Wrongful Termination Lawyer in Ontario

If you experienced wrongful termination at an Ontario 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 Wrongful Termination in Ontario

California is an at-will state, but the at-will rule has many exceptions. The leading case is Tameny v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (1980) 27 Cal.3d 167, which established the public-policy tort: an employee fired for refusing to commit an illegal act, for asserting a statutory right, or for reporting illegal conduct can sue in tort. Other Ontario wrongful-termination grounds include FEHA (Cal. Government Code section 12940), Labor Code section 1102.5 (whistleblower retaliation), Labor Code section 6310 (Cal/OSHA retaliation), Labor Code section 232 (wage-discussion retaliation), and Labor Code section 132a (workers' compensation retaliation).

Ontario Industries Where Wrongful Termination Claims Are Most Common

• Aviation, airport, and air-cargo workers - at Ontario International Airport / ONT (2900 East Airport Drive, Ontario, CA 91761 - 30,000+ jobs, owned by the Ontario International Airport Authority / OIAA, a joint-powers authority of the City of Ontario and County of San Bernardino). Direct OIAA employees are public-sector workers subject to the 6-month Government Claims Act deadline (Cal. Gov. Code section 911.2). ONT hosts major air-cargo operations by UPS, FedEx, and Amazon Air plus passenger airlines (Southwest, Delta, American, United, Frontier, Spirit, Alaska, China Airlines). Airline workers are covered by the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. section 151 et seq.) for collective bargaining and AIR21 (49 U.S.C. section 42121) whistleblower protection. Ground-handling and ramp workers are typically W-2 employees of contractors (Menzies, Worldwide Flight Services, etc.) covered by California Labor Code and FEHA.
• Warehouse, logistics, and distribution workers - at the major distribution centers along the I-10 / I-15 corridor in Ontario, including UPS, Uline Inc., Amazon, FedEx, and dozens of third-party logistics companies identified in the City's Ontario Thinks Business booklet. Covered by California's Warehouse Quotas Act, AB 701 (Cal. Labor Code sections 2100-2112), which requires written quota disclosure, prohibits quotas that interfere with meal, rest, or bathroom use, and provides a private right of action. Client-employer liability under California Labor Code section 2810.3 makes brand-name retailers and logistics companies jointly responsible for staffing-agency and subcontractor wage violations. Truck drivers are covered by federal STAA whistleblower protection (49 U.S.C. section 31105).
• Retail and entertainment workers - at the Ontario Mills super-regional outlet mall (1 Mills Circle - 28 million annual visitors, the only indoor outlet shopping destination in Southern California, owned by Simon Property Group), AMC 30 Theatres at Ontario Mills, Toyota Arena (formerly Citizens Business Bank Arena), and the Ontario Convention Center (2000 East Convention Center Way). Common claims: wage and hour (off-the-clock and rounding violations under Cal. Labor Code sections 226.7, 510, 512), commission disputes (Cal. Labor Code section 2751), and sexual harassment under FEHA (Cal. Gov. Code section 12940(j)). Fast-food workers at chains with 60+ national locations earn the $20.00/hour AB 1228 floor (Cal. Labor Code section 1474).
• Healthcare workers - at the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG) Ontario medical offices and Kaiser Permanente Ontario Vineyard Medical Center, plus private clinics, urgent-care centers, and skilled-nursing facilities. Covered by SB 525 healthcare worker minimum-wage schedule (Cal. Labor Code sections 1182.14, 1182.15, 1182.16), California Health and Safety Code section 1278.5 ($25,000-per-violation civil penalty for patient-safety retaliation), and California Nurses Association (CNA) / SEIU-UHW collective bargaining agreements (which do not waive statutory FEHA or California Labor Code rights).
• Education workers - at the Ontario-Montclair School District / OMSD (K-8) and the Chaffey Joint Union High School District / CJUHSD (211 West Fifth Street, Ontario, CA 91762, (909) 988-8511 - 9-12 district with approximately 2,015 staff, serves Ontario, Montclair, Rancho Cucamonga, and portions of Fontana, Upland, Chino, and Mount Baldy). Protected by Skelly v. State Personnel Board (1975) 15 Cal.3d 194 due-process rights, California Whistleblower Protection Act (Cal. Gov. Code section 8547), and the 6-month Government Claims Act deadline.
• Government and public-sector workers - at the City of Ontario (303 East B Street), Ontario Police Department (Ontario operates its own police department), Ontario Fire Department, and the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). Peace officers are covered by the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights (POBR, Cal. Gov. Code section 3300 et seq.). Subject to the 6-month Government Claims Act deadline.

Ontario Mass-Layoff Notice Rights

If you were part of a Ontario mass layoff, the California WARN Act (California Labor Code sections 1400 through 1408) requires covered employers with 75 or more workers to give 60 days' advance written notice of a mass layoff of 50 or more employees in any 30-day period, a plant closing, or a relocation. Federal WARN (29 U.S.C. sections 2101-2109) applies to employers with 100+ employees. Damages: up to 60 days of back pay and benefits, plus an additional civil penalty of up to $500 per day under federal WARN if notice is not given to the local government. SB 617 (effective January 1, 2026) expanded the required notice content.

California Law

For the full California framework, including Tameny, Labor Code section 1102.5, FEHA, Cal-WARN, and public-employee due-process rights, see our California employment law page.

What Compensation Can You Recover

Back pay, front pay (or reinstatement where appropriate), emotional-distress damages, punitive damages (unlimited under FEHA and under the Tameny tort), 60-day Cal-WARN back-pay damages where applicable, and attorneys' fees and costs (Cal. Government Code section 12965(c); Labor Code section 1102.5(j)). For details, see our California employment law page.

How to File a Wrongful Termination Claim in Ontario

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, Roybal Federal Building, 255 East Temple Street, 4th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Whistleblower and wage claims can be filed with the California Labor Commissioner (DLSE San Bernardino Office, 464 West 4th Street, Suite 348, San Bernardino, CA 92401). Civil suits are heard at the San Bernardino County Superior Court, San Bernardino Justice Center, 247 West Third Street, San Bernardino, CA 92415. Call us at 1-800-371-3088 before any deadline.