Yolo County, California

Yolo County Employment Lawyers

Q: Does Yolo County have its own minimum wage?

No. Yolo County follows California state minimum wage - $16.90/hour effective January 1, 2026. Yolo County has no separate county-wide ordinance and no Yolo city is on the UC Berkeley Labor Center 2026 inventory.

Q: What law applies when a UC Davis employee is retaliated against for reporting research misconduct or sexual harassment?

Multiple overlapping laws apply: UC Whistleblower Protection Policy (UCOP Policy 1100563 at policy.ucop.edu/doc/1100563; PPSM-23 covers UC staff personnel actions); Title IX for sex-based harassment / retaliation; FEHA (Government Code section 12940+); Title VII; Labor Code section 1102.5 (3-year statute, contributing-factor standard, civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation); Tameny public-policy. As UC employees, UC Davis workers must give written tort-claim notice under the Government Claims Act within 6 months for personal-injury, wrongful-death, and personal-property claims, or 1 year for all other claims (Government Code section 911.2) under the Government Claims Act for tort-based claims. UC Davis paid a $7.5M Yolo County jury verdict in a neurosurgery-resident discrimination case - see Daily Journal.

Q: What can a UC Davis lecturer or adjunct underpaid for hours worked recover?

Labor Code section 1194 allows recovery of unpaid wages plus interest, attorneys' fees, and costs (3-year statute). Labor Code section 226 wage-statement penalties up to $4,000 per employee; section 226.7 1-hour premium per missed meal/rest break. FEHA (Government Code section 12940+) covers gender / national-origin / age pay-equity claims. UC Davis paid $1M to settle a former PE-lecturer wage class action - see Davis Enterprise.

Q: What law applies when a Davis JUSD employee is harassed by students and the district does nothing?

FEHA (Government Code section 12940(j)) covers third-party harassment if the employer fails to take reasonable corrective action. Title IX covers sex-based harassment in education programs. SB 1300 (Cal. Government Code section 12923) makes a single severe incident enough under California law. As public-school employees, Davis JUSD workers must give written tort-claim notice within 6 months under the Government Claims Act. *Davis JUSD harassment lawsuit* (Finley Employment Law, September 2025) involves this exact pattern.

Q: What law applies when a Yolo County rice or processing-tomato worker is not paid overtime?

AB 1066 (Labor Code sections 857-864) phases in agricultural overtime parity (1.5×/2×) - large employers (26+) since January 1, 2022; small employers (≤25) since January 1, 2025. Labor Code section 1194 allows recovery of unpaid wages plus interest and attorneys' fees (3-year statute). Cal/OSHA outdoor heat-illness standard (8 CCR section 3395) requires shade, water, and rest breaks.

California employment-law representation for Yolo County workers in all cities and unincorporated areas. Free, confidential consultation. We represent employees only - never employers.

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Yolo County (~221,000 residents across 4 cities - Woodland, Davis, West Sacramento, Winters) is anchored by UC Davis (the county's largest employer; defendant in a $7.5M Yolo County jury discrimination verdict involving a former neurosurgery resident, plus a $1M age-discrimination settlement with former PE lecturers (2020 PE-department elimination disproportionately affected instructors over 40)), UC Davis Medical Center (in Sacramento County but UC Davis-system employer), Sutter Davis Hospital, the City of West Sacramento (Raley's HQ; Nor-Cal Beverage), and significant agriculture (rice, processing tomatoes - Yolo County is California's #1 processing-tomato producer). Yolo County follows the California state minimum wage of $16.90/hour effective January 1, 2026 - no county-wide local ordinance. Civil employment cases are heard at the Yolo County Superior Court in Woodland. Free, confidential consultation. We represent employees only.

Why Yolo County Employees Need an Employment Lawyer

Strict deadlines apply to every employment claim: CRD (California Civil Rights Department) requires an administrative complaint within 3 years of the violation and a civil suit within 1 year of the right-to-sue notice; EEOC charges must be filed within 300 days; the Government Claims Act requires presentation of personal-injury, wrongful-death, and personal-property tort claims against public entities within 6 months (Government Code section 911.2); all other claims must be presented within 1 year. California does not cap FEHA emotional-distress or punitive damages - but you must protect the deadlines first. We file the claim, handle the agency or court process, and recover what you're owed. No fee unless we win.

