Workplace Retaliation Lawyer in Pomona

If you experienced workplace retaliation at a Pomona 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 Retaliation in Pomona

Retaliation against employees who exercise legal rights is independently illegal under California law, separate from the underlying complaint. Common statutory bases for Pomona workers include Labor Code section 1102.5 (whistleblower retaliation; up to $10,000 per violation civil penalty under section 1102.5(f)), Labor Code section 98.6 (retaliation for filing a wage complaint), Labor Code section 6310 (Cal/OSHA retaliation; 6-month deadline to file with Cal/OSHA), Labor Code section 232 (retaliation for discussing wages with coworkers), Labor Code section 132a (workers' compensation retaliation), Cal. Government Code section 12940(h) (FEHA-protected-activity retaliation), Cal. Government Code section 8547 (California Whistleblower Protection Act for state employees), and Health and Safety Code section 1278.5 (hospital-worker patient-safety retaliation; $25,000-per-violation civil penalty).

Pomona Industries Where Retaliation Claims Are Most Common

• Healthcare workers at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC) - at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center at 1798 N. Garey Avenue, Pomona, CA 91767 - a 427-bed fully-accredited acute care hospital, one of the largest not-for-profit hospitals in the Pomona Valley, serving eastern Los Angeles and western San Bernardino counties. Includes the Robert & Beverly Lewis Family Cancer Care Center. Covered by SB 525 healthcare-worker minimum-wage schedule (Cal. Labor Code sections 1182.14, 1182.15, 1182.16), California Health & Safety Code section 1278.5 ($25,000-per-violation civil penalty for patient-safety retaliation), and CNA / SEIU-UHW / NUHW collective bargaining agreements.
• Higher education workers at Cal Poly Pomona - at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona - one of the largest CSU campuses serving the eastern Los Angeles and Inland Empire regions. CSU employees are covered by HEERA (Cal. Gov. Code sections 3560-3599), CSU collective bargaining agreements (CFA for faculty, CSUEU for staff, APC for academic professionals), the 6-month Government Claims Act deadline, PEPRA, and Title IX (20 U.S.C. section 1681).
• K-12 education workers at Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) - at the Pomona Unified School District. Covered by California Education Code sections 44930-44987, the Educational Employment Relations Act (EERA / Cal. Gov. Code sections 3540-3549.3), Cal. Education Code section 44113 (school-employee whistleblower protections), and CTA-affiliated collective bargaining agreements. PEPRA and the 6-month government-claim deadline apply.
• Event and entertainment workers at Fairplex (LA County Fair) - at the Fairplex - a 500-acre nonprofit 501(c)(5) campus that hosts the Los Angeles County Fair (returning May 2027), an NHRA-sanctioned drag strip, the Pomona Fairplex Hotel, the Motorsports Museum, and many other public-private events. Workers are covered by IWC Wage Order 10 (amusement and recreation), Cal. Labor Code, and FEHA.
• City of Pomona government and public-safety workers - at the City of Pomona (incorporated January 6, 1888; became a charter city in 1911; 7th-largest city in Los Angeles County), the Pomona Police Department, and the Pomona Fire Department. Police covered by POBR (Cal. Gov. Code section 3300 et seq.); firefighters by FBOR (Cal. Gov. Code section 3250 et seq.); all public employees by PEPRA, MMBA (Cal. Gov. Code sections 3500-3511), and the 6-month Government Claims Act deadline (Gov. Code section 911.2).
• Warehouse and logistics workers - at warehouses and distribution centers along the I-10, I-210, SR-57, and SR-71 freight corridors. Warehouse workers are protected by the Warehouse Quotas Act (AB 701, Cal. Labor Code sections 2100-2112).
• Retail, restaurant, and consumer-services workers - at retailers and restaurants throughout Pomona, including along Garey Avenue, Holt Avenue, and Indian Hill Boulevard. Fast-food workers at chains with 60+ national locations earn the $20.00/hour AB 1228 floor (Cal. Labor Code section 1474). Retail workers covered by IWC Wage Order 7 (mercantile industry).

SB 497 Rebuttable Presumption

SB 497 (effective January 1, 2024) amended Labor Code sections 98.6, 1102.5, and 1197.5 to create a rebuttable presumption of retaliation when an employer takes adverse action within 90 days of a protected complaint. The burden shifts to the employer to prove a non-retaliatory reason for the adverse action - a major change that strengthens Pomona retaliation claims. AB 692 (effective January 1, 2026) added Labor Code section 926, which voids most "stay-or-pay" contract terms.

California Law

For the full California retaliation framework, including Labor Code sections 1102.5, 98.6, 6310, 232, and 132a, the California Whistleblower Protection Act (Cal. Government Code section 8547), and FEHA retaliation (Cal. Government Code section 12940(h)), see our California employment law page.

What Compensation Can You Recover

Back pay, front pay, emotional-distress damages, punitive damages (where allowed by statute), civil penalties (up to $10,000 per violation under Labor Code section 1102.5(f); up to $25,000 per violation under Health and Safety Code section 1278.5), and attorneys' fees and costs (Labor Code section 1102.5(j)). For details, see our California employment law page.

How to File a Retaliation Claim in Pomona

Whistleblower and wage-retaliation claims can be filed with the California Labor Commissioner (DLSE El Monte Office, 9530 Telstar Avenue, Suite 200, El Monte, CA 91731). Cal/OSHA retaliation claims under Labor Code section 6310 have a 6-month deadline; statewide complaint line (833) 579-0927. FEHA retaliation claims go to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), Los Angeles Office, 320 West 4th Street, 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90013. Civil suits are heard at the Los Angeles County Superior Court - Pomona Courthouse, 400 Civic Center Plaza, Pomona, CA 91766. Call us at 1-800-371-3088 before any deadline.