Workplace Discrimination Lawyer in Lancaster

If you experienced workplace discrimination at a Lancaster workplace, you have strong protections under California law. We represent employees only, never employers, and offer a free, confidential consultation. 1-800-371-3088.

What Is Workplace Discrimination in Lancaster

Workplace discrimination in Lancaster takes many forms: failure to hire, demotion, denial of promotion, unequal pay, harassment, denial of accommodation, and termination because of a worker's race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age (40 and over), pregnancy, disability, medical condition, marital status, military or veteran status, or genetic information. FEHA (Cal. Government Code section 12940) applies to Lancaster employers with 5 or more employees for discrimination claims and 1 or more employees for harassment claims. Federal Title VII (15+ employees), the ADA (15+), and the ADEA (20+) layer on top.

Lancaster Industries Where Discrimination Claims Are Most Common

• Aerospace and defense workers - at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, NASA Armstrong, and Edwards Air Force Base. Age discrimination is a recurring issue at long-tenured aerospace employers; FEHA age claims (Cal. Government Code section 12940) and ADEA claims (29 U.S.C. section 626) apply.
• Healthcare workers - at Antelope Valley Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente Antelope Valley. Common claims: pregnancy and disability discrimination, race and national-origin discrimination, accommodation denials.
• Warehouse and distribution workers - at Rite Aid, Michaels, Sygma, and Lance Camper. Common claims: disability accommodation, pregnancy discrimination, race and national-origin discrimination.
• Public-sector workers - at the City of Lancaster, AVUHSD, Lancaster SD, and Antelope Valley College. Public-employee claims are subject to the 6-month government-claim deadline under Cal. Government Code section 911.2.
• Retail and restaurant workers - at the Antelope Valley Mall and along the Avenue K, 10th Street West, and BLVD corridors. Fast-food workers at chains with 60+ national locations earn the $20/hour AB 1228 floor.

Lancaster Local Protections

Lancaster has no separate citywide anti-discrimination ordinance beyond California state law. Lancaster workers rely on FEHA (Cal. Government Code section 12940 et seq.) and federal Title VII, the ADA, and the ADEA. California's Equal Pay Act (Labor Code section 1197.5) requires equal pay for substantially similar work regardless of sex, race, or ethnicity. SB 1162 (effective January 1, 2023) requires employers with 15+ employees to include pay scales in every job posting and employers with 100+ to file annual pay-data reports with the California Civil Rights Department.

California Law

For the full California framework, FEHA, Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, equal pay, and pregnancy accommodation, see our California employment law page.

What Compensation Can You Recover

California does not cap FEHA damages. You may recover lost wages (back pay and front pay), emotional-distress damages, punitive damages (employer net-worth driven), and attorneys' fees and costs (Cal. Government Code section 12965(c)). For details, see our California employment law page.

How to File a Discrimination Claim in Lancaster

State FEHA charges go to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), 320 W. 4th Street, Suite 1000, 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90013. Federal charges go to the EEOC Los Angeles District Office, 255 East Temple Street, 4th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Civil suits are heard at the Michael D. Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse, 42011 4th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93534 (the North District of the Los Angeles County Superior Court). Wage claims can be filed with the California Labor Commissioner (DLSE Van Nuys, 6150 Van Nuys Boulevard, Room 206). Call us at 1-800-371-3088 before any deadline.