619-342-8000San Diego Discrimination Lawyers
If your employer passed you over for a promotion, cut your pay, changed your schedule, or fired you because of your race, gender, age, disability, or another protected characteristic, that treatment may violate California law. You should not have to accept it, and you do not have to sort it out alone.
The San Diego workplace discrimination lawyers at Haeggquist & Eck, LLP help employees across San Diego County hold employers accountable for discriminatory hiring decisions, wrongful terminations, unequal pay, denied accommodations, and other unlawful workplace conduct.
We listen without judgment, and we take the time to learn what happened before we recommend next steps.
If something at work feels wrong, tell us your story. We offer a free case evaluation to help you figure out where things stand. Call us at (619) 342-8000.
How Does the Discrimination Claim Process Work in
California
California generally requires employees to file an administrative complaint before they can bring a discrimination lawsuit in court. The process typically starts with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) (previously known as the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH).
The General Process
Employment discrimination claims in California usually follow a path that begins with the CRD. Your attorney can file an intake form and, in many cases, request an immediate right-to-sue notice. That notice allows you to move your case directly into California Superior Court without waiting for the CRD to conduct its own investigation.
If your situation involves federal law, our San Diego discrimination lawyers can also file with the EEOC or request a dual filing so both agencies have your complaint on record.
There are filing deadlines that apply to both state and federal claims. We can evaluate your timeline during a free case evaluation and make sure nothing slips through the cracks.
At Haeggquist & Eck, we walk our clients through every stage of this process. We gather evidence, build the legal strategy, handle filings and court deadlines, prepare you for what to expect from the other side, and advocate for you in negotiations or at trial.
You stay informed and involved in the major decisions, but you do not have to carry the legal weight on your own.
If you are ready to take the next step, call us at (619) 342-8000 or request a free case evaluation online.
What Does Workplace Discrimination Actually Look Like in
San Diego?
Workplace discrimination in California happens when an employer treats you differently because of who you are rather than how you perform. Sometimes it is obvious. Sometimes it builds so gradually that you are not sure whether to trust what you are seeing.
Discrimination does not always come with a written memo or a blatant comment. It often shows up in patterns, and those patterns may only become clear once you step back and look at the bigger picture.
Examples of Conduct That May Be Discriminatory
- Passing over qualified candidates for promotions while advancing less experienced employees who do not share a protected characteristic
- Making comments about an employee's accent, appearance, religious clothing, pregnancy, or age during meetings or reviews
- Denying schedule flexibility or remote work to employees with disabilities while granting it to others
- Reassigning job duties, cutting hours, or moving an employee to a less desirable location after they request a medical or religious accommodation
- Applying performance standards unevenly, such as writing up one employee for conduct that other employees do without consequence
- Terminating an employee shortly after they disclose a disability, pregnancy, or medical condition
These are just a few patterns our San Diego employment discrimination attorneys see regularly. If the treatment you experienced connects to a protected characteristic, it is likely worth a closer look.
Who Does California Law Protect from
Workplace discrimination
California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) protects employees and job applicants from discrimination based on a broad list of characteristics. FEHA applies to employers with five or more employees. That means it reaches far more workplaces than federal anti-discrimination laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which generally apply to employers with at least 15 workers.
Protected Characteristics Under FEHA
| Protected Category | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Race, color, national origin, and ancestry | Includes ethnicity, ancestry, and perceived racial identity |
| Sex and gender | Includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related conditions |
| Gender identity and expression | Protects transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming employees |
| Sexual orientation | Protects employees regardless of orientation |
| Age | Protects employees 40 and older |
| Disability (physical and mental) | Includes chronic conditions, mobility impairments, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other qualifying conditions |
| Medical condition | Includes cancer-related conditions and genetic characteristics |
| Religion and creed | Includes religious dress and grooming practices |
| Marital status | Protects based on whether someone is married, single, divorced, or widowed |
| Military and veteran status | Protects current and former service members |
| Reproductive health decisions | Protects decisions related to contraception, fertility, and pregnancy |
| Genetic information | Protects employees from decisions based on genetic testing or family medical history |
This list is broader than what federal law covers. California courts have consistently interpreted these protections broadly, giving employees a stronger foundation for discrimination claims than in many other states.
+How Can You Prove Workplace Discrimination in
Califorina?
Proving workplace discrimination in California generally means showing that your employer treated you unfairly because of a protected characteristic. You do not necessarily need a recording of someone saying something discriminatory. Most cases rely on a combination of circumstantial evidence, workplace records, and timing.
