A San Francisco employment lawyer helps workers with wrongful termination, unpaid wages, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, often under both California law and the city’s own labor ordinances. Abramson Labor Group represents employees only, never employers, and we work on contingency, so you pay no fees unless we win. We serve San Francisco and the Bay Area from our Burbank office, and our intake team starts by phone in English or Spanish.

Why San Francisco Employees Choose Abramson Labor Group

  • Our case results include $1.5 million for a sexual harassment client and $500,000 in a pregnancy discrimination case. Every case depends on its own facts.
  • Clients rate us 4.5 stars across 1,900+ Google reviews (as of Sept 2026).
  • Zev Abramson founded the firm in 2015, earned his J.D. at Loyola Law School, and belongs to CELA and CAALA.
  • We work only for employees, so we never represent employers.
  • You can talk with us in English or Spanish, and our intake team also assesses cases in Armenian.
  • You do not need to travel to Burbank to start. Instead, our intake team begins by phone and explains how meetings and document sharing work.

What Extra Rights Do San Francisco Workers Have?

San Francisco adds its own labor laws on top of state law, and the city’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) enforces them. Also, an employer based outside the city generally must follow these rules for work you do inside San Francisco.

City minimum wage: $19.61

From July 1, 2026, the San Francisco minimum wage is $19.61 an hour, up from $19.18 in 2025, compared with the $16.90 state minimum. So if your employer pays the state rate for city work, or leaves opening and closing time off the clock, it may owe you the difference. The city’s Minimum Wage Ordinance page explains which workers it covers.

Paid sick leave that builds as you work

Under the city’s Paid Sick Leave Ordinance, you earn 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. In addition, employers with 10 or more employees may cap your balance at 72 hours, while smaller employers may cap it at 40. So if your balance shrinks without explanation, or your hours drop after you use sick time, ask about it.

Other city protections

OLSE also enforces the Health Care Security Ordinance, which requires covered employers to spend a set amount on health care for qualifying workers, along with rules on paid parental leave, criminal history questions (the Fair Chance Ordinance), chain-store scheduling, and lactation breaks. However, each ordinance has its own coverage rules and exceptions, so treat this list as a starting point.

Recognize your situation above?

When Does a San Francisco Layoff or Firing Break the Law?

California generally allows at-will employment, but an employer cannot fire you for an illegal reason such as discrimination, retaliation, or taking protected leave. For example, tech and office workers often hear “reduction in force” or “restructuring.” Yet if a performance plan started right after you asked for medical leave, or your role vanished after you reported harassment and someone else took over the same work, the timing deserves a closer look. So compare the stated reason with your earlier reviews, messages, and how your employer treated coworkers. Our wrongful termination page explains these claims in more depth.

What to Look For in a San Francisco Employment Lawyer

A strong San Francisco employment lawyer works only for employees and checks city ordinances as well as state law. So ask these questions before you hire anyone.

  • Who they work for. Ask whether the firm ever represents employers.
  • City ordinance knowledge. Because San Francisco adds its own wage, sick leave, and health care rules, ask whether the firm reviews local claims too.
  • Layoff experience. For tech and office workers, ask how the firm evaluates reductions in force and severance offers.
  • How they charge. Look for contingency representation with no upfront fee.

Which Court Hears San Francisco Employment Cases

San Francisco Superior Court’s Civil Clerk’s Office sits in the Civic Center Courthouse at 400 McAllister Street, where the court accepts new civil filings. Starting a case does not require a trip to court, because we prepare and file the paperwork for you.

Employment Cases We Handle for San Francisco Workers

Restaurant and hotel workers can also read our guides for restaurant workers and hotel and hospitality workers.

Serving San Francisco and the Bay Area

We represent workers in every San Francisco neighborhood and across the Bay Area. For nearby cities, see our pages for Oakland, San Jose, and Hayward. For the state laws behind every claim, visit our page on employment lawyers across California.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum wage in San Francisco?

It is $19.61 an hour from July 1, 2026. Because the rate adjusts each July, check the city’s Minimum Wage Ordinance page for the current figure.

Does my immigration status stop me from reporting unpaid wages?

No. According to the California Labor Commissioner, state labor laws protect every worker regardless of immigration status, and the office will not ask about the immigration status of anyone seeking help.

Can I talk to a lawyer while I still work there?

Yes, and early advice can help you save records and track deadlines. For discrimination and harassment, for example, you generally have three years to file with the Civil Rights Department under Government Code section 12960.

How much does a San Francisco employment lawyer cost?

You do not pay anything unless we win, and your first case evaluation is free. Also, you will not pay for legal counsel or court fees out of pocket while your case moves forward. Instead, we take a share of any settlement or verdict, and if there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fees.

Request a Free San Francisco Employment Law Case Review

Talk to us before you sign anything, quit, or let a deadline pass. Call (213) 493-6300 or request a free case review, and we will explain your options in plain terms. 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.