Your Employer Has a Legal Team. Now You Have One Too.

Silicon Valley runs on long hours, high stakes, and the assumption that employees will just deal with it. But there’s a difference between a demanding job and an illegal one — and too many San Jose workers don’t realize they’ve crossed that line until the damage is already done.

Abramson Labor Group represents employees across San Jose and Santa Clara County who are facing wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, wage theft, retaliation, and other workplace violations. Our attorneys have more than 35 years of combined experience taking on employers that range from five-person startups to Fortune 500 companies, and we’ve secured results that include a unanimous jury verdict in a retaliation case.

We don’t bill by the hour. We don’t charge retainers. We take your case on contingency, which means the only way we get paid is by winning. Your consultation costs nothing, and if we don’t recover compensation for you, you owe us zero.

Call (213) 493-6300 — free, confidential case evaluations available now.


    Experiencing Workplace Issues?


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    The Workplace Problems San Jose Employees Actually Face

    Employment law isn’t abstract. It shows up in specific, recognizable situations — many of which Silicon Valley workers encounter regularly but don’t always identify as legal violations. Here are the kinds of cases our attorneys handle for San Jose employees every day.

    You Were Fired and the Reason Doesn’t Add Up

    Maybe you were let go right after filing an HR complaint. Maybe you were part of a “reorganization” that only seemed to affect people over 50. Maybe your performance reviews were strong until you announced a pregnancy or requested a disability accommodation — and suddenly they weren’t. California law limits when and why employers can terminate workers, even in an at-will state. If the stated reason for your firing doesn’t match the reality, our San Jose wrongful termination lawyers can investigate and build a case.

    You’re Being Treated Differently Because of Who You Are

    Discrimination is rarely announced. It’s the pattern of being excluded from key meetings. It’s watching less qualified colleagues advance while you stay stuck. It’s the “culture fit” language that masks bias against your race, age, gender, disability, religion, or pregnancy status. California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act protects employees against discrimination on all of these grounds — and several more. Our attorneys handle cases involving:

    • Racial discrimination — disparate treatment, racially hostile environments, or termination tied to race or ethnicity
    • Gender discrimination — pay inequity, glass ceilings, or adverse actions based on gender identity or expression
    • Age discrimination — forced retirement, layoff targeting, or hiring practices that exclude workers over 40
    • Disability discrimination — denied accommodations, medical leave retaliation, or termination following a diagnosis
    • Pregnancy discrimination — pushback on maternity leave, demotion upon return, or pressure to resign during pregnancy
    • Religious discrimination — scheduling inflexibility, dress code enforcement that ignores religious obligations, or outright hostility

    You’ve Been Sexually Harassed at Work

    Whether it’s a supervisor leveraging their authority for sexual favors or a coworker whose comments and behavior create an environment where you dread showing up, sexual harassment is illegal under California law. It doesn’t matter if HR has been unresponsive. It doesn’t matter if the person responsible is a top performer or a company executive. Our San Jose sexual harassment attorneys hold harassers and the organizations that enable them accountable.

    You’re Not Being Paid What You’re Owed

    San Jose has one of the highest local minimum wages in the country — $18.45 per hour as of 2026. California law also requires overtime pay after eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a week, mandatory meal and rest breaks, and timely payment of all earned wages upon separation. When employers misclassify workers as exempt, shave hours off timecards, force off-the-clock work, or skip final paychecks, those are violations our wage and overtime attorneys pursue aggressively.

    You Spoke Up and Got Punished for It

    You reported your manager for creating fraudulent records. You told OSHA about the safety violation. You cooperated with an internal investigation. And then your schedule changed, your responsibilities shrank, and you were out the door within six months. That’s textbook retaliation, and California provides powerful legal remedies. Our attorneys trace the timeline between your protected activity and your employer’s response and build the case that connects them.

    You Blew the Whistle on Something Illegal

    Whistle blower cases often carry higher stakes — the violations are bigger, the employers are more aggressive in their response, and the employee is left exposed. California Labor Code Section 1102.5 and a range of federal statutes protect employees who report fraud, regulatory violations, safety hazards, and other illegal activity. Whether you reported internally or to an outside agency, Abramson Labor Group will stand behind you.

    You Were Hurt on the Job

    Workplace injuries aren’t limited to construction sites and warehouses. Repetitive stress injuries, slip and fall accidents, exposure to hazardous materials, and stress-related conditions can happen in any work environment. When they do, employees are entitled to medical treatment, wage replacement, and disability benefits through California’s workers’ compensation system. Our attorneys step in when employers or their insurers try to minimize, delay, or deny those benefits.

    You Need a Personal Injury Attorney

    Abramson Labor Group also represents San Jose residents in personal injury cases that extend beyond the workplace, including wrongful death, slip and fall injuries on commercial or residential property, defective product claims, and car accidents. When negligence causes harm, our attorneys pursue full compensation for medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.

    Know Your Rights as a San Jose Employee

    California law gives workers a substantial set of protections. Here are a few that every San Jose employee should understand.

    You can’t be fired for illegal reasons. At-will employment means your employer can let you go without cause — but not for a discriminatory or retaliatory reason. If you were terminated after engaging in protected activity or because of a protected characteristic, you may have a wrongful termination claim.

    You have the right to a workplace free from harassment. Employers are legally obligated to prevent and correct harassment. If they fail to act after learning about a problem, the company itself can be held liable — not just the individual harasser.

    You’re entitled to every dollar you’ve earned. This includes overtime premiums, meal and rest break compensation, expense reimbursements, and all accrued wages owed at the time of separation. California penalties for wage violations can be steep, and employees can recover them.

