- Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- - SE HABLA ESPAÑOL
- Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- - SE HABLA ESPAÑOL
Reviewed by Simon Elliot Moshkovich, Esq. (CA Bar #323584) | Last reviewed: June 18, 2026
Pasadena employees who were fired without legitimate cause, denied wages or overtime, ignored after reporting harassment, or punished for speaking up may have a claim under California law. Mercer Legal Group represents Pasadena employees and other Los Angeles County workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage and hour disputes. We serve Pasadena from our Woodland Hills office at 21031 Ventura Blvd, Suite 103, and handle Los Angeles County matters in state and federal court.
Most cases run on contingency — fees come out of any recovery, not your pocket. Calls answered 24/7. SE HABLA ESPAÑOL. Initial consultations are free.
Call (818) 783-0500 or use the contact form to schedule a free consultation with an Employment Attorney in Pasadena.
California has the strongest body of employee-protection statutes in the country, and most claims by Pasadena workers turn on California law rather than federal law alone. The statutes that come up daily:
Pasadena employees who work for employers headquartered elsewhere are still covered by California law when the work is performed in California — a choice-of-law question that drives damages caps, deadlines, and available theories. Local industry context matters too: Pasadena’s workforce skews toward higher education (Caltech, PCC, Fuller), healthcare (Huntington Hospital, Kaiser), aerospace (JPL), professional services, and hospitality, and each industry produces a distinct evidence record under California discovery rules. If you’re not sure whether to call, see our overview on do I need an employment lawyer.
Workplace disputes aren’t symmetrical. Your employer almost certainly has lawyers — in-house counsel, an outside HR firm, or both — drafting the policies, writing the termination letter, and preparing the severance you’re asked to sign. An employment attorney puts the relationship back on a footing where the rules cut both ways.
For the doctrinal piece on proving FEHA claims, see how to prove employment discrimination.
California is at-will, but a termination is wrongful when it violates:
Common Pasadena patterns: firing shortly after a workers’ comp claim, after protected leave, after a harassment complaint, or after reporting wage violations. Temporal proximity is one of the most common pieces of circumstantial evidence in these cases.
FEHA bars adverse actions based on race, religion, national origin, disability, medical condition, sex, gender identity, age (40+), sexual orientation, military status, and more. Proof typically combines direct evidence (statements showing bias), circumstantial evidence (McDonnell Douglas: qualified, adverse action, comparators, pretext), and statistical evidence (selection rates, pay data). See workplace discrimination for how each category gets developed.
FEHA recognizes quid pro quo and hostile work environment harassment. Employers are strictly liable for supervisor harassment and negligent-standard liable for coworker harassment. Retaliation claims often outlast the underlying claim — an employee fired shortly after complaining has a separate FEHA §12940(h) and Labor Code §1102.5 claim. See our piece on the EEOC retaliation claim framework. If protected leave is involved, see FMLA legal rights.
Criteria that matter when choosing counsel: focus on employment law, California-specific procedure, accessibility, and fee structure.
| Criteria | Mercer Legal Group | General-practice firm |
|---|---|---|
| Practice focus | Employment law for California workers | Mixed civil practice |
| Service area | Pasadena, LA County, statewide CA | Often one county |
| Availability | Calls answered 24/7 | Business hours only |
| Languages | English and Spanish | English only at many firms |
| Consultation | Free | Often paid |
| Fee | Contingency on most matters | Hourly or hybrid common |
Calls answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Bilingual intake in English and Spanish. SE HABLA ESPAÑOL.
Mercer Legal Group reviews employment law claims carefully, explains available options, and pursues appropriate remedies when the facts and law support them. Every case is different, and no attorney can guarantee a specific result.
Call (818) 783-0500 or submit the contact form for a free consultation. Calls answered 24/7. SE HABLA ESPAÑOL.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its specific facts. This page is informational and not legal advice. Reviewing it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Mercer Legal Group.
Common questions from Pasadena employees about employment law claims and the legal process in California. Calls answered 24/7 — SE HABLA ESPAÑOL.
An employment attorney represents workers in disputes with employers under California and federal law. That includes investigating the facts, reviewing personnel files and wage records, sending demand letters, filing administrative charges with the Civil Rights Department and EEOC, negotiating settlements, and litigating in state or federal court. Pasadena attorneys also review severance agreements before you sign and assess wrongful-termination, discrimination, retaliation, and wage claims.
Call if you were fired and suspect the real reason was discrimination, retaliation, or whistleblowing; if you experienced harassment; if you were denied protected leave; if you’re owed unpaid wages, overtime, or commissions; if your employer is asking you to sign a severance agreement; or if you’re being pressured to do something illegal. A free consultation lets you find out whether the situation is actionable without committing.
Wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, retaliation, whistleblower claims under §1102.5, unpaid wages and overtime, missed meal and rest breaks, misclassification, denied CFRA and FMLA leave, pregnancy disability leave, severance review, and related matters for Pasadena workers and other California employees.
It depends on the theory. Public-policy wrongful termination runs 2 years. A FEHA-based claim requires a CRD charge within 3 years of the termination, then suit within 1 year of the right-to-sue letter. Whistleblower retaliation under §1102.5 runs 3 years. Equitable tolling can sometimes apply, so call as soon as possible after a termination rather than waiting.
Yes. Mercer Legal Group offers free initial consultations to Pasadena workers and other California employees. The conversation covers what happened, what claims may apply, what evidence the firm would need, and the realistic range of outcomes. There’s no obligation to retain after the call.
Dealing with a specific workplace problem in Pasadena? These pages go deeper on the claims we handle most for local employees:
