FMLA Attorney in Encino

Trial-Ready Employment Attorneys Serving Encino & the San Fernando Valley

Federal law and California law both protect your right to take leave for serious medical needs, family caregiving, and bonding with a new child. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. California’s parallel statute, the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), offers the same baseline protections and, in several key respects, goes further. When an employer denies that leave, punishes you for taking it, or terminates you shortly after you return, you may have a claim for retaliation, wrongful termination, or interference under one or both laws. At Williams And Seemen, A Professional Law Corporation, we represent Encino employees and workers throughout the San Fernando Valley whose leave rights have been violated.

Our employment outcomes include a $1.5 million gender discrimination settlement and a $450,000 race discrimination result. Those are employment law results, not FMLA-specific, but they reflect the preparation and advocacy we bring to every claim. We offer free consultations to evaluate what happened and what your options may be.

If your employer denied, interfered with, or retaliated against your protected leave, call our FMLA attorneys in Encino at (818) 536-7776 to schedule a complimentary consultation.

How FMLA & CFRA Protect California Workers

Both FMLA and CFRA provide up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave per year. Qualifying reasons include your own serious health condition, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, bonding with a new child through birth, adoption, or foster placement, and qualifying military exigency. FMLA also provides up to 26 weeks in a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness.

California’s CFRA is broader than federal FMLA in two important ways. First, CFRA applies to employers with five or more employees, while FMLA requires at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius. Smaller Encino employers that aren’t covered by FMLA may still be covered by CFRA. Second, CFRA protects a wider circle of family members, including registered domestic partners, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, and parents-in-law. Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) can also be taken consecutively with CFRA bonding leave, potentially giving eligible California employees up to seven months of combined protected leave. When both laws apply to the same leave period, they generally run concurrently rather than stacking.

Employer Actions That Violate FMLA & CFRA

Employers can’t deny a qualifying leave request, interfere with your right to take leave, or retaliate against you for requesting or using protected leave. Violations aren’t always obvious. Some of the most common include:

• Termination during or after leave: Firing an employee during protected leave or shortly after return can be a strong indicator of retaliation.
• Demotion or pay reduction: Cutting pay, reducing hours, or assigning a lesser role upon return can constitute interference or retaliation.
• Negative performance reviews tied to leave: Documenting “performance issues” that conveniently appear after a leave request is a common pretext employers use.
• Counting leave against attendance policies: Applying a no-fault or points-based attendance policy to approved FMLA or CFRA leave is itself a violation.
• Subtle retaliation: Schedule changes, increased scrutiny, or removal of responsibilities may signal retaliation even when termination doesn’t follow immediately.

Employers often label terminations as restructuring or performance-based. The timing of these decisions matters. If the adverse action followed your leave request or return to work, a family and medical leave attorney in Encino can help assess whether that justification holds up.

Why Clients Choose Williams And Seemen, A Professional Law Corporation for FMLA Claims in Encino

Attorneys Antoine D. Williams and Bart A. Seemen hold Super Lawyers and Rising Stars designations alongside Avvo 10.0 ratings and are members of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles. More than credentials, they bring trial-level preparation to every employment case. Many FMLA and CFRA matters resolve through negotiation, but when an employer won’t move, we’re prepared to litigate.

The San Fernando Valley’s workforce is diverse, and access to an attorney who communicates in your language matters. Our team serves clients in Spanish, Farsi, Tagalog, Korean, and Armenian in addition to English. Clients receive a personalized consultation so we understand the specific facts of your leave, what your employer did, and what outcome you’re seeking before we recommend a course of action.

Contact Our Encino FMLA Attorneys for a Free Consultation

FMLA claims generally must be filed within two years of the violation, extended to three years for willful violations. CFRA claims must be filed with California’s Civil Rights Department within three years of the violation; once a right-to-sue notice issues, you have one year from that date to file a civil lawsuit. Waiting reduces the evidence available and narrows your options.

We offer free consultations to Encino employees and workers throughout the San Fernando Valley. We can review what happened, explain which laws apply to your situation, and outline the realistic paths forward.

Call (818) 536-7776 or contact us online to schedule your complimentary consultation with our FMLA and CFRA attorneys in Encino.