    You’re protected when you report illegal conduct. Whether you file a complaint internally, contact a government agency, or refuse to participate in unlawful activity, your employer cannot retaliate against you. If they do, you can file a separate legal claim for the retaliation itself.

    You can file a claim on behalf of other affected workers. Under PAGA — the Private Attorneys General Act — individual employees in California can bring representative actions for Labor Code violations, pursuing penalties that benefit both themselves and their coworkers.

    What Happens After You Call Us

    Your first call is a conversation, not a commitment. Our intake team listens to what happened, asks follow-up questions, and determines whether your situation is one our attorneys should review in detail. There’s no charge for this step.

    An attorney evaluates your case. If your claim has merit, one of our San Jose employment lawyers examines the facts, identifies the strongest legal theories, and discusses the realistic range of outcomes with you. We’re honest about what we see — both the strengths and the challenges.

    We take it from there. When we agree to represent you, our firm handles every aspect of your case. Investigation, document collection, negotiations, litigation preparation, court appearances — you’re not managing any of it. We keep you updated throughout the process and make sure you understand each step before it happens.

    You pay nothing out of pocket. Period. No retainer. No hourly billing. No surprise invoices. Our fee comes from the recovery we secure for you. If there’s no recovery, there’s no fee. That’s the deal.

    Representing Workers Across San Jose and Santa Clara County

    Abramson Labor Group serves employees throughout the San Jose metro and greater Silicon Valley, including:

    • Downtown San Jose
    • North San Jose
    • Willow Glen
    • Cupertino
    • Sunnyvale
    • Mountain View
    • Palo Alto
    • Santa Clara
    • Milpitas
    • Campbell
    • Los Gatos
    • Gilroy
    • Morgan Hill

    Our firm is headquartered in the greater Los Angeles area, with the capacity to represent employees in every county in California. Wherever you work in the state, we can help.

    Why Abramson Labor Group

    There are a lot of employment law firms in California. Here’s what makes working with us different.

    We only represent employees. We don’t take cases for employers, which means there’s never a conflict of interest and our entire operation is built around one goal: getting the best possible result for the worker.

    We’ve earned the trust of over 500 clients on Google with five-star reviews. Our Yelp profile carries 303 reviews. Five of our attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers or named Rising Stars. That kind of consistency doesn’t happen by accident.

    We don’t nickel-and-dime you. Contingency means contingency. No administrative fees, no charges for phone calls or emails, no costs passed along during the case. You pay nothing unless and until we win.

    We communicate. One of the most common complaints about law firms is silence. We operate differently. Our team provides regular updates, responds to questions promptly, and makes sure you’re never left wondering what’s happening with your case.

    San Jose Employment Law FAQ

    I work for a tech company — are there unique employment law issues I should know about?

    Yes. Tech workers in Silicon Valley frequently encounter issues like misclassification as exempt employees to avoid overtime obligations, unenforceable non-compete agreements disguised as intellectual property assignments, retaliation for raising concerns about product safety or data privacy, and discrimination that gets masked by “performance-based” terminations during layoffs. California law provides strong protections in all of these scenarios, and our attorneys understand how they play out in tech industry workplaces specifically.

    My employer is laying off my entire department. Do I have any legal recourse?

    Potentially. If the layoff disproportionately affects workers of a certain age, race, gender, or other protected class, it could constitute unlawful discrimination even if framed as a business decision. Additionally, employers with 75 or more employees are required under the federal WARN Act — and California’s stricter Cal-WARN Act — to provide 60 days’ advance notice of mass layoffs. Failure to comply can result in back pay and benefits for affected workers. Contact our attorneys to review the specifics of your situation.

    My employer asked me to sign a severance agreement. Should I sign it?

    Not without having an attorney review it first. Severance agreements typically include a release of all legal claims against the employer — meaning you could be giving up the right to pursue a legitimate case in exchange for a fraction of what it’s worth. Our attorneys evaluate severance offers, identify what you may be giving up, and negotiate better terms when appropriate.

    Is my employer allowed to monitor my personal devices or communications?

    California has some of the strongest employee privacy protections in the country. Employers generally cannot monitor personal devices without consent, access personal email or social media accounts, or use surveillance methods that violate an employee’s reasonable expectation of privacy. The specifics depend on your employer’s policies, any agreements you’ve signed, and the circumstances of the monitoring. If you believe your privacy
    has been violated, we can evaluate your claim.

    What if I can’t afford to miss work to deal with a legal case?

    Our process is designed to minimize disruption to your life. Most case-related communication happens by phone and email, and many employment claims are resolved through pre-litigation negotiation without ever requiring a court appearance. If your case does require depositions or hearings, our team works around your schedule as much as possible. And because we work on contingency, there’s no financial burden on your end at any point.

    What’s the statute of limitations for employment claims in California?

    It depends on the type of claim. Discrimination and harassment claims filed through the California Civil Rights Department have a three-year filing deadline. Wage claims may have different deadlines depending on the specific violation. Retaliation and whistle blower claims each have their own timelines as well. The sooner you contact an attorney, the more options you’ll have.

    Talk to a San Jose Employment Lawyer Today

    If you’re dealing with a workplace issue in San Jose or anywhere in Silicon Valley, don’t wait to find out where you stand. Abramson Labor Group offers free, no-pressure case evaluations for employees who believe their rights have been violated.

    One phone call. No cost. No obligation.

    Phone: (213) 493-6300 Address: 1700 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506 Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Website: abramsonlaborgroup.com