Employment Attorneys in San Francisco, California

Liberation Law Group is the employment law firm San Francisco workers turn to when an employer steals wages, fires them without cause, or tolerates harassment in the workplace. From our office at 2760 Mission Street, 2nd Floor, we have spent more than 25 years fighting for workers across the San Francisco Bay Area. We answer the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, because workplace exploitation does not respect hours and neither do we.

Whether you work in a restaurant in the Financial District, cleaning offices in SOMA, caring for children in Pacific Heights, or building in Mission Bay, you have rights protected by California law. It does not matter if you have papers or not. It does not matter how long you have been at the job. The law protects you, and we know how to use it.

I am Arlo Uriarte, employment attorney and founder of Liberation Law Group. My team and I are Plaintiff's lawyers — we represent workers, not employers. We fight wage theft, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination cases every single day. The consultation is 100% free and you pay nothing unless we win your case.

Why You Need an Employment Attorney Who Knows San Francisco

San Francisco is not Oakland. It is not San Jose. It is the most expensive city in the United States, where the workers who keep it running cannot afford to live in it. The minimum wage is $18.67 per hour in 2024, but a studio in the Tenderloin costs $2,500 a month. The math does not work, and employers know it.

Here, the most valuable tech companies in the world subcontract Latino janitors with no benefits. The hotels around Union Square push housekeepers to clean 30 rooms a day, causing injuries no one reports. Chinatown restaurants pay $300 in cash for 70-hour weeks. The mansions of Pacific Heights stay spotless because Latina women clean them under the table, without protection, without breaks, without rights.

We know every major employer in the city. We know every trick they use to steal hours, manipulate the time clock, and punish anyone who dares to complain. After thousands of cases won and more than $50 million recovered for workers, no employer can surprise us.

If you are being exploited at work, call (888) 442-2642 today. We speak fluent Spanish and English. We listen, we evaluate your case, and we give you a straight answer about your legal options.

Industries in San Francisco Where We See the Most Workplace Abuse

Every industry in San Francisco has its own way of exploiting workers. After 25 years representing victims, we have seen the patterns repeat. If you work in any of these industries, read carefully because your rights are probably being violated.

Tech Industry in SOMA and the Financial District

Google, Salesforce, Twitter, Stripe, and other companies valued in the billions operate their campuses in San Francisco. Inside, engineers eat free meals and receive stock options worth fortunes. Outside, Latino janitors, security guards, cafeteria workers, and drivers are classified as contractors with no benefits. They work 16-hour shifts without proper overtime, are exposed to chemicals without protection, and face discrimination when they ask for promotions that always go to "certain types" of candidates. Workplace discrimination in San Francisco in the tech industry is real, subtle, and completely illegal under California law.

Hospitality in Union Square, Hayes Valley and Chinatown

Luxury hotels in Union Square require housekeepers to clean more rooms than any body can handle. The result: chronic back, shoulder, and knee injuries that no one reports out of fear of retaliation. Michelin-starred restaurants in Hayes Valley pay Latino cooks a fraction of what a single plate costs on the menu. And in Chinatown, restaurants operate under a "traditional" exploitation system where 70 to 80-hour weeks for $300 to $500 in cash is the norm. None of this is legal in California.

Construction in Mission Bay, Treasure Island and Transbay

San Francisco is under constant construction. The Transbay Terminal, the Mission Bay developments, the housing projects on Treasure Island. The Latino workers who build these projects are frequently misclassified as independent contractors to avoid overtime, workers' compensation, and benefits. Safety equipment is "optional," toxic exposures are ignored, and dismissals after injuries are standard. We represent construction workers every single day.

Domestic Work in Pacific Heights, Marina and Presidio Heights

The most expensive mansions in the western United States are in Pacific Heights, Marina, and Presidio Heights. Inside, Latina women work as nannies, housekeepers, and elder caregivers. California's AB 241 gives them clear rights, but employers ignore them. No overtime for live-in workers. No meal breaks. Deportation threats when a worker complains. Silenced sexual harassment. We know domestic worker rights better than anyone in the city.

Healthcare at UCSF, Kaiser, Sutter and CPMC

San Francisco has more than 50,000 healthcare workers. The big hospitals squeeze them with mandatory overtime without real limits, meal breaks interrupted by constant "emergencies," discriminatory scheduling where Latinos always get nights and weekends, and PPE denied especially during critical periods like COVID. If you work in healthcare and face these abuses, you have the right to recover everything the hospital stole from you.

