Helpful Legal Information
Complain to a State and/or Federal Agency
Before any lawsuit can be filed against an employer harassment, discrimination or retaliation, an employee must file a complaint with either the federal or state authority charged with investigating such complaints. This is designed to give the employer time to remedy their conduct prior to being sued. In many cases, it is simply a formality that must be taken care of prior to a lawsuit.
The Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) is the state agency which investigates complaints of violations of state employment discrimination laws. The DFEH has offices throughout the state. Below are the addresses of several DFEH offices in the Northern California/Bay Area:
| DFEH 1330 Broadway, #1326 Oakland, CA (510) 622-2941 |
DFEH 30 Van Ness Ave., #300 San Francisco, CA 94102 (800) 884-1684 |
DFEH 111 No. Market St., #810 San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 277-1277 |
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency which investigates complaints of violations of federal civil rights law (Title VII) in employment. The EEOC has offices throughout the country. Below are the addresses of several EEOC offices in the Northern California/Bay Area:
| EEOC 901 Market St., #500 San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 356-5100 |
EEOC 1301 Clay St., #1170 Oakland, CA 94612 (510) 637-3230 |
EEOC 96 N. Third St. Ste. 200 San Jose, Ca. 95112 (408) 291-4231 |
FILING SUIT
If your complaint gets nowhere, You can still Strike Back In Court.
The complaint process both within companies and through the federal and state agencies charged to investigate complaints often leaves employees empty-handed and feeling that justice was not done. This is often our law firm's experience when we attempt to get a company or an agency to investigate a case of discrimination. It can be a frustrating and disappointing exercise.
But thankfully the law does give you the right to go to court. Both Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the state Fair Employment and Housing Act give employees the right to obtain a qualified lawyer to sue an employer for violations of their rights. If violations of the law are shown, the employee's recovery may include his/her past lost wages and benefits, future wage loss, attorney fees and punitive damages. Punitive damages are calculated in part on the earnings of the company.
If you believe you have taken all the necessary steps and are still unsatisfied with the result, please complete and submit to us a Case Submission Questionnaire. If your case is accepted, one of our qualified attorneys will contact you about your case.