Our San Diego discrimination lawyers can help identify which pieces of evidence matter most for your situation, but there are some common categories that tend to carry weight.
Evidence That May Support a Discrimination Claim
- Timing: Were you fired, demoted, or disciplined shortly after disclosing a disability, requesting medical leave, or returning from pregnancy leave?
- Inconsistent treatment: Did coworkers in similar roles get treated differently than you? Were the rules applied unevenly?
- Documented comments: Did a supervisor or manager make remarks about your age, gender, religion, or other protected traits, even casually?
- Performance history: Did your reviews change suddenly despite no real change in your work?
- Patterns: Has your employer done this to other people who share your protected characteristic?
Your discrimination attorney with HAE can evaluate these factors during a free case evaluation and help you figure out whether the evidence points toward a viable claim.
Why Do I Need a
San Diego Discrimination Attorney?
Filing a discrimination claim against an employer involves legal deadlines, administrative requirements, and an opposing side that will almost certainly have experienced legal counsel. Going through that process without your own attorney can put your claim at a serious disadvantage.
An employer’s legal team will look for ways to frame what happened as a legitimate business decision. They may argue that your termination was performance-related, that the promotion went to a more qualified candidate, or that the scheduling change was unrelated to your disability. A discrimination attorney knows how to identify and challenge those arguments with the right evidence.
At Haeggquist & Eck, our team has recovered significant results for San Diego employees in discrimination cases, including:
- $2,125,000 settlement in a gender discrimination case
- $1,750,000 verdict in a disability discrimination case
- $1,200,000 settlement in a sexual orientation discrimination case
- $585,000 settlement in a race discrimination case.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, but they reflect the kind of work we do and the accountability we pursue for our clients.
Beyond results, how your legal team communicates with you matters. Our attorneys keep small caseloads so every client receives focused, individualized attention.
We also employ a credentialed survivor advocate who provides additional support and training for the entire team. That means the people working on your case are trained in trauma-informed practices designed to reduce stress and make the legal process feel safer.
“Thank you for taking my case and for fighting hard on my behalf. I am lucky to have found your firm and grateful that you took my case.” – K.D., former client
Contact Haeggquist & Eck, LLP online or call us today to talk to us about your situation. We offer free case evaluations so you can better understand how we can help you pursue a case.
What Compensation Can You Recover in a
San diego discrimination case?
Employees who prove workplace discrimination in California may be eligible for several types of compensation. What you can recover depends on the facts of your case, the type of discrimination involved, and the harm it caused.
Economic vs. Non-Economic Damages
| Economic Damages | Non-Economic Damages |
|---|---|
| Lost wages and back pay | Emotional distress and mental anguish |
| Lost future earnings and front pay | Loss of enjoyment of life |
| Lost benefits (health insurance, retirement contributions, bonuses) | Damage to professional reputation |
| Out-of-pocket costs related to the discrimination | Anxiety, depression, and other psychological harm |
California does not cap compensatory damages in FEHA cases. That is one of the reasons the state’s framework offers stronger protection than remedies provided by federal anti-discrimination statutes administered by the EEOC.
In certain cases, punitive damages may also be available if there is clear and convincing evidence that the employer acted with oppression, fraud, or malice. A court can also order equitable relief, such as reinstatement, a policy change, or reasonable accommodations that should have been provided in the first place.
Your attorney’s fees and court costs may also be recoverable, which means your employer may be required to cover the cost of your legal representation if your claim succeeds.
Can Your Employer Retaliate if You
Report Discrimination
California law makes it illegal for an employer to punish you for reporting workplace discrimination, participating in a discrimination investigation, or filing a complaint with a government agency. Retaliation is its own legal violation, separate from the original discrimination.
Retaliation may take many forms. It does not have to be a termination. A demotion, a schedule change, a sudden negative performance review, exclusion from meetings, or a transfer to a less desirable position can all qualify if the timing and circumstances suggest it happened because you spoke up.
Many people worry that reporting discrimination will make their situation worse. That fear is common, and it is one reason some employees wait before taking action.
California’s retaliation protections under FEHA exist specifically to address that concern. If your employer retaliates against you for reporting discrimination, you may have an additional claim on top of the original one.
About Haeggquist & Eck:
A San Diego Firm Built on Accountability
Haeggquist & Eck, LLP is a women-owned law firm founded in 2008 by Managing Partner Alreen Haeggquist. Our offices are located at 225 Broadway, Suite 2050, San Diego, CA 92101, in the heart of downtown.