Workplace Exploitation by Neighborhood in San Francisco

The city has 36 official neighborhoods, and each one has its own story of workplace abuse. We share what we see daily so you know you are not alone and that the exploitation you live through is illegal, no matter where you work.

The Mission District (Where We Live and Work)

From Valencia Street to Mission Street, from Cesar Chavez to 14th, we see gentrified restaurants stealing tips from Latino servers, auto shops misclassifying mechanics, and construction sites with no basic safety standards. Along the 24th Street corridor, Latino businesses exploit other Latinos in a cash economy that seems protected but is not. The "that's just how things are" mentality is a lie. The law is the same for everyone.

Financial District, SOMA and Mission Bay

San Francisco's wealth is built on exploitation visible every day. Skyscrapers do not clean themselves. Corporate lunch restaurants depend on Latino cooks who work split shifts without premium pay. The "clopening" practice (closing late and opening early the next morning) is standard and, in many cases, illegal under California break law.

Chinatown and North Beach

Here cultural excuses are used to commit labor crimes. "Traditional" pay systems that violate the minimum wage law. Language used as a discrimination tool. Kitchens without proper ventilation that sicken workers. Delivery drivers misclassified as contractors to avoid paying mileage, gas, and insurance.

Pacific Heights, Marina, Richmond and Sunset

Behind the closed doors of the most expensive houses in the city, domestic workers have no breaks, no overtime, and face constant threats. In Richmond and Sunset, Asian restaurants run 80-hour weeks as if California labor law did not apply. It applies.

Bayview-Hunters Point and Visitacion Valley

Industrial exploitation is real here. Warehouses with unreported injuries, environmental racism that exposes Latino and Black workers to dangerous chemicals, advancement opportunities systematically blocked, and wage theft normalized as part of business. These violations carry serious legal consequences for employers.

Castro, Noe Valley and Hayes Valley

The progressive facade of these neighborhoods hides ugly realities: service workers harassed in high-end venues, tips stolen by managers, gentrification that displaces workers, and discrimination that comes in unexpected forms. Progressive in talk is not always progressive in practice.

Your Employment Rights in California — What the Law Guarantees

Many workers do not know that California has the strongest employment laws in the United States. The law protects you against discrimination, harassment, wage theft, and wrongful termination. Here we explain the main rights in plain English.

Workplace Discrimination Is Prohibited

California law protects workers against discrimination based on race, color, national origin, accent, language, immigration status, gender, pregnancy, age (40+), disability, medical condition, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and military status. If an employer treats you differently for any of these reasons, you have the right to sue. This includes when they deny you promotions, pay you less for the same work, assign you the worst shifts, or fire you while keeping less qualified employees. Learn more about complete employment rights in San Francisco.

Sexual Harassment and Hostile Environment Are Illegal

Sexual harassment in the workplace includes unwanted advances, comments about your body, sexual "jokes," touching, photos or videos, inappropriate messages, and propositions for sex in exchange for job benefits. You do not have to put up with any of this. The law protects undocumented workers too. If you have suffered harassment, save all evidence (messages, emails, photos, witness names) and call us immediately.

Minimum Wage and Overtime

The San Francisco minimum wage is $18.67 per hour in 2024, higher than the state minimum. You have the right to time-and-a-half for more than 8 hours daily or 40 hours weekly. Double time for more than 12 hours daily. Time-and-a-half or double time for working 7 consecutive days. If your employer pays you a "fixed salary" to avoid overtime, it is probably illegal misclassification.

Meal and Rest Breaks

For every 5 hours worked, you have the right to 30 minutes of unpaid meal break. For every 4 hours, 10 paid rest minutes. If you work outside in the sun, additional cool-down breaks to prevent heat illness. If your employer denies these breaks, they owe you an extra hour of pay for each violated break.

Protection Against Wrongful Termination

California is an "at-will" state, but there are important exceptions. It is illegal to fire you for reporting violations of the law, using sick leave, serving on a jury, being pregnant, having a disability, filing a workers' compensation claim, reporting discrimination, or participating in union activity. If you were fired after doing any of these things, you have a strong case for wrongful termination.

Wage Theft — What We See Most in San Francisco

Wage theft is the most common workplace violation in San Francisco. It is not always obvious. It is frequently subtle, systematic, and designed so the worker does not notice until years have passed. Here are the most common types we see every week:

Time clock manipulation: They make you clock out before finishing work, or tell you to "round down" hours. That is theft. Every minute worked counts.

