FAQ

We know you have questions. You’re not alone. Below, we’ve tried to answer some of the most common inquiries we get from potential clients like you. Feel free to read through them or give us a call.

HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO FILE MY LAWSUIT?
This depends on the type of lawsuit that you want to bring and the jurisdiction in which you intend to bring your suit. The time limit to file a lawsuit can be less than one year, and so it’s important that you contact an attorney as soon as possible.

HOW LONG WILL MY LAWSUIT TAKE?
Lawsuits aren’t quick, and with the recent COVID pandemic, lawsuits are slower than ever now. We do our best to push cases as hard and as fast as we can, but there are things that slow down a lawsuit that are beyond our control such as defendants who do not cooperate with discovery, appeals, and backed-up court schedules. We will keep you informed during your lawsuit so you know what is happening and how long things will take.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM ME TO START MY LAWSUIT?
Many of our clients don’t have any documents or evidence. They just have their story, which is all we need to get started. If we decide to take your case, we will get all of the documents and evidence during discovery from the defendant.

CAN YOU GET MY EMPLOYEE FILE?
Yes. The California Labor Code allows you access to your employee file at any time—even after you leave your job. If you have an employment-related case, we will likely get your employee file from your employer before we file any lawsuit.

CAN MY EMPLOYER RETALIATE AGAINST ME IF I BRING A LAWSUIT?
No. California has laws that prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who bring any action to enforce their civil rights.

WHAT IS A CLASS ACTION?
A class action is a lawsuit in which one person or a small group of people represent the rights of many others who have similar complaints. It takes only one person to start a class action lawsuit, even though there may be hundreds or thousands of people who will be part of the lawsuit.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO I NEED TO START A CLASS ACTION?
Just one. To start a class action, which we call a putative class action, you only need one person. But to certify a class action, you will need to meet the numerosity requirement, which requires proving to the court that there are many people who fall within the class. You won’t have to find all of these people. We will do that through discovery during the course of the lawsuit.

WHAT IS A PAGA LAWSUIT?
PAGA stands for the Private Attorney General Act of 2004, which was codified in California Labor Code 2698, et seq. In essence, an aggrieved employee is deputized to act as a Private Attorney General to investigate violations of the Labor Code on behalf of the State of California. As a Private Attorney General, you are allowed to seek civil penalties not only for violations of the Labor Code that you personally suffered but also for violations suffered by other current or former employees.

HOW MUCH CAN I EXPECT TO PAY IN LEGAL FEES AND COSTS?
We accept employment law cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that you don’t have to pay legal fees and costs unless your attorney recovers money for your case, which means you can retain our legal services without having to worry about your financial situation.