Alreen founded the firm with a clear purpose: to stand up with people who have been mistreated, silenced, or pushed aside by employers who believed their power made them untouchable. That mission drives every case we take.
Our team has been recognized as a 2026 Best Law Firm by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers, and our attorneys have been named 2025 California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. The San Diego Business Journal has also named us one of San Diego’s Best Places to Work, which reflects the same values we bring to our client relationships: respect, transparency, and genuine care for the people we work with.
Outside of casework, our team volunteers with local nonprofits, provides “Know Your Rights” presentations to San Diego high schools and organizations, and supports groups like the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, the California Innocence Project, and Your Safe Place through the Haeggquist & Eck Fired Up Foundation.
“Responded within minutes to a consultation and was extremely responsive and thoughtful throughout the process. I can tell this firm really does care about protecting employee rights. You can feel it.” – Greg C.
Ask Haeggquist & Eck About Your
San Diego Discrimination Claim
Not every unfair workplace decision is illegal, but if the unfair treatment connects to a protected characteristic like your race, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation, it may violate California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act. A discrimination attorney can review the facts of your situation and help you tell the difference between a bad management decision and an unlawful one.
Yes, California discrimination protections cover job applicants as well as current and former employees. If an employer in San Diego asked inappropriate questions during an interview, required you to take a medical or psychological exam that other applicants did not have to take, or declined to hire you based on a protected characteristic, you may have a valid claim. After a conditional offer, an exam may be allowed if it is job-related and required for everyone entering the same job classification
No, you do not need to be currently employed to file a discrimination claim. Many people file after they have already been terminated, forced out, or left a hostile work environment.
California law gives you time after the last discriminatory act to file with the CRD, but the sooner you consult with an attorney, the easier it is to preserve important evidence.
Employers frequently claim that adverse actions were based on performance, restructuring, or other legitimate business reasons. A discrimination lawyer looks at the full picture, including your performance history, the timing of events, how similarly situated coworkers were treated, and whether the employer’s stated reasons hold up under scrutiny. In many discrimination cases, the employer’s explanation does not match the facts.
Generally, you have three years from the date of the last discriminatory act to file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. Federal filing deadlines through the EEOC are shorter.
Because these timelines can vary depending on the specifics of your case, consulting a San Diego discrimination attorney with HAE early gives you the best chance of preserving your legal options.
At Haeggquist & Eck, we handle employment discrimination cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not pay attorney’s fees unless your case results in a recovery. During your free case evaluation, we can explain exactly how fees work for your situation so you can decide if you want to move forward. We provide free case evaluations without pressure or obligation.
Yes, in most situations. California’s FEHA applies to employers with five or more employees, which is significantly broader than the 15-employee threshold under most federal discrimination laws. That means many small and mid-size San Diego employers are covered.
Discrimination generally involves adverse employment actions like termination, demotion, denial of a promotion, or unequal pay tied to a protected characteristic. Harassment involves unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic that creates a hostile or abusive work environment. Both are illegal in California, and they sometimes overlap in the same situation.
If you are currently experiencing treatment that feels connected to your race, gender, disability, age, or another protected characteristic, your San Diego discrimination attorney can evaluate your situation and help you figure out your options. During a free case evaluation at Haeggquist & Eck, we review the facts, explain what protections may apply, and help you plan a path forward that makes sense for your circumstances.
It can. If you were passed over for a promotion and a less qualified person was selected, and the decision appears connected to a protected characteristic, that may constitute discrimination. Evidence like inconsistent qualifications, documented bias, or a pattern of similar decisions strengthens the claim.
Yes, many discrimination cases also involve retaliation. If your employer punished you for reporting discrimination or participating in an investigation, that retaliation is a separate legal violation. Your attorney can evaluate whether both claims apply and pursue them together if appropriate.
Take the next step with a san diego discrimination lawyer who listens
Deciding whether to challenge your employer can be a heavy choice, and second-guessing yourself along the way is normal. If the way you were treated still does not sit right, that instinct is worth taking seriously.
You deserve real answers from a San Diego discrimination attorney who handles these cases every day. At Haeggquist & Eck, we take the time to listen, we explain your options in plain language, and we let you decide how you want to move forward.
You stay in control of the major decisions throughout the process, and you have direct access to your legal team whenever you have questions.
To discuss a workplace discrimination concern in San Diego, contact Haeggquist & Eck at (619) 342-8000 or tell us your story online. The case evaluation is free, and it is the simplest way to get clarity on where things stand.