Off-the-clock work: They ask you to arrive 15 minutes early to prep your station, or tell you to stay after clocking out to clean. If you work, they have to pay you.

Tips stolen by management: In restaurants and hotels, tips belong to you by law. Managers cannot take a cut. Tip pools have strict rules that many employers violate.

Misclassification as a contractor: They call you "1099" or "independent contractor" to avoid paying overtime, benefits, or workers' comp. AB5 makes this illegal in most cases.

Unpaid overtime: A fixed salary does not automatically exempt you from overtime. Most workers have the right to overtime, no matter what the employer calls the payment.

Commissions that never come: In sales, retail, and real estate, promised commissions frequently are not paid in full. If you signed an agreement, that agreement is law.

If you recognize any of these abuses, call (888) 442-2642 today. Recovery of unpaid overtime can be thousands of dollars, plus penalties and attorney's fees paid by the employer.

Employer Retaliation — Double Recovery Possible

Workplace retaliation is when an employer punishes you for exercising a legal right. This includes firing you, demoting you, cutting your hours, assigning you the worst shifts, harassing you until you quit (constructive discharge), or creating a hostile environment after you complained.

The key point: if they punish you for reporting discrimination, harassment, wage theft, or any other violation, you have two valid claims. The original claim plus the retaliation claim. This frequently doubles the value of your case.

Available damages include lost wages (past and future), lost benefits, emotional distress damages, punitive damages when the conduct is severe, and attorney's fees paid by the employer. In serious cases, recoveries reach six and seven figures.

Many workers are afraid to report abuse because they think they will lose their job. The truth is that reporting is the best protection there is. Once you document an official complaint, any negative action by the employer becomes evidence of retaliation. We make you legally untouchable.

The Step-by-Step Process — How We Win Your Case

Many workers think an employment lawsuit takes years and costs a fortune. The reality is different when you work with attorneys who know the system. Here we explain each step.

Step 1: Free Initial Consultation (24/7)

You call (888) 442-2642 at any hour of the day or night. A real attorney (not a receptionist, not an answering service) takes your call. We listen to your full story, ask questions to understand the details, and give you an honest evaluation. If you have a case, we tell you. If you do not have a case, we tell you that too. We do not waste your time.

Step 2: Strategic Documentation

Once we decide to work together, we preserve all evidence. Text messages, emails, witness statements, time records, pay stubs, and any document that supports your case. We build a solid paper trail before the employer has a chance to destroy evidence.

Step 3: Agency Filings

Depending on the case, we file official complaints with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD, formerly DFEH), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), or the California Labor Commissioner. These filings preserve your rights and open the door to formal investigations.

Step 4: Aggressive Negotiation

Most cases settle without going to trial. We send a strong demand letter with clear evidence. Employers generally prefer to pay a settlement rather than face a public lawsuit with all its costs. We use mediation when it benefits the client and reject insufficient offers regardless of pressure.

Step 5: Litigation When Necessary

If the employer does not negotiate fairly, we file the lawsuit in court. We conduct aggressive discovery, take effective depositions, and prepare the case fully for trial. Employers know we go to trial when necessary, and that increases settlement values.

How Long It Takes

Simple unpaid wage cases can resolve in 3 to 6 months. Discrimination or wrongful termination cases typically take 12 to 24 months. Complex class actions can take longer. But throughout the process, you pay nothing. We work on contingency: if we do not win, we do not collect.

Do You Need Papers to Sue Your Employer?

This is one of the most important questions for the immigrant community in San Francisco. The short answer is clear: you do not need papers to sue. California employment law protects ALL workers, regardless of immigration status.

The California Supreme Court has confirmed that undocumented workers have the same employment rights as citizens. This includes the right to minimum wage, overtime, breaks, protection against discrimination, and compensation for discrimination or wrongful termination.

More importantly: your employer cannot ask you about your immigration status during an employment dispute. If they do, it is additional evidence of retaliation and increases the value of your case. The threat to "call immigration" is illegal and can lead to serious punitive damages against the employer.

At Liberation Law Group we have represented hundreds of undocumented workers and recovered millions for them. Your information is completely confidential. The attorney-client relationship is protected by law.

Deadlines to File — Do Not Wait

California has strict deadlines to file employment claims. If you wait too long, you lose the right to recover, no matter how strong your case.

