Practice areas / Santa Monica
Santa Monica Employment Lawyer
Santa Monica pairs some of the state's biggest tech and studio names with a beachfront economy of hotels and restaurants, and a paycheck can go wrong in any of them. If you were fired for the wrong reason, shorted on hours, or pushed out after raising a complaint, Justin Silverman represents the worker, never the employer, and the first conversation is free.
Justin’s office is in Sherman Oaks, and there is no Santa Monica office. California employment law is statewide, so where in the state you work does not decide whether he can represent you.
Tell Justin what happened
You'll hear back within one business day, or call 818-585-1267.
Where the law draws the line
California’s workplace protections apply in Santa Monica exactly as they do anywhere else in the state, the law is statewide, and so is Justin’s practice. What differs city to city is the local wage floor and what has actually been happening to workers there, both of which are below.
- Fired for an unlawful reasonDiscrimination, retaliation, or a firing that breaks a statute or a real contract.
- Harassment or discriminationIncluding a hostile work environment, under FEHA.
- Unpaid wages or overtimeMissed breaks, off-the-clock work, and final pay that arrived late.
- Punished for speaking upRetaliation can be a claim of its own, separate from what you reported.
The common thread is that the employer did something the law forbids, not merely something that felt unfair. Start with employment law in California.
Layoffs on record in Santa Monica
Employers planning a mass layoff in California have to file advance notice with the state, and those filings are public. 8 employers have notices on file listing a Santa Monica address — 14 notices covering 691 workers, filed between Oct 21, 2025 and Apr 27, 2026.
- Snap247 workers · notice Apr 15, 2026
- Amazon223 workers · notice Jan 29, 2026
- RAND73 workers · notice Oct 21, 2025
- Oracle America50 workers · notice Apr 1, 2026
- Blue Plate Oysterette45 workers · notice Nov 4, 2025
- People Concern23 workers · notice Apr 27, 2026
- HRL Laboratories21 workers · notice Feb 3, 2026
- Sony Pictures Entertainment9 workers · notice Apr 8, 2026
Listed because each appears in California’s published WARN data with an address in Santa Monica, as retrieved on Aug 20, 2026. Naming an employer here is not a statement that it did anything unlawful, and this firm is not affiliated with any of them. A layoff is lawful on its own; whether a particular notice fell short of what the law required depends on the facts. What the WARN Act requires, or see the full California layoff tracker.
What you have to be paid in Santa Monica
Santa Monica sets its own minimum wage of $18.47 an hour, above California’s $16.90, and it applies by where you work rather than where you live. The rates, their effective dates, and who they cover are on the Santa Monica minimum wage page.
Whatever the floor, daily overtime, duty-free breaks, accurate pay stubs, and expense reimbursement sit on top of it. Estimate what you may be owed with the overtime calculator or the waiting time penalty calculator.
Wage cases already concluded in Santa Monica
The U.S. Department of Labor publishes the wage cases it closes. In Santa Monica, 3 employers have agreed to pay a total of $56,657 in back wages covering 31 workers, and federal investigators flagged 2 of those cases as willful or repeat.
- KORAL, LLC$26,274 agreed · 11 workers
- The Last House$21,868 agreed · 10 workers
- Smoke World Tobacco, Inc.$8,515 agreed · 10 workers
Concluded federal cases as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, retrieved Aug 1, 2026. These are agreed outcomes, not allegations, and this firm was not involved in them. Worth knowing: a federal case recovers federal minimums only. California’s daily overtime, meal and rest premiums, pay-stub and waiting-time penalties, and PAGA are not part of that figure — which is why a worker at one of these employers may still be owed more. The full wage-theft record.
Workplace safety citations in Santa Monica
State inspectors issue citations when a workplace breaks California’s safety rules, and the results are public. In Santa Monica, 1 citation has become final with a penalty of $7,100, covering 2 violations classed serious, willful, or repeat. A further 1 case is contested and not final, so no penalty is settled in it.
- $7,100PALIHOUSE SANTA MONICA LLCCitation final
Why this matters to a worker rather than only to the employer: a citation can support a serious-and-willful claim that increases workers’ compensation by half, and California bars an employer from punishing you for raising a safety concern or cooperating with an inspection. What a Cal/OSHA citation can support.
Final citations only, from the U.S. Department of Labor’s published inspection record as retrieved Aug 2, 2026. A citation is not a finding that anyone was injured, naming an employer is not a statement that it did anything unlawful, and this firm was not involved in these inspections.
If you have just lost the job
Unemployment in Los Angeles County ran 5.3% in June 2026, against 5.2% statewide. It is context rather than advice, but it is worth knowing when you are weighing how quickly you need to accept something.
Questions people ask
Were the recent Santa Monica layoffs given enough notice?
Of the 14 WARN notices on file with a Santa Monica address, 3 show fewer than 60 days between the notice date and the last day of work. That is a fact about the filing, not a finding that any employer broke the law — California's notice rules carry exceptions, and whether a short gap matters depends on the employer and what else happened. It is a reason to have the paperwork read rather than assume.
Do I need a lawyer in Santa Monica to handle a Santa Monica case?
No. California employment claims are brought under state law, and a lawyer licensed in California can represent you wherever in the state you work. Justin's office is in Sherman Oaks and he represents workers throughout California, Santa Monica included.
Can I be fired without a reason in Santa Monica?
Usually yes — California is at-will, so an employer generally needs no reason. What it cannot do is act on an unlawful one.
What does a consultation cost?
Nothing, and it is confidential. There is no fee unless we win, and no costs if there is no recovery.
How long do I have to bring a claim?
It depends on the claim. Some deadlines run in months rather than years, and several require an administrative filing first — which is why it is worth asking early.
Other California cities and counties
Justin represents workers throughout California, not only in Santa Monica. The office is in Sherman Oaks, and these are the other local pages on this site.
Free case review
Talk to Justin about your Santa Monica case
Free, confidential, and no obligation. Justin responds personally, and there is no fee unless we win.
General information about California law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Page reviewed ; layoff data as retrieved .