Problems at work?

Wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, unpaid overtime, missed breaks, and unpaid wages. Tell me what happened and I will review it personally.

Job or Wages Injury or Accident Something Else

Answer what you can and skip the rest. Only your name and email are required, and what you share is confidential.

Website

About you

First name *

Last name *

Email *

A personal email is best. Employers can often read work email.

Phone

Best way to reach you

Phone callText messageEmail

City

County

Where you live or where this happened.

Preferred language

EnglishSpanish / EspañolOther

Which language?

Your age

Some protections depend on age.

Under 1818 to 3940 or older

What has been happening at work?

Check everything that has happened with this employer. It is fine to check a lot.

Tell me about the last 4 years working for this employer, even if your job changed in that time. You do not need to know the legal name for any of it.

My paycheck was short, or my hours or time records were changedI worked off the clock, or was not paid overtimeMissed or late meal periods. (You should get one in the first 5 hours of work, a second by the 10th hour on long shifts.)Missed rest periods. (You should be given the fair chance to take a rest period in the middle of each 3.5-4 hour block of work.)I did not get paystubs, or they were wrongI am paid a salary or as a 1099 contractor, and I do not get overtimeI was not paid all wages due on the day my work endedI was sometimes paid late (after payday)I was not paid for all the hours I workedI paid costs for work and was not reimbursedI had to wear a specific uniform and was not given the uniform or reimbursed for itI was fired, laid off, demoted, written up, or had my hours or pay cutI was harassed, bullied, or treated worse than coworkersI had trouble using sick days or taking medical, family, or pregnancy leaveI asked for a change at work because of a health condition, injury, disability, or pregnancyI complained about, reported, or refused to do something I thought was illegal, unsafe, or unfairSomething else. (You can tell me the details below.)

Pay, hours, and breaks

Check anything else that has happened.

I worked before clocking in, after clocking out, or during breaks. Even a few minutes a day counts.I was not paid overtime (time and a half after 8 hours in a day or 40 in a week)My meal breaks were often cut short, under 30 minutesI had to stay on call, keep a radio or phone on, or stay on site during breaksWhen I missed a break, I was not paid an extra hour of payA paycheck bouncedI lost vacation or PTO I had earned, or it was not paid out when I leftI was paid less than minimum wage, including a city or industry minimumManagers kept tips or service charges

About how you are paid. Check any that fit.

I am paid a salary, and most of my day is hands-on or routine work, not managing people or making big business decisionsI am paid as a 1099 contractor, but the company controls how, when, or where I workAs a contractor, I do the same work as people on the payroll

How often do these pay problems happen?

Every shiftEvery weekEvery pay periodNow and thenIt happened once

Can you see your pay and time records?

Paper paystubs, or an app or website like Workday, ADP, UKG, or Paycom.

YesSome of themNoNot sure

How you were treated

What happened to you? Check any.

FiredLaid offPushed to quit, or quit because it got so badDemoted or moved to a worse jobHours, shifts, or pay cutTaken off the scheduleSchedule changed to one I could not workWritten up or disciplinedDenied a promotion or raiseThreatened with being firedHarassed or bullied by a supervisorHarassed or bullied by a coworker or customerTouched, propositioned, or shown sexual content

Did anyone make comments or jokes about any of these?

My race or skin colorWhere I am from, my accent, or my languageMy sex or perceived sexMy clothes or hairstyle related to my ethnicity, race, or cultural identificationMy sexual orientation or gender identityMy agePregnancy or breastfeedingA health condition or disabilityMy religionNone of these

What reason did they give you?

What do you think the real reason was?

Health, leave, and pregnancy

Check anything that has happened.

I was written up, cut, or fired after calling in sick or bringing a doctor's noteI was told to find my own replacement before I could call in sickI was not allowed to use sick days, or was told I had noneI was denied time off for my own serious health condition, a family member's, or a new childI was punished or let go after taking medical or family leaveI was denied time off after a death in my familyI asked for a change because of a health condition or disability, and it was refused or ignoredI was told I could not come back to work until I had no restrictionsI was pregnant and was taken off the schedule, denied light duty, or treated differentlyI did not get break time or a private place to pump breast milkI was hurt at work, or filed a workers' comp claim

Speaking up

What did you do? Check any.

Complained about pay, hours, or breaksReported harassment or discriminationReported something I believed broke a law or ruleRefused to do something I believed was illegal or unsafeRaised concerns about patient, customer, or public safetyReported fraud, like billing for work not done or faked recordsWent to a government agency, like Cal/OSHA, the Labor Commissioner, a licensing board, or the policeSigned a petition, or complained together with coworkersTook part in an investigation, or backed up a coworker's complaint

Who did you tell?

