Your Employment Rights in California

California Employment Law Overview

California has some of the strongest worker protections in the nation. The California Labor Code and the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) provide extensive rights to employees.

Key Employee Rights

• Protection from discrimination — based on race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, and other protected characteristics
• Protection from harassment — including sexual harassment and hostile work environment
• Minimum wage and overtime — California minimum wage exceeds federal; overtime after 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week
• Meal and rest breaks — 30-minute meal break for shifts over 5 hours; 10-minute rest breaks
• Family and medical leave — CFRA provides job-protected leave for qualifying employees
• Protection from retaliation — for reporting violations, filing complaints, or participating in investigations

Filing a Complaint

You can file complaints with the EEOC (federal) or the California Civil Rights Department (CRD, formerly DFEH). Many employees also hire private attorneys to pursue claims in court.