Abramson Labor Group’s Los Angeles employment lawyers represent workers, never employers, in wage, leave, firing, discrimination, and harassment cases across the city. We work on contingency, so you pay no fees unless we win. The City of Los Angeles sets its own minimum wage, sick leave, and hotel pay rules, and we enforce them alongside state law. Also, we serve Los Angeles from our office in nearby Burbank, in English and Spanish.

Why Los Angeles Employees Choose Abramson Labor Group

  • We represent employees only, and we never take employer defense work.
  • Clients give us 4.5 stars across more than 1,900 Google reviews (as of Sept 2026).
  • Our documented case results include $1.7 million for a wrongful termination client and $380,000 in a retaliation and racial discrimination case.
  • Founding partner Zev Abramson is a CELA member and earned a spot on the Top 100 U.S. Labor and Employment list (2024).
  • We handle cases in English and Spanish, and our intake team also assesses cases in Armenian.
  • Because our only office is in Burbank, right next to Los Angeles, we serve city workers close to home.

What Extra Rights Do Workers in the City of Los Angeles Have?

If you work inside Los Angeles city limits, city law gives you more than the state minimum. However, many nearby cities, such as Burbank and Glendale, are separate cities, so these rules apply only to work done within the City of Los Angeles.

City minimum wage: $18.42

From July 1, 2026, employers in the city must pay at least $18.42 an hour, compared with the $16.90 state minimum. So if your employer still pays the state rate for city work, it may owe you the difference for every hour.

48 hours of paid sick leave

City law also requires at least 48 hours of paid sick leave a year, either up front or at one hour for every 30 hours worked. In addition, you can start using it after 90 days on the job, and unused hours carry over to the next year, subject to a cap of at least 72 hours.

Hotel workers: $25.00 plus $8.15 for health care

Under the city’s Citywide Hotel Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance, hotels with 60 or more rooms must pay at least $25.00 an hour from July 1, 2026. Also, they must provide $8.15 an hour toward health benefits, or pay it as extra wages. Our guide to hotel and hospitality workers’ rights covers the state rules that apply on top.

A city office that enforces these rules

The city’s Office of Wage Standards enforces the minimum wage and sick leave laws, and city law bars your employer from retaliating against you for asserting those rights. Even so, a lawyer can also check whether state wage and penalty claims apply to your case.

Not sure whether you have a case?

What to Look For in a Los Angeles Employment Lawyer

The right Los Angeles employment lawyer works only for employees, knows both city and state law, and explains your options before you sign anything. So look for these points when you compare firms.

  • Employee-side focus. A firm that also defends companies may not push as hard for you.
  • City law knowledge. Because Los Angeles adds its own wage, sick leave, and hotel rules, ask whether the firm checks city claims as well as state ones.
  • Trial readiness. Also ask whether the firm prepares cases for court, not only for settlement.
  • Contingency representation. You should not have to pay upfront to protect your rights.

Which Court Hears Los Angeles Employment Cases

Many Los Angeles employment lawsuits go to the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 North Hill Street, which houses general civil courtrooms downtown. However, the county has many courthouses, and the court decides where each case goes. You do not need to visit the courthouse to start a case, since we prepare and file the paperwork for you.

Employment Cases We Handle for Los Angeles Workers

Serving Los Angeles and Nearby Communities

We also represent workers from downtown to the Valley and across the county. For nearby cities with their own pages, see Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, and Long Beach. For statewide coverage, visit our California employment lawyers page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum wage in the City of Los Angeles?

Currently, it is $18.42 an hour from July 1, 2026. However, covered hotels with 60 or more rooms must pay a higher $25.00 hotel worker rate.

How much paid sick leave does my Los Angeles employer owe me?

For work inside the city, your employer must provide at least 48 hours a year. So if your employer gives you less than that for city work, ask us whether it owes you more.

How long do I have to file a discrimination claim?

For discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation, you generally have three years to file with the Civil Rights Department under Government Code section 12960. Because other claims have shorter deadlines, call as soon as you can.

How much does a Los Angeles employment lawyer cost?

We work on contingency, so you do not pay anything unless we win. Your case evaluation is free, and you will not pay for legal counsel or court fees out of pocket. Instead, our fee comes from a share of any settlement or verdict, and if there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fees.

Request a Free Los Angeles Employment Law Case Review

If something is wrong at work, whether it is missing pay, denied sick leave, or a firing that followed a complaint, tell us what happened. Call (213) 493-6300 or request a free case review, and we will explain your options. You do not pay ANYTHING unless we win!

Last updated: September 2026

This page provides general information, not legal advice. Contacting Abramson Labor Group does not create an attorney-client relationship.