Discrimination and harassment: 3 years from the last violation to file a complaint with CRD. The law changed in 2020; before it was only 1 year.

Wage theft: 3 years to claim under California Labor Code. 4 years if there is a written agreement violated.

Wrongful termination: 2 years for public policy violation cases, 4 years for written contract violation.

Retaliation: Varies depending on the underlying claim, typically 3 years.

Sexual harassment: 3 years, but we recommend acting immediately to preserve evidence.

Each case is different. The best thing is to call us at (888) 442-2642 as soon as you suspect your rights were violated. The consultation is free and we tell you exactly how much time you have.

Why Liberation Law Group Is Different From Other Firms

San Francisco has hundreds of employment attorneys. Why should you choose us? The answer is in how we work, not what we promise.

We Are in the Community, Not in a Downtown Tower

Our office at 2760 Mission Street is accessible by BART (24th Street Mission Station) and Muni lines 14, 49, and 33. We walk the same streets as our clients. We buy food at the same taquerias. Our kids attend the same schools. When a worker suffers exploitation near Cesar Chavez Street or along the 24th Street corridor, we generally know exactly what happened before they tell us.

We Speak Real Spanish — and Real English

The entire team, from receptionists to attorneys, speaks fluent Spanish and English. Not "office Spanish." Spanish as it is spoken on the street, at home, with family. We prepare documents in your preferred language. If we need to go to court and you want to testify in Spanish, we arrange certified interpreters. Language is never a barrier.

25+ Years Specifically in the Bay Area

Arlo Uriarte has focused his entire career on employment law in the Bay Area. We do not do divorces. We do not do personal injury (except work-related cases). We do not do immigration. Only employment law. This specialization makes us the best at what we do. Every major San Francisco employer already knows our name.

Real 24/7 Availability

When you call (888) 442-2642 at 11 PM or on a Sunday morning, a real attorney answers. No answering service. No "we'll call you Monday." Workplace exploitation has no hours and neither do we. If you were fired Friday afternoon, you do not wait until Monday. You call us that same day.

No Fees Unless We Win

We work on contingency in nearly every case. This means you pay no attorney's fees unless we win. No hidden costs, no "consultation fees," no surprises. Fees come as a percentage of the settlement or verdict. If we recover nothing, you owe nothing. Period.

Call today at (888) 442-2642 or request your free consultation online. We are waiting for your call.

Additional Resources for Workers in San Francisco

Besides private legal services, San Francisco offers several free resources for workers facing abuse. We share this information because we want you to know all your options.

Government Agencies:

San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE): (415) 554-6235 — investigates minimum wage, paid breaks, paid sick time, and other city law violations.

California Labor Commissioner, San Francisco Office: (415) 557-3057 — handles state wage, hour, and retaliation claims.

EEOC San Francisco: (415) 625-5600 — investigates discrimination and harassment under federal law.

California Civil Rights Department (CRD): (800) 884-1684 — investigates discrimination and harassment under California law (stronger protections than federal law).

Community Organizations:

La Raza Centro Legal: (415) 575-3500 — legal services for Latino workers.

Chinese Progressive Association: (415) 391-6986 — Asian worker advocacy.

Young Workers United: (415) 621-4155 — organizing young and Latino workers.

These resources are valuable, but they have limits. Government agencies have few investigators and case backlogs of months or years. Community organizations cannot represent you in court. For serious cases with significant recovery potential, you need private attorneys with experience and resources. That is why we offer a free consultation: so you know if your case qualifies for contingency representation before investing time in agencies.

Your Moment to Act Is Now

San Francisco needs you working, but does not pay you fairly. It calls you "essential" during crises, but treats you as disposable when you claim your rights. It promises progress from its glass skyscrapers, but practices exploitation in its restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and mansions. It does not have to be this way for you.

From our office at 2760 Mission Street, 2nd Floor, we fight for workers like you every single day. We answer when you call. We win when we fight. We recover what was stolen from you and protect your right to keep working without abuse.

Every day you wait, evidence weakens. Every day you wait, the employer prepares better. Every day you wait, you lose recovery opportunity. Call now at (888) 442-2642 or visit our free consultation page. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Arlo Uriarte and the entire Liberation Law Group team are waiting for your call. Your call is confidential. Your consultation is free. Your right to workplace justice in San Francisco begins with a single call.