If you were fired in Monrovia and believe the reason was unlawful, or you’ve been handed a severance agreement and told to sign quickly, California law likely gives you more protection than your employer wants you to know. Under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), the California Labor Code, and enforcement routes through the Civil Rights Department (CRD/DFEH), the EEOC, and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), a wrongful termination or a coercive severance offer can give rise to real legal claims. Huprich Law Firm represents Monrovia employees in exactly these situations.
California is an at-will employment state, but that cuts both ways. Employers cannot fire you for discriminatory reasons, in retaliation for protected activity, or in violation of public policy. The Tameny doctrine lets you sue in common law when a termination crosses that line, such as being fired for refusing to commit an illegal act or for reporting a safety violation.
Take these three steps in the next 48–72 hours:
- Preserve everything. Save emails, texts, performance reviews, pay stubs, and any written communications about your termination. Evidence gathered early dramatically improves claim viability.
- Confirm your final pay. California law requires immediate final wages upon termination, including accrued vacation. If your employer is withholding final pay pending a signed release, that may itself be an unlawful practice supporting a DLSE wage claim.
- Do not sign a severance agreement yet. You have a statutory right to review it. Sign nothing until you’ve spoken with an attorney.
Table of Contents
- What you need to know before signing a severance agreement
- Local Monrovia and Los Angeles County protections that go further
- How COVID-19 protections and recent laws still affect Monrovia employees
- How to tell whether your severance package is actually fair
- Huprich Law Firm is ready to fight for Monrovia employees
What You Need To Know Before Signing A Severance Agreement
Severance is not legally required in California. Employers offer it primarily to secure a release of your legal claims, including wage-and-hour claims, discrimination claims, and retaliation claims. That trade deserves careful scrutiny.
Under SB 331 (the Silenced No More Act), any nondisparagement clause in a severance agreement must explicitly state that it does not prohibit you from discussing harassment, discrimination, or other unlawful workplace conduct. Employers must give you a reasonable time to review the agreement and must inform you of your right to consult an attorney before signing. A nondisparagement clause missing that language can be unenforceable under California Government Code §12964.5.
If you’re 40 or older, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) adds another layer: you have a designated period to consider the agreement and a short window to revoke it after signing. Non-compete clauses are also largely unenforceable in California, so any such provision in your severance is a red flag worth contesting. Learn more about severance pay eligibility before you decide.
Local Monrovia And Los Angeles County Protections That Go Further
Monrovia sits within Los Angeles County, which means employees here benefit from county-level protections that layer on top of California state law. The Los Angeles County Worker Retention Ordinance, for example, protects certain workers during business transitions and ownership changes. The county’s minimum wage and paid sick leave ordinances also affect what counts as “wages” in a final pay calculation, which matters when you’re evaluating whether your employer paid you correctly at termination.
For mass layoffs affecting Monrovia employers, both the federal WARN Act and California’s Cal-WARN Act require advance notice for qualifying plant closings or large-scale layoffs. Employers who skip that notice may owe back pay and benefits for the notice period, a claim separate from any wrongful termination suit.
How COVID-19 Protections And Recent Laws Still Affect Monrovia Employees
California’s COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave has expired, but its legacy matters. Workers who were terminated during the pandemic for taking protected leave, raising safety concerns, or refusing unsafe working conditions may still have viable retaliation claims if they acted within the applicable statute of limitations. FEHA discrimination and retaliation claims generally must be filed with the CRD within three years of the unlawful act; EEOC charges carry a 300-day deadline for California employees.
Recent legislative updates, including SB 331 and expanded CRD enforcement authority, reflect California’s ongoing commitment to protecting workers from coercive separation agreements. Monrovia employees should also be aware that the California Civil Rights Team’s FAQ on settlement agreements is a useful resource for understanding what compliant language looks like versus what should raise concern.
How To Tell Whether Your Severance Package Is Actually Fair
A fair severance offer reflects the strength of your potential claims, your tenure, and the employer’s exposure. Most standard offers fall short of that. Watch for these common pitfalls:
- Overly broad releases that waive wage-and-hour claims you haven’t even discovered yet
- Missing SB 331 language in nondisparagement clauses, which can make those clauses unenforceable
- Confidentiality provisions that go beyond protecting trade secrets and effectively silence you about workplace misconduct
- No mention of your right to consult counsel or the five-business-day review period
Pro Tip: Before you assess the dollar amount, assess what you’re giving up. A $5,000 offer paired with a broad release of a $50,000 wage claim is not a good deal, regardless of how it’s framed.
A Monrovia wrongful termination lawyer can evaluate the full value of your claims before you sign anything. You can also review California and federal statutes directly through resources like Rubin Law’s statute library to understand the legal framework behind your rights.
Huprich Law Firm Is Ready To Fight For Monrovia Employees
When you’ve been wrongfully fired or handed a severance agreement that doesn’t add up, you need someone in your corner who knows California employment law and the local Los Angeles County filing landscape. Huprich Law Firm offers free consultations and works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover for you. We review severance agreements under the SB 331 framework, file administrative claims with the CRD, EEOC, and DLSE, and negotiate settlements or litigate when employers won’t do the right thing.
Before your first call, gather your termination letter, any severance offer, recent pay stubs, and any communications about the reason for your firing. That preparation lets us move fast. Schedule a free consultation with Huprich Law Firm today and get a clear answer on where you stand.
This article provides general legal information, not legal advice. For guidance specific to your situation, consult a qualified California employment attorney or contact the CRD, EEOC, or DLSE directly.
