Los Angeles Disability Discrimination Lawyer

Disability Discrimination Lawyer Los Angeles, CA

If your employer has refused to accommodate your disability, treated you differently because of a medical condition, or terminated you after learning about a health issue, California law is on your side. Disability discrimination is illegal, and you have the right to hold your employer accountable.

Our Los Angeles, CA disability discrimination lawyer at The Bloom Firm represents employees who have been mistreated because of physical disabilities, mental health conditions, chronic illnesses, and other medical issues. We understand how frustrating it feels when an employer who should support you instead uses your condition against you. The law requires employers to work with disabled employees, not push them out the door.

The Bloom Firm was founded in 2010 to represent victims of workplace mistreatment. We have never represented an employer. Every case we take puts us on the side of the employee. We handle disability discrimination cases on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we recover money for you. If your employer has discriminated against you because of a disability, reach out to us for a free consultation.

Why Choose The Bloom Firm for Disability Discrimination Cases in Los Angeles, CA?

Committed to Protecting Employee Rights

Disability discrimination cases often involve employers who claim they did everything right. They say they tried to accommodate you. They say the termination had nothing to do with your condition. They say the position was eliminated for business reasons. Our job is cutting through these excuses and exposing what actually happened.

The Bloom Firm has spent years representing employees against companies of all sizes, from small businesses to major corporations. We know how employers think, what defenses they raise, and how to defeat them.

Lisa Bloom, our founder, earned her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1986. Super Lawyers has recognized her every year since 2015 for her work representing victims in civil rights and employment matters. She appears regularly as a legal analyst on CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC, and has dedicated her career to standing up for people who have been wronged by those with more power.

Arick Fudali, Partner and Managing Attorney, brings a prosecutor’s instincts to civil litigation. He earned his J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and served as an Assistant State Attorney in Broward County, Florida before turning to employment law. Licensed in California, New York, and Florida, he has represented victims of discrimination and harassment since 2011.

Our employment lawyer in Los Angeles, CA addresses the full spectrum of workplace violations, including retaliation, wrongful termination, and harassment claims that frequently accompany disability discrimination.

Millions Recovered for Employees

Our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for clients in discrimination, harassment, and employment cases. We have represented employees with physical disabilities, mental health conditions, and chronic illnesses who were denied accommodations, demoted, or fired because of their medical situations. Employers who break the law should pay for the damage they cause.

No Cost Unless We Win

Disability discrimination cases can take time to resolve. You should not have to choose between paying medical bills and paying legal fees. Our contingency fee arrangement means you owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. No retainers. No hourly rates. The financial risk falls on us.

What Clients Say

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“Lisa Bloom & her team have been nothing short of phenomenal. Aside from being masters of their craft, it quickly became obvious that The Bloom Firm operates with a deep sense of passion for their mission based on the way we were treated from the very beginning.” — Daniel Koleshchuk, Client

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Types of Disability Discrimination Cases We Handle in Los Angeles

Disability discrimination appears in many forms. California law prohibits all of them. Our Los Angeles attorneys handle the following types of cases:

  • Failure to provide reasonable accommodations. California law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations that allow disabled employees to perform their essential job functions. This might include modified schedules, ergonomic equipment, work-from-home arrangements, reassignment to vacant positions, or adjusted duties. When employers refuse to provide accommodations or claim that every request creates undue hardship, they often violate the law.
  • Failure to engage in the interactive process. Before denying an accommodation, employers must participate in a good-faith dialogue with the employee to explore possible solutions. This interactive process requires genuine effort, not a pro forma conversation followed by denial. Employers who refuse to meet, dismiss requests without consideration, or end the process prematurely may face liability regardless of whether an accommodation was ultimately possible.
  • Termination after disclosure of disability. Some employers fire employees shortly after learning about a disability or medical condition. They claim poor performance or business necessity, but the timing tells a different story. We investigate whether these explanations are legitimate or merely cover for discrimination.
  • Retaliation for requesting accommodations. You asked for an accommodation. Shortly after, your schedule changed, your responsibilities shifted, or your performance reviews turned negative. Punishing employees for exercising their rights under disability discrimination laws is illegal, and retaliation claims often produce significant damages. These cases frequently overlap with workplace harassment claims.
  • Hostile work environment. Mocking an employee’s disability, making offensive comments about medical conditions, or excluding disabled employees from meetings and opportunities can create a hostile work environment. This conduct violates California law when it becomes severe or pervasive enough to interfere with the employee’s ability to work.
  • Medical leave interference. Employees who take leave for medical treatment or recovery are protected under state and federal law. Employers who discourage leave, pressure employees to return early, or retaliate against employees who take protected leave may face liability.
  • Discrimination based on perceived disability. California law protects employees even when they do not actually have a qualifying disability but are perceived by their employer as disabled. If your employer treated you adversely because it believed you had a condition, you may have a claim regardless of your actual medical status.

California Legal Requirements for Disability Discrimination

California provides broader disability protections than federal law. Knowing these requirements helps you understand what your employer should have done.

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on physical disability, mental disability, and medical conditions. FEHA applies to employers with five or more employees and covers all aspects of employment. Unlike the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, California law defines disability more broadly and protects more conditions.

Under FEHA, a disability includes any condition that limits a major life activity. The limitation does not need to be severe or permanent. Conditions that would not qualify as disabilities under federal law often qualify under California law. The California Civil Rights Department enforces FEHA and provides guidance on employer obligations.

California Government Code Section 12940 requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations unless doing so would create undue hardship. It also mandates the interactive process: a timely, good-faith discussion between employer and employee to identify effective accommodations. Employers cannot skip this step and simply deny requests.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination by employers with 15 or more employees. The ADA requires reasonable accommodations but uses a narrower definition of disability than California law. Many employees have stronger claims under FEHA than under federal law.