Common Employment Law Violations Across Yolo County

Falk v. Regents of the University of California, Yolo County Sup. Ct. Case No. CV2022-1283 - UC Davis neurosurgery resident discrimination verdict, $7.5 million+ (October 2025 per Daily Journal coverage and Fenton Jurkowitz Law Group; verdict date per Yolo Sup. Ct. Case CV2022-1283) - Plaintiff Dr. Irene Falk, M.D., Ph.D., a former UC Davis neurosurgery resident (2020-2021), prevailed before a Yolo County jury on gender discrimination, disability/medical-condition discrimination, failure to provide reasonable accommodation, and failure to engage in the interactive process under FEHA (Government Code sections 12900 et seq., 12940(m), 12940(n)). Defendants' Motion for New Trial denied December 23, 2025. Lead counsel: Benjamin J. Fenton; second chair: Anne Schneider (Fenton Jurkowitz Law Group LLP). The verdict illustrates the FEHA / Title VII / ADA exposure the UC system faces in Yolo County jury trials. (Sources: Daily Journal.)
UC Davis PE lecturers $1M age-discrimination settlement (per Davis Enterprise) - Former UC Davis physical-education lecturers won a $1 million settlement in an age-discrimination action under FEHA: the 2020 PE-department elimination disproportionately affected instructors over 40; $1M was paid in lost-wages damages. Confirms UC Davis exposure on FEHA age-discrimination claims. (Source: Davis Enterprise)
Yolo Food Bank wrongful-termination lawsuit (Davis Enterprise) - A former executive director of the Yolo Food Bank filed a wrongful-termination lawsuit alleging wrongdoing by Board members. (Source: Davis Enterprise)

Yolo County Worker Protections by Industry

We represent employees across all Yolo County industries. Below are the largest employers and the rules that govern wage, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful-termination claims in this county.

Largest Yolo County employers

UC Davis (Davis campus + UC Davis Health system) - the county's largest employer; FEHA + Title IX + Title VII + UC Whistleblower Protection Policy + Government Claims Act 6-month notice
Sutter Davis Hospital - section 1278.5
Raley's Supermarkets HQ (West Sacramento) - large grocery employer; FEHA + section 226 wage statements + section 226.7 missed-break premiums
Nor-Cal Beverage (West Sacramento) - beverage manufacturing; Cal/OSHA + section 6310
City of West Sacramento, City of Davis, City of Woodland, County of Yolo - public-sector; Skelly + 6-month Government Claims Act
Davis Joint Unified School District - public-sector + education-code due process; defendant in 2025 student-on-staff harassment suit (Finley Employment Law)
Yolo County agricultural employers (rice, tomatoes, almonds, walnuts) - AB 1066 + Cal/OSHA outdoor heat-illness + ALRA

Local wage rules

Yolo County follows the California state minimum wage of $16.90/hour effective January 1, 2026. Yolo County has no county-wide local ordinance and no Yolo city is on the UC Berkeley Labor Center 2026 inventory. Fast-food workers earn $20.00/hour under AB 1228. Sources: UC Berkeley Labor Center · CA DIR

Industry-specific protections

UC Davis workers - UC Whistleblower Protection Policy (UCOP Policy 1100563 at policy.ucop.edu/doc/1100563; PPSM-23 covers UC staff personnel actions) + Title IX + FEHA + Title VII + Government Claims Act 6-month notice; UC Davis Health subject to Cal. Health & Safety Code section 1278.5
Hospital workers (Sutter Davis, UC Davis Health) - section 1278.5
Education / school district workers - FEHA + Title IX + education-code due process; Government Claims Act 6-month notice; SB 1300 single-severe-incident hostile-work-environment standard
Agricultural / rice / tomato workers - AB 1066 overtime parity; Cal/OSHA outdoor heat-illness (8 CCR section 3395); Labor Code sections 1682-1699 (Farm Labor Contractor Law); ALRA
Grocery / beverage / manufacturing (Raley's, Nor-Cal Beverage) - Labor Code sections 510, 226, 226.7, 1194; section 1102.5 whistleblower
Public-sector workers (County, cities, school districts) - Skelly + 6-month Government Claims Act
All workers - FEHA, Title VII, EFAA, PWFA, CFRA, PDL, Labor Code section 1102.5, Cal/OSHA section 6310

How to File an Employment Claim in Yolo County

Civil employment cases brought by Yolo County workers are heard at the Yolo County Superior Court, 1000 Main Street, Woodland, CA 95695. Most California employment claims are filed first as administrative complaints with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) or the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) before they can be filed as civil lawsuits.

Deadlines: CRD: 3 years to file an administrative complaint and 1 year to sue after right-to-sue; EEOC: 300 days; Government Claims Act (public employees): 6 months; Labor Code section 1102.5 / Tameny / FEHA civil action: 3 years; Labor Code section 510/226/1194 wage claims: 3-4 years; PAGA: 1 year (preceded by LWDA notice).

