Workplace Discrimination Lawyer in San Mateo

San Mateo workplace discrimination cases are pursued under California's broad employment-protection framework, including FEHA (Government Code section 12940), Title VII, and Labor Code sections 1102.5/6310. Strict filing deadlines apply: CRD 3 years; EEOC 300 days. We represent employees only, never employers. Free confidential consultation.

What Is Workplace Discrimination in San Mateo

Workplace discrimination in San Mateo 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 San Mateo employers with 5 or more employees for discrimination claims and 1 or more for harassment. Federal Title VII (15+ employees), the ADA (15+), and the ADEA (20+) layer on top.

San Mateo Industries Where Discrimination Claims Are Most Common

• Healthcare workers - at the Sutter Health Mills-Peninsula Medical Center - San Mateo Campus (100 South San Mateo Drive, San Mateo, CA 94401, (650) 696-5400) and the larger Mills-Peninsula Burlingame Campus (1501 Trousdale Drive - 241-bed not-for-profit general medical and surgical hospital), plus the San Mateo Medical Center (San Mateo County's primary safety-net public hospital, operated by the County of San Mateo Health System). Covered by SB 525 healthcare worker minimum-wage schedule (Cal. Labor Code sections 1182.14, 1182.15, 1182.16) and California Health and Safety Code section 1278.5 ($25,000-per-violation civil penalty for patient-safety retaliation). San Mateo Medical Center employees, as county employees, are subject to the 6-month Government Claims Act deadline.
• Financial services and professional services workers - at the many financial-services and professional-services firms across downtown San Mateo. Public-company employees are protected by Sarbanes-Oxley (18 U.S.C. section 1514A) for accounting/securities fraud whistleblower claims and Dodd-Frank section 922 (15 U.S.C. section 78u-6). Banking-sector workers have additional 12 U.S.C. section 1831j whistleblower protection.
• K-12 and higher education workers - at the San Mateo Union High School District / SMUHSD (9-12 in San Mateo, Burlingame, Hillsborough, and surrounding cities), the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District / SMFCSD (K-8), and the College of San Mateo (1700 W. Hillsdale Boulevard - part of the San Mateo County Community College District). 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.
• Retail, restaurant, and hospitality workers - at the Hillsdale Shopping Center, B Street, 25th Avenue, and El Camino Real retail centers, plus hospitality and event-staff jobs at the San Mateo County Event Center (1346 Saratoga Drive - hosts the San Mateo County Fair and numerous trade shows). San Mateo workers covered by the San Mateo Minimum Wage Ordinance earn $18.60/hour effective January 1, 2026. Fast-food workers at chains with 60+ national locations earn the $20.00/hour AB 1228 floor (Cal. Labor Code section 1474).
• Government and public-sector workers - at the City of San Mateo (330 W. 20th Avenue), the San Mateo Police Department (SMPD officers subject to POBR / Cal. Gov. Code section 3300 et seq.), and the San Mateo Central Branch Courthouse (800 North Humboldt Street, (650) 261-5100). Subject to the 6-month Government Claims Act deadline.

San Mateo Local Protections

San Mateo has its own local minimum-wage ordinance. The San Mateo minimum wage is $18.60/hour effective January 1, 2026 for all employees - higher than the California state floor of $16.90/hour and higher than unincorporated San Mateo County's $17.95/hour minimum. San Mateo workers also rely on California state law including SB 525 (healthcare-worker tiered schedule - directly relevant to Mills-Peninsula and San Mateo Medical Center workers) and AB 1228 ($20/hour fast-food).

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. SB 642 (effective January 1, 2026) broadened the definition of "wages" under Labor Code section 1197.5.

California Law

For the full California framework, including 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 San Mateo

State FEHA charges go to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), Oakland Office, 1515 Clay Street, Suite 701, Oakland, CA 94612. Federal charges go to the EEOC San Francisco District Office, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 5 West, San Francisco, CA 94102. Civil suits are heard at the San Mateo County Superior Court, Southern Branch Hall of Justice and Records, 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063. Wage claims can be filed with the California Labor Commissioner (DLSE San Francisco Office, 455 Golden Gate Avenue, 9th Floor, Suite 9628, San Francisco, CA 94102, (415) 703-5300). Call us at 1-800-371-3088 before any deadline.