtroom trial when it’s possible by obtaining an agreeable out-of-court settlement. However, if such an agreement cannot be reached, we will not settle for less than you deserve; our law firm will aggressively advocate for you in the courtroom, and our track record speaks volumes.

What Is Employment Retaliation?

Employment retaliation occurs when employers respond negatively to a complaint, typically through demotion, termination, and more. Keep in mind that employment retaliation against an individual who has reported discrimination is illegal. If you get fired due to reporting discrimination, that would be considered a wrongful termination. It’s important to speak with an attorney immediately if you suspect you’ve been wrongfully terminated.

You have to meet your responsibilities, and you should not be humiliated by an employer while you’re doing it. If an employer is discriminating against you, don’t let anything hold you back. If you fall victim to sexual harassment, age discrimination, disability discrimination, or any other form of employment discrimination, contact a discrimination lawyer right away.

Steps to Take When You Experience Workplace Discrimination in San Francisco

Many employees who experience discrimination at work aren’t sure how to respond or worry that taking action could make their situation worse. Understanding the proper steps to take protects your legal rights and strengthens your case if you decide to pursue legal action. The San Francisco discrimination lawyers at Geonetta & Frucht guide employees through this process from the very first step.

What You Should Do After Experiencing a Discriminatory Act

• Document every incident. Keep a detailed record of each discriminatory act, including dates, times, locations, what was said or done, and who was present. Save emails, text messages, performance reviews, and any written communication that reflects discriminatory actions or unfair treatment based on your protected characteristics.
• Report the discrimination internally. File a formal complaint through your employer’s HR department or internal reporting process. California law requires employers with five or more employees to have anti-discrimination policies in place. Your written complaint creates an official record that you reported the unlawful discrimination before taking external action.
• File a complaint with the appropriate agency. Before filing a lawsuit under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act or the federal Civil Rights Act, you must first file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department or the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This agency investigation is a required step before you can pursue legal action in court.
• Do not resign without legal advice. Many employees who are treated unfairly feel pressured to quit, but resigning before consulting a discrimination lawyer can affect your ability to pursue a wrongful termination claim or recover certain damages.
• Consult experienced attorneys immediately. The sooner a discrimination attorney reviews your particular circumstances, the more effectively they can preserve evidence, protect you from retaliation, and advise you on the strongest path toward a favorable resolution.

What Compensation Can You Recover in a California Employment Discrimination Case?

When an employer engages in discriminatory practices that violate California law and federal law, the financial and personal toll on the employee can be devastating. Employment discrimination doesn’t just affect your paycheck — it can derail your career, damage your mental health, and undermine your sense of dignity in the workplace. Our San Francisco discrimination lawyers fight to ensure that every form of harm is accounted for when seeking a resolution.

Types of Damages Available in Discrimination Cases

• Lost wages and benefits. If you were terminated, demoted, denied a promotion, or subjected to unequal pay because of your race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, age, disability, or other protected class status, you can recover the income and benefits you lost as a result of the employer’s adverse actions.
• Future lost earnings. When discrimination forces you out of a position or an industry, your earning capacity may be permanently affected. Compensation can account for the income you would have earned had the discriminatory act not occurred.
• Emotional distress damages. The psychological impact of workplace discrimination — anxiety, depression, humiliation, and loss of self-worth — is compensable under both California law and federal law. These damages recognize that employment discrimination harms more than just your finances.
• Punitive damages. In cases where the employer’s conduct was particularly egregious or demonstrated a pattern of discriminatory actions, California courts may award punitive damages to punish the employer and deter similar behavior. These damages can substantially increase the total recovery.
• Attorney fees and costs. California’s discrimination laws allow successful plaintiffs to recover their attorney fees, meaning the employer pays your legal costs when you prevail, removing a significant barrier for employees who might otherwise be unable to afford experienced legal representation.

Understanding the full scope of what you can recover reinforces why employees who have experienced discrimination should not accept unfair treatment in silence. Our proven track record of results in employment cases throughout Northern California reflects our commitment to holding employers accountable for every discriminatory act.

Understanding How California and Federal Discrimination Laws Protect Employees

California has some of the strongest discrimination laws in the country, providing broader protections than federal law alone. Understanding which laws apply to your situation and what they prohibit helps you recognize when your employer’s conduct crosses the line from unfair to unlawful. Our San Francisco discrimination lawyers have deep legal knowledge of both state and federal frameworks and use them aggressively to protect employees facing discriminatory practices.

How California Law Goes Beyond Federal Protections

• Broader coverage for smaller employers. While the federal Civil Rights Act applies to employers with 15 or more workers, California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits discrimination by employers with five or more employees, extending protections to thousands of additional workers across Northern California.
• More protected categories. Federal law prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, age, and disability. California law adds explicit protections for sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, medical conditions, and religious practices, covering a wider range of discriminatory actions in employment decisions.
• Stronger protections against religious discrimination. California requires employers to reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs and religious practices unless doing so would create an undue hardship. Failure to engage in the accommodation process is itself a discriminatory act, even if no adverse employment decision follows.
• Sex discrimination and sexual harassment. California law defines sexual harassment more broadly than federal law and prohibits discrimination based on sex, gender expression, and pregnancy. A female employee — or any employee — subjected to a hostile work environment based on sex or gender has strong claims under state law that may not be available under the same job circumstances federally.
• Age discrimination protections. Both federal and California law prohibit age discrimination against workers 40 and older, but California’s framework provides additional remedies and does not cap certain damages the way federal law does, giving older workers stronger tools when challenging discriminatory employment decisions.
• Racial discrimination and same job comparisons. When employees of different races performing the same job receive unequal pay, different promotion opportunities, or disparate discipline, both California law and the Civil Rights Act provide grounds for legal action. Our discrimination attorneys examine employment records, pay data, and performance evaluations to establish patterns of discrimination based on race.

Why Legal Knowledge of Both Systems Matters

Many discrimination cases involve claims under both California and federal law simultaneously, and the strategy for which claims to pursue depends on your particular circumstances, the type of discriminatory act, and the remedies available under each system. A trial lawyer with experience navigating both frameworks can maximize your recovery by pursuing the strongest claims available. Our proven track record in employment discrimination cases reflects this dual-system expertise that protects employees throughout the Bay Area.

CONTACT OUR SAN FRANCISCO EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LAWYERS TODAY

Let our team of San Francisco employment attorneys at Geonetta & Frucht represent employees who’ve dealt with workplace discrimination and harassment. Furthermore, we offer the dedicated legal counsel you need. Our discrimination lawyers understand employment law and will stand by you tenaciously until we reach the best possible resolution to your discrimination case.  Learn more about your options and legal rights if you have experienced discrimination.

Contact our employment discrimination lawyers in San Francisco at 415-433-4589 for a free consultation.