Workplace Retaliation Lawyer in Torrance

Retaliation claims in Torrance frequently involve aerospace defense-contractor whistleblowers (Labor Code section 1102.5 plus federal Defense Contractor Whistleblower Protection Act 10 U.S.C. section 4701), Torrance Memorial nurses raising patient-safety concerns (Cal. Health & Safety Code section 1278.5), and corporate workers at Honda or Toyota retaliated against for reporting compliance issues. Call us at 1-800-371-3088.

What Is Workplace Retaliation in Torrance

Retaliation against employees who exercise legal rights is independently illegal under California law, separate from the underlying complaint. Common statutory bases for Torrance 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).

Torrance Industries Where Retaliation Claims Are Most Common

• Automotive industry workers at American Honda Motor Co. - at American Honda Motor Co. headquarters at 1919 Torrance Boulevard - Honda has been a major Torrance employer for decades and is the U.S. headquarters of the global Japanese automaker (publicly traded as NYSE: HMC). Honda workers are covered by California FEHA, Cal. Labor Code, and federal Title VII / ADA / ADEA. Public-company employees (NYSE: HMC) have specific protections under Sarbanes-Oxley (18 U.S.C. section 1514A), Dodd-Frank section 922 (15 U.S.C. section 78u-6), the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (18 U.S.C. section 1836), the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Cal. Civil Code section 3426 et seq.), and California Bus. & Prof. Code section 16600 (no non-competes).
• Former Toyota Motor Sales USA workforce and Toyota legacy / Cal-WARN history - at the former Toyota Motor Sales USA headquarters in Torrance. Toyota moved its North American headquarters from Torrance to Plano, Texas by 2017, relocating about 3,000 jobs - one of the largest Cal-WARN events in South Bay history. Workers terminated in this relocation had rights under the California WARN Act (Cal. Labor Code section 1400 et seq.) for 60 days' advance notice and up to 60 days of back pay plus benefits. Workers who took age-based involuntary terminations may have FEHA age-discrimination claims (Cal. Gov. Code section 12940) and federal ADEA (29 U.S.C. section 626) claims.
• Healthcare workers at Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Providence Little Company of Mary - at Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance - two major hospitals serving the South Bay. 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. Providence-system workers have additional precedent in the $229 million Bennett v. Providence unpaid-wages jury verdict (April 18, 2024 King County, covering 33,000+ Providence Health & Services workers).
• K-12 education workers at Torrance Unified School District (TUSD) - at the Torrance 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.
• Community college workers at El Camino College - at El Camino College (which serves Torrance from its nearby campus). Community-college employees are covered by HEERA (Cal. Gov. Code sections 3560-3599) for management/excluded employees or EERA for faculty and classified staff, Cal. Education Code sections 87600-87683, PEPRA, and the 6-month Government Claims Act deadline.
• City of Torrance government and public-safety workers - at the City of Torrance (charter city, incorporated 1921), the Torrance Police Department, and the Torrance Fire Department. Per the Torrance Chamber of Commerce, the City of Torrance does not have its own minimum-wage ordinance; the state minimum wage applies. 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).
• Retail workers at Del Amo Fashion Center - at the Del Amo Fashion Center (3525 W. Carson Street, Torrance - one of the largest shopping malls in the United States). Retail workers covered by IWC Wage Order 7 (mercantile industry). Fast-food workers at chains with 60+ national locations earn the $20.00/hour AB 1228 floor (Cal. Labor Code section 1474).
• Aerospace and defense workers (Northrop Grumman and others) - at aerospace and defense contractors in and around Torrance (Northrop Grumman has historical Torrance-area operations). Public-company aerospace contractor employees have specific protections under the federal False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. sections 3729-3733), Defense Contractor Whistleblower Protection (10 U.S.C. section 4701), Sarbanes-Oxley (18 U.S.C. section 1514A), and Dodd-Frank section 922.

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 Torrance 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 Torrance

Whistleblower and wage-retaliation claims can be filed with the California Labor Commissioner (DLSE Long Beach Office, 300 Oceangate, Suite 302, Long Beach, CA 90802). 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 - Torrance Courthouse, 825 Maple Avenue, Torrance, CA 90503 (Southwest District). Call us at 1-800-371-3088 before any deadline.