California’s Department of Rehabilitation provides resources for disabled workers, including assistance with job placement and accommodations. While not a legal enforcement agency, it can help employees understand their rights and options.

You have three years from the last discriminatory act to file an administrative complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. Missing this deadline may eliminate your ability to pursue a lawsuit.

Important Aspects of a Los Angeles Disability Discrimination Case

Disability discrimination cases require demonstrating that your employer’s adverse actions resulted from your disability rather than legitimate business reasons. These elements shape how your case develops.

Medical Documentation

Your disability and need for accommodation typically must be supported by medical documentation. This does not mean sharing your entire medical history with your employer. A letter from your doctor identifying your condition, its functional limitations, and recommended accommodations is usually sufficient. Keep copies of all medical documentation you provide to your employer.

The Interactive Process Record

California places significant weight on whether the employer engaged meaningfully in the interactive process. Document every meeting, phone call, and email related to your accommodation request. Note who attended, what was discussed, and what was proposed or rejected. If your employer refused to participate or went through the motions without genuine effort, that failure itself may establish liability.

Comparator Evidence

How your employer treated similarly situated employees without disabilities often reveals discrimination. If coworkers received schedule flexibility, equipment, or other adjustments that you were denied, that disparity supports your claim. If employees without disabilities were retained while you were terminated shortly after requesting accommodations, that pattern matters.

Pretextual Terminations

Employers rarely admit to disability discrimination. They offer explanations: budget cuts, performance problems, restructuring. Proving pretext means showing these explanations are false or inconsistent. When did your performance issues supposedly begin? Did they coincide with your disability disclosure or accommodation request? Were others with similar performance retained? Building a timeline and identifying inconsistencies helps expose pretext. Many common mistakes harassment victims make apply equally here, including failing to document events promptly.

Administrative Filing Requirements

Before suing under FEHA, you must obtain a right-to-sue notice from the California Civil Rights Department. You have three years from the last discriminatory act to file your administrative complaint. Errors in this process can damage or delay your case, so working with an attorney familiar with these requirements helps protect your claim.

Available Damages

Employees who prove disability discrimination may recover lost wages and benefits, compensation for emotional distress, and in some cases punitive damages. Reinstatement to your former position may also be available. The amount recoverable depends on factors including the severity of discrimination, its impact on your career, and the strength of your evidence. Cases involving job discrimination based on multiple protected characteristics may support additional claims.

Contact The Bloom Firm

If you have faced disability discrimination in Los Angeles, you have legal rights that deserve protection. Our firm represents employees who have been denied accommodations, pushed out of their positions, or terminated because of their disabilities or medical conditions.

We offer free consultations to evaluate your case and explain your options. We handle disability discrimination cases on contingency, meaning you pay us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. There is no financial risk in learning where you stand.

Living with a disability is challenging enough without an employer making your work life harder. You should not have to tolerate discrimination, and California law says you do not have to. Contact The Bloom Firm today to speak with an attorney who will fight for your rights.

Types of Disability Discrimination Cases We Handle

disability discrimination lawyer in Los Angeles, CADisability discrimination can affect many parts of a person’s job, from hiring to daily working conditions. Your Los Angeles, CA disability discrimination lawyer can examine repeated actions or denied requests to build your case. At The Bloom Firm, we’ll use our decades of experience toto review what happened and determine whether your rights may have been violated. Below are several types of disability-related matters we handle. Read on to learn more, and contact us today.

  • Failure To Provide Reasonable Accommodations: Employees may request changes such as modified schedules, equipment, or job duties to perform their work. When employers deny these requests without a valid reason, it may lead to a claim.
  • Discriminatory Hiring Practices: Job applicants should be evaluated based on their ability to perform the role, not on a disability. Your workplace disability attorney may examine rejected applications or improper questions during the hiring process.
  • Termination Based On Disability: Losing a job due to a disability, or after disclosing a condition, may violate the law. We review timing, employer statements, and workplace records to assess whether the termination was lawful.
  • Harassment Related To Disability: Repeated comments, jokes, or conduct tied to a disability can create a hostile work environment. Your LA disability discrimination lawyer will focus on how the behavior affected you over time.
  • Retaliation For Requesting Accommodations: Asking for accommodations is a protected action. As your workplace disability attorney can explain, if an employee faces discipline, reduced hours, or termination after making a request, it may point to retaliation.
  • Failure To Engage In The Interactive Process: Employers are expected to communicate with employees when discussing accommodation requests. When that process is ignored or cut short, it may support a claim.
  • Unequal Pay Or Job Opportunities: A disability should not limit access to promotions, pay increases, or job assignments. These cases often involve comparing treatment across employees in similar roles.
  • Medical Leave Violations: Employees may need time off for treatment or recovery. Problems can arise when leave is denied or when an employee faces negative consequences after taking time off. Contact your disability workplace rights attorney to learn more.
  • Improper Medical Inquiries: Employers are limited in what they can ask about a person’s health. Asking for unnecessary medical details or requiring improper exams may violate the law.
  • Perceived Disability Claims: A person may face discrimination even if they do not have a disability but are treated as if they do. These cases focus on how the employer viewed and acted toward the employee.
  • Failure To Provide Accessible Workspaces: Work environments should be accessible when reasonable. When employers do not make changes that allow an employee to perform their job, it may lead to a claim.

Get In Touch With Us Today

The Bloom Firm is one of the largest victim’s rights law firms in the country. We’ve secured millions of dollars for our clients, and we provide dedicated case management: We’ll review the facts, explain your options, and help you decide what to do next. If you believe you have been treated unfairly due to a disability, reach out to our team to discuss your situation with a Los Angeles disability discrimination lawyer who’s on your side.