Riverside Employment Lawyers Representing Firefighters

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$2 Billion
in Personal Injury Results

$150 Million
in Employment Law Results
for First Responders

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Strong advocacy when California fire departments discriminate, harass, or retaliate

Riverside firefighters protect residents from fire and smoke damage and provide emergency medical services. These firefighters and other emergency responders extinguish residential fires, commercial fires, wildfires, and other types of fires- and provide critical medical help.

At McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, we focus on the rights of employees so they can focus on protecting us. Our Riverside employment lawyers file discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and compensation claims. We also file wrongful termination, executive compensation, wage and hour, and qui tam actions. We have obtained more than $150,000 million for the employees we represent.

Our firefighter successes include:

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$3 Million
for six firefighters in a retaliation lawsuit. The employer retaliated because our client disclosed a dangerous and unlawful fire department program.

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$2.75 Million
for an employee of a fire department employee when their employer retaliated for disclosing potential grant fraud and abuse.

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$1.5 Million
for an employee of a municipal fire agency due to three years of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

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$1.5 Million
for two recruits based on violations of the California Fair Employment Housing Act

Quick Questions

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What is employment discrimination?

The Riverside Fire Department can be held accountable for discriminating if they negatively alter your job conditions or duties because you are a member of a protected class.

Adverse/negative employment conditions include:

  • Failing to recruit or hire you
  • Failing to provide opportunities for job advancement, including training
  • Changing your job assignment to less advantageous duties
  • Sending you to a less desirable location
  • Suspending your employment
  • Terminating your employment

You may be a member of a protected class, depending on your identity characteristics and federal/California law. Protected classes include:

  • Genders, sexual preference, or sexual orientation
  • National origin, race, or color
  • Age (40 or older)
  • Disability
  • Pregnancy
  • Religions
  • Veteran or military status
  • Genetic information
  • Weight

You may also have an employment discrimination claim if you:

  • Have to endure sexual, racial, or other types of harassment based on your protected class
  • Are not given reasonable accommodations if you have a disability
  • Proper adjustments are not made if you are pregnant
  • Other types of employer misconduct.

Which employment and civil rights laws protect Riverside firefighters from discrimination?

At McNicholas & McNicholas LLP, we file discrimination and pay claims based on the following federal and state laws:

The Riverside Fire Department has thousands of employees, including firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and hazardous material workers. This means that the above laws should apply to most, if not all, Riverside Fire Department employees.

We file discrimination claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the California Civil Rights Department, and in federal and state courts.

Can I file a Riverside sexual harassment claim?

The Riverside Fire Department cannot sexually harass employees. Employees are protected by Title VII of the US Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the California FEHA – from sexual harassment.

There are two categories of sexual harassment:

  • Quid pro quo sexual harassment. Your employer cannot condition promotions, job opportunities, or your employment based on providing sexual favors.
  • Hostile workplace sexual harassment. Your employer cannot create or allow an intolerable work environment. A sexually hostile work environment occurs if you have to listen to offensive sexual discussions or jokes, view offensive sexual images, or endure any type of sexual misconduct. Anyone who is affected can file a sexual harassment claim if they are not the focus of the sexual conduct.
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Can I file a Riverside retaliation claim?

Employers can be held accountable for retaliating because you file a discrimination, harassment, or retaliation claim, assert any legal right, or support a colleague’s legal rights. At McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, we file retaliation claims if the Riverside Fire Department intimidates or punishes you by adversely affecting your employment because you assert these rights.

Your legal rights include:

  • Filing a civil rights claim or helping a colleague who has filed a legal claim against their employer
  • Filing a whistleblower claim
  • Filing a workers’ compensation claim
  • Asking for leave under the federal or California Family Leave Acts
  • Asserting any other legal right

Do you handle executive pay, hourly pay claims, and wrongful termination claims?

Yes. Our Riverside employment lawyers file:

  • Executive compensation claims for severance packages, retirement benefits, stock options, bonuses, and other contractual rights
  • Wage and hour claims for salaried employees and independent contractors
  • Wrongful termination claims if you are fired due to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, a violation of your employment or collective bargaining agreement, or for other improper reasons

How much is my Riverside employment claim worth?

At McNicholas & McNicholas, we have helped many fire department employees, police officers, and other first responder employees obtain compensation for the following (depending on the actual employment claim):

  • Back pay (your income losses to date) and front pay (your future income losses)
  • Lost benefits
  • Loss of seniority
  • Injunctive relief requires the employer to rehire a fired employee, promote an eligible employee, or hire a new employee
  • Emotional distress
  • Damage to your reputation
  • Statutory damages
  • Lawyer fees and court costs
  • Executive compensation benefits
  • Wage and hour benefits

You may also be entitled to punitive damages.

Do you have a Riverside firefighter discrimination lawyer near me?

McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP meets with firefighters, EMTs, and other fire department employees at our Los Angeles office located in Westwood at 10866 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1400. We also speak with clients by phone and online.

We can explain your rights and clearly guide you through each step of the claims process.

Speak with our respected Riverside firefighter discrimination lawyers now

Firefighters save lives and protect property. They deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. The Riverside Fire Department cannot discriminate, harass, or retaliate against an employee. At McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, we have helped countless fire department employees obtain the compensation they deserve when employers violate their rights and the terms of their contracts. Please call our Riverside employment lawyers now or use our contact form today to schedule a consultation. We are ready to protect your employment rights.

List of Agencies We are Suing or Have Sued

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  • LAPD
  • LA Co Sheriff
  • Berkeley PD
  • Riverside PD
  • Huntington Beach PD
  • Redondo Beach PD
  • Ukiah PD
  • Willits PD
  • City of Richmond (Non LEO/Employment)
  • Palo Alto PD
  • Santa Barbara County Sheriff
  • Chula Vista PD
  • San Joaquin County Sheriff
  • Fremont PD
  • Walnut Creek PD
  • Shasta County Sheriff
  • Contra Costa Sheriff (Non LEO/Employment)
  • El Segundo PD
  • San Diego PD
  • El Monte PD
  • Pomona PD
  • LAWA
  • Culver City PD (Non LEO)
  • Berkeley Fire/CoB (Non LEO)
  • LAFD