Government Resources for Yolo County Workers

Yolo County Superior Court

1000 Main Street, Woodland, CA 95695

California Civil Rights Department (CRD)

651 Bannon Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95811 (Sacramento Regional Office serves Yolo County); statewide phone (800) 884-1684

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

EEOC San Francisco District Office, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 5 West, San Francisco, CA 94102; phone 1-800-669-4000

California Labor Commissioner (DLSE / DIR)

www.dir.ca.gov/dlse for wage claims, AB 701 warehouse-quotas claims, and retaliation complaints

Cal/OSHA

www.dir.ca.gov/dosh for workplace-safety and section 6310 anti-retaliation reports

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

www.dol.gov/agencies/whd for FLSA, FMLA, and federal wage-and-hour claims

Why Yolo County Workers Choose Eghbali Law Firm

Employees only
We never represent employers. Every resource goes toward winning your case.
No fee unless we win
You pay nothing unless we recover for you. No upfront costs. No hidden fees.
Free confidential consultation
No cost to speak with us. Everything you share is protected by attorney-client privilege.
Statewide California practice
We serve workers across all of California regardless of where you live or work.
Phone or video - no office visit needed
Most consultations happen by phone or video. You only attend if your testimony is required.
Multilingual staff available
We serve clients in multiple languages - contact us to discuss your case in your preferred language.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are employment lawsuits heard for Yolo County workers? +

Civil employment cases brought by Yolo County workers are heard at the Yolo County Superior Court, 1000 Main Street, Woodland, CA 95695. Phone (530) 406-6700 (main) or (530) 406-6704 (Civil). Source: yolo.courts.ca.gov.

Does Yolo County have its own minimum wage? +

No. Yolo County follows California state minimum wage - $16.90/hour effective January 1, 2026. Yolo County has no separate county-wide ordinance and no Yolo city is on the UC Berkeley Labor Center 2026 inventory.

What law applies when a UC Davis employee is retaliated against for reporting research misconduct or sexual harassment? +

Multiple overlapping laws apply: UC Whistleblower Protection Policy (UCOP Policy 1100563 at policy.ucop.edu/doc/1100563; PPSM-23 covers UC staff personnel actions); Title IX for sex-based harassment / retaliation; FEHA (Government Code section 12940+); Title VII; Labor Code section 1102.5 (3-year statute, contributing-factor standard, civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation); Tameny public-policy. As UC employees, UC Davis workers must give written tort-claim notice under the Government Claims Act within 6 months for personal-injury, wrongful-death, and personal-property claims, or 1 year for all other claims (Government Code section 911.2) under the Government Claims Act for tort-based claims. UC Davis paid a $7.5M Yolo County jury verdict in a neurosurgery-resident discrimination case - see Daily Journal.

What can a UC Davis lecturer or adjunct underpaid for hours worked recover? +

Labor Code section 1194 allows recovery of unpaid wages plus interest, attorneys' fees, and costs (3-year statute). Labor Code section 226 wage-statement penalties up to $4,000 per employee; section 226.7 1-hour premium per missed meal/rest break. FEHA (Government Code section 12940+) covers gender / national-origin / age pay-equity claims. UC Davis paid $1M to settle a former PE-lecturer wage class action - see Davis Enterprise.

What law applies when a Davis JUSD employee is harassed by students and the district does nothing? +

FEHA (Government Code section 12940(j)) covers third-party harassment if the employer fails to take reasonable corrective action. Title IX covers sex-based harassment in education programs. SB 1300 (Cal. Government Code section 12923) makes a single severe incident enough under California law. As public-school employees, Davis JUSD workers must give written tort-claim notice within 6 months under the Government Claims Act. *Davis JUSD harassment lawsuit* (Finley Employment Law, September 2025) involves this exact pattern.

What law applies when a Yolo County rice or processing-tomato worker is not paid overtime? +

AB 1066 (Labor Code sections 857-864) phases in agricultural overtime parity (1.5×/2×) - large employers (26+) since January 1, 2022; small employers (≤25) since January 1, 2025. Labor Code section 1194 allows recovery of unpaid wages plus interest and attorneys' fees (3-year statute). Cal/OSHA outdoor heat-illness standard (8 CCR section 3395) requires shade, water, and rest breaks.

Free Confidential Consultation for Yolo County Workers

If you experienced employment violations in Yolo County, contact Eghbali Law Firm. Free, confidential consultation. 1-800-371-3088. We represent employees only - never employers. No fee unless we win.

Request A Free Consultation (800) 371-3088

Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Employment law is complex and fact-specific. The information on this page reflects California law as of 2026 and may change. If you believe your rights have been violated, please consult a licensed California employment attorney to evaluate your specific situation.