My supervisorHRA manager or ownerA company hotlineA government agencyCoworkers

How did you raise it?

In writing (email, text, or a form)In person or by phoneBoth

What did you report or refuse, and roughly when?

What happened to you afterward? Check any.

FiredHours or pay cutWritten upDemotedSchedule changedTreated worse or ignoredNothing yet

How soon after you spoke up?

Within a few daysWithin a few weeksWithin a few monthsLonger than that

Why it happened

Do you think any of it was connected to any of these? Check any.

Your best guess is fine.

Pregnancy or breastfeedingA health condition, injury, or disabilityMy age (40 or older)My race or skin colorWhere I am from, my accent, or my languageMy sex or perceived sexMy clothes or hairstyle related to my ethnicity, race, or cultural identificationMy sexual orientation or gender identityMy religionTaking sick days or medical or family leaveGetting hurt at workComplaining or reporting somethingMilitary or veteran statusAnother reasonNot sure

Government funding

Does your employer get money from the government?

For example, Medicare or Medi-Cal, government contracts, or public grants.

YesNoNot sure

Have you seen your employer bill for work, care, or products that were not provided, or change records to get paid?

YesNoNot sure

What did you see?

A sentence is enough. I will ask about details privately.

Your job

Employer name

Staffing or temp agency that placed you, if any

Your job title

City where you work or worked

Your direct supervisor

Person in charge of your payroll, if you know

How are you paid?

HourlySalaryCommissionPiece rate or per job1099 contractorIn cashNot sure

About how much?

Hours in a typical week

About how many people work for the company?

Count all locations if you know. Some protections depend on company size.

Is your employer a government agency, public school, or public hospital?

Different deadlines and rules apply to public employers.

NoYesNot sure

Are you in a union at this job?

NoYesNot sure

Name of union and local

Website for the local, if you know

Please upload your collective bargaining agreement if you have it handy. It may impact your deadlines.

Do you still work there?

YesNoOn leave or suspended

When did you start?

When was your last day?

Deadlines often run from this date.

How did it end?

FiredLaid offI quitI felt forced to quitContract or assignment endedOther

Your story

What happened, in your own words?

Who was involved, what they did, and roughly when.

Who was involved?

Supervisors, HR, owners, and anyone else who played a part.

Is this happening to other people at work too?

No, just meA few (2 to 9)10 to 4950 or moreNot sure

Who saw what happened, or has the same problem?

First names and job titles are fine.

List everyone you believe would tell me the truth if my private investigator called them for a recorded statement.

How has this affected you? Check any.

Lost pay or lost my jobLost health insuranceStress, anxiety, depression, or trouble sleepingSaw a doctor or therapist about itFell behind on bills or rentSomething else

What do you have? Check any.

Texts or emailsPaystubs, or screenshots from a pay appTime records or schedulesWrite-ups, reviews, or a termination letterPapers I signed, like an offer letter or agreementPhotos or videosNotes or a list of datesNothing yet

Please tell me anything else you would like me to know.

Upload anything helpful

Feel free to upload up to 5 files you think would be helpful. Examples: a recent paystub, examples of harassing messages, papers you signed when hired/terminated, a severance agreement, or a doctor's note about leave. Your communication here is private and protected.

Last few things

Check any that apply.

I signed an arbitration agreement, or I might haveI signed a severance agreement or a releaseI signed papers when I left and did not get copiesI filed a complaint with the Civil Rights Department (CRD), the EEOC, or the Labor CommissionerI have a right-to-sue letterA case has already been filed in court or arbitrationI have a lawyer for this, or I had one before

Which agency or court, and roughly when?

If you cannot take my case, it is OK to share my information with another lawyer who may be able to help.

How did you find me?

Who referred you?

Optional. It helps me connect related matters.

Ready to send

Only your name and email are required. Anything else you added will help me understand your situation faster.

Sending this form does not make me your lawyer, and it does not stop any legal deadline from running.

Everything else is optional.

Advertisement for Legal Services. Joshua H. Watson, Cal. Bar No. 238058. Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship.

1 About you

2 What has been happening at work?

3 Pay, hours, and breaks

4 How you were treated

5 Health, leave, and pregnancy

6 Speaking up

7 Why it happened

8 Government funding

9 Your job

10 Your story

11 Last few things

12 Ready to send