Tech companies are an important part of the San Francisco economy. Workers in the tech industry have the same rights and protections as all employees; however, workers who work in tech companies, such as Google or Facebook for example, may face unique employment issues as companies scale and expand without establishing the safeguards and processes necessary to ensure compliance with the law. <\/p>\n
The attorneys for workers at Liberation Law Group have extensive experience representing tech employees with issues ranging from discrimination and sexual harassment to misclassification of independent contractors and unpaid commissions, bonuses, or equity. Our Employment attorneys represent tech workers at all levels, guiding our clients toward the successful resolution of their cases against tech companies of all sizes and stages of growth. <\/p>\n
Depending on the type of legal claim you have, you may be able to recover unvested equity. For example, if you were fired in retaliation for complaining about illegal conduct, you may be able to recover the equity you would have acquired over time, had you remained employed and not been illegally terminated. Issues that often arise when lost or unvested shares are at stake include accelerated vesting, forfeiture, and valuation of stock grants. <\/p>\n
A non-compete agreement generally stipulates that, for a period after your employment, you will not be able to join a company or enter into a business that is competitive with your former employer. It is often included in employment agreements, offer letters, confidentiality agreements, equity plans, or other employment documents. Employers generally cannot enforce a non-compete agreement in California against former employees, although there is an exception when an employee sells backdated shares. <\/p>\n
Your non-compete agreement may state that any dispute over the agreement must be filed in another state or must be decided using the law of a state other than California. If you work primarily in California, regardless of where your employer is located, you are subject to the protections of California Labor Code 925. <\/p>\n
That law states that your employer cannot require you to accept a provision that requires you to litigate a dispute outside of California or apply the law of another state, unless you are represented by an attorney in the negotiation of the agreement. This is important because many other states enforce non-compete agreements. However, Labor Code 925 only applies to agreements entered into, modified, or extended on or after January 1, 2017. Agreements entered into before January 1, 2017 that select the law or place of a different state are subject to different rules and may or may not be enforceable, depending on the circumstances. <\/p>\n
Companies have broad authority to protect confidential and trade secret information, including requiring employees to enter into agreements to safeguard intellectual property and other confidential information. Many companies require employees, and in some cases even interviewees, to sign confidentiality agreements as part of the hiring and onboarding process. <\/p>\n
In general, courts will enforce non-disclosure agreements, so it is important to follow company rules and procedures regarding data security. It would likely be a violation of your confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement to retain copies of company information after you leave the company. This includes documents stored in your personal email, cloud storage accounts, or backups, and on electronic storage devices such as computers, phones, and drives, as well as printed documents. <\/p>\n
The way these rules are applied in a particular situation can be complex. The same infractions or illegalities occur in a tech company as in any other company. If you work in a tech company and have problems with your employer or company, you can consult with the attorneys for workers in San Francisco. <\/p>\n
Our lawyers will help you with a lawsuit or protect your job against discrimination, abuse, or wrongful termination. We can also advise you on your particular case regarding confidentiality agreements or non-compete agreements. Our offices are located in San Francisco, California, and we offer our legal services in San Francisco, San Mateo, San Jose, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Oakland, Berkeley, and all surrounding cities in Silicon Valley. If you have questions about your employment at a tech company, contact one of our lawyers by calling (888)442-2642 for a free consultation with an employment law attorney in San Francisco, California. <\/p>\n
We serve workers at tech companies in San Francisco, San Mateo County<\/a>, San Jose<\/a>, Santa Clara, and throughout Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n Do you need an employment lawyer?<\/p>\n Attorney Arlo Uriarte<\/strong> can evaluate your case \u2014 free, in Spanish. 1-888-442-2642<\/strong> \u2014 free consultation here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Yes. California employment laws make no exception for tech companies \u2014 regardless of their size, valuation, or reputation. Google, Meta, Apple, and any other tech company must pay the correct minimum wage, respect overtime hours, protect against discrimination and harassment, and comply with all California Labor Code laws. In fact, large tech companies in Silicon Valley have faced significant class-action lawsuits for misclassifying service workers. Call 1-888-442-2642<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you work in cleaning, catering, security, or maintenance for a tech company like Google, Apple, or Meta through a subcontracted service company, you have all California employment rights: San Francisco minimum wage (if the work is in SF) or County minimum wage, overtime, rest periods, protection against discrimination and harassment. If the service company classifies you as a contractor when it actually controls you as an employee, that could be a violation of AB 5. Call 1-888-442-2642<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The form may be different \u2014 large tech companies often practice more subtle, institutional discrimination, documented in their hiring and promotion data. But the result is the same: workers of certain races or origins are systematically underrepresented in higher-paying positions. When this occurs without legitimate justification, it can be disparate impact discrimination \u2014 illegal under FEHA even if there is no explicit discriminatory intent. Read about employment discrimination in California<\/a>. Call 1-888-442-2642<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Large tech companies almost universally have arbitration agreements with all their employees. However, these agreements have limitations: they are invalid for sexual harassment cases (federal law 2022), they may be invalid if unconscionable under California law, and PAGA actions cannot be completely blocked by arbitration. A lawyer can evaluate your specific agreement and determine your options. Read about employment arbitration agreements<\/a>. Call 1-888-442-2642<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Yes. We represent tech workers and subcontracted service workers for tech companies in San Francisco, San Mateo County<\/a> (Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Mountain View), and Santa Clara County (San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino). Call 1-888-442-2642<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n For wage theft: 3 years (4 under UCL). For discrimination and harassment under FEHA: 3 years. For retaliation: 3 years. For PAGA: 1 year. Act quickly \u2014 every month that passes is lost claimable period. Call 1-888-442-2642<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Nothing upfront. Pure contingency. We only charge if we win. In successful cases under FEHA, the employer pays the worker’s attorney fees. The initial consultation is completely free. Call 1-888-442-2642<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n No. Illegal retaliation adds compensation to the case. Many workers are more protected after initiating the legal process. Read about employment retaliation in California<\/a>. Call 1-888-442-2642<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Call 1-888-442-2642<\/strong> or complete our free form<\/a>. In Spanish, no cost. <\/p>\n Liberation Law Group \u2014 Attorneys for Workers<\/p>\n 2760 Mission Street 2nd floor, San Francisco, CA 94110<\/p>\n 1-888-442-2642<\/strong><\/p>\nFrequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
Do tech companies have the same labor obligations as other companies?<\/h3>\n
What rights do service workers subcontracted for tech companies have?<\/h3>\n
Is discrimination at tech companies in Silicon Valley different?<\/h3>\n
What if I have an arbitration agreement with my tech company?<\/h3>\n
Does Liberation Law Group serve tech workers throughout Silicon Valley?<\/h3>\n
How long do I have to sue my employer in California?<\/h3>\n
How much does it cost to hire Liberation Law Group?<\/h3>\n
Can my employer retaliate against me for contacting a lawyer?<\/h3>\n