In a qui tam lawsuit, a private individual brings an action on the government’s behalf. The False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §3729-3733) authorizes qui tam actions against parties who have defrauded the federal government. The whistleblower bringing the action, also called a relator, must inform the United States of...
Some people might think that catcalling (such as whistles, suggestive comments, and sexual advances) at their workplace is just an unpleasant part of their job that they have to endure. This is untrue. Some might be asking, is catcalling sexual harassment? The answer is yes in many circumstances. If...
When your employer presents termination documents, you may wonder whether you have to sign them. The answer is no. Neither California nor federal law requires employees to sign termination papers. However, understanding what those documents contain and what happens if you refuse to sign them is essential to protecting...
California law prohibits employers from punishing employees who report illegal conduct. This protection exists because employers cannot reverse what employees expose, creating incentives for employers to respond by silencing the whistleblower. Yet retaliation accounts for nearly half of all workplace discrimination charges filed with federal regulators—42,301 complaints in 2024...
If you are facing uncomfortable or manipulative attention at work, you may be wondering, Is this harassment? Is this grooming? What are my rights? You deserve clear answers. And at King & Siegel LLP, our award-winning legal team helps California employees understand their rights and take a stand when...
Losing your job is hard enough. Waiting to find out how long justice will take can feel even harder. In California, some wrongful termination cases are resolved within months, while others take years. The truth is that the answer to “How long do wrongful termination cases take?” depends on...
The signs often appear slowly. A promotion disappears. Your schedule shifts. Projects vanish from your inbox. One complaint to HR or one request for medical leave, and suddenly the tone changes. Maybe you’re not a “team player,” or suddenly you’re “difficult to work with.” In California, proving workplace retaliation...
When you lose your job, the clock starts ticking. Whether your firing felt sudden, suspicious, or blatantly illegal, statutory time limits decide whether your claim survives. In California, the statute of limitations for wrongful termination depends on the specific law that applies to your case. Miss one of those...
The termination letter lands on your desk. One page, a few clipped sentences, and a career you built is suddenly gone. It’s unfair, but is it unlawful? In California, proving wrongful termination comes down to evidence: the records you keep, the patterns you uncover, and the laws that protect...
Employers don’t usually admit to retaliation. Instead, retaliation hides in small, telling changesp. These patterns matter. When punishment follows protected activity such as reporting harassment, requesting medical leave, or raising safety or wage concerns, California and federal law define it as workplace retaliation—and it’s illegal. At King & Siegel...
You walk into work expecting another routine day. Instead, your employer hands you a termination notice. The explanation feels thin, and the timing is suspicious. You may be an “at-will” employee, but you start to wonder whether your firing crossed the line into illegality. For many California employees, this...
An unexpected dismissal rarely comes with an explanation that feels fair. As a result, many employees are often left wondering: Was my termination legal, or was it wrongful? California wrongful termination law answers that question by setting clear limits on when an employer can and cannot end your employment....