Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

Key Takeaways

• If you’re searching for a Los Angeles disability discrimination lawyer, you likely need fast guidance on ADA/FEHA rights, accommodations, and tight filing deadlines.

• California’s FEHA is often stronger than federal law and requires employers to engage in a good‑faith interactive process and provide reasonable accommodations unless it causes undue hardship.

• Winning cases typically hinge on clear timelines, medical documentation of functional limits, proof of requests/denials, and evidence that an employer’s reason is pretext.

• You can file at the EEOC or California’s Civil Rights Department first; missing the earliest filing window can limit your options.

• Damages can include back pay, emotional distress, policy changes, reinstatement, and attorney’s fees, with special issues for long COVID, mental health, and workers’ comp overlap.

Table of Contents

• Introduction

• What Counts as Disability Discrimination in Los Angeles

• Your Rights Under the ADA and FEHA

• Reasonable Accommodations and the Interactive Process

• How to File a Disability Discrimination Claim in Los Angeles

• Deadlines and Filing Windows

• Where and How to File

• After You Get a Right-to-Sue Letter

• Evidence That Strengthens Your Case

• Medical Need and Functional Limits

• Comparators, Timelines, and Pretext

• Communications and Performance Records

• Common Employer Defenses and How to Respond

• Undue Hardship and Essential Functions

• Direct-Threat Safety Claims

• Legitimate Reason vs. Pretext

• Damages and Remedies You Can Seek

• Economic and Tax Considerations

• Non-Economic and Punitive Damages

• Injunctive Relief and Policy Changes

• Attorneys’ Fees and Costs

• Choosing a Los Angeles Disability Discrimination Lawyer

• Special Issues: Long COVID, Mental Health, and Workers’ Comp

• Long COVID as a Disability

• Mental Health Accommodations

• Workers’ Comp Overlap and Return-to-Work

• Conclusion

• FAQ

• When should I contact a lawyer about disability discrimination in Los Angeles?

• What if my employer denied my accommodation request?

• Can I recover damages for emotional distress?

• How long do disability discrimination cases take in California?

• Do I need medical proof to win?

Introduction

If you’re looking for a Los Angeles disability discrimination lawyer, you’re likely facing urgent questions about your rights, how to request accommodations, and what to do if your employer has ignored or punished you for medical needs. California law offers strong protections, and acting quickly preserves your options.

This guide explains what counts as disability discrimination, how the ADA and California’s FEHA work, how to document your case, where to file, and how to evaluate potential remedies. It also covers special issues like long COVID, mental health, and workers’ comp overlap that can complicate return-to-work plans.

For a broader overview of disability rights at work, see this plain‑English guide to disability discrimination workplace rights.

What Counts as Disability Discrimination in Los Angeles

Disability discrimination happens when an employer takes adverse action because of your disability, record of disability, or perceived disability. It also includes denying reasonable accommodations, refusing to engage in the interactive process, or allowing harassment based on disability-related traits or needs.

Examples include rescinding offers after medical disclosures, disciplining you for disability-related absences without considering accommodations, or ignoring viable job modifications. Retaliation for requesting accommodation or taking protected medical leave is also unlawful.

Local lawyers in Los Angeles focus on these issues every day. For instance, the Legal Advocacy Unit at Disability Rights California concentrates on disability discrimination law and ADA compliance issues, providing civil-rights expertise that informs workplace cases.

Your Rights Under the ADA and FEHA

The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) both protect qualified workers with disabilities. FEHA generally casts a wider net than the ADA, covers smaller employers, and imposes a firm duty to engage in a good‑faith interactive process.

Under both laws, employers must provide reasonable accommodations to enable you to perform essential job functions unless doing so would cause undue hardship. This can include schedule changes, ergonomic equipment, job restructuring, remote/hybrid work when feasible, leave as an accommodation, or reassignment to a vacant role.

To get deeper on practical protections and employer duties, review our guide to ADA reasonable accommodations.

Reasonable Accommodations and the Interactive Process

The interactive process is a back‑and‑forth conversation to identify workable accommodations. It should be timely, collaborative, and documented. Employers can ask for limited medical information that describes functional limits, not your full medical history.

If an employer stalls, requests irrelevant medical records, or rejects obvious solutions without exploring alternatives, that may violate FEHA. Keep emails, notes, and doctor letters that show your requests and the employer’s responses. If your employer insists that you work without modifications despite clear medical limits, see this step‑by‑step guide on how to prove disability discrimination.

How to File a Disability Discrimination Claim in Los Angeles

Most cases begin with an administrative filing at either the EEOC or California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD). Dual filing may preserve federal and state options. A focused strategy can help you choose the right forum and meet every deadline.

Deadlines and Filing Windows

Deadlines can be as short as 180 days for certain federal charges, extended to 300 days where state law also applies, and longer windows can apply under California law. Missing the earliest deadline can close off significant remedies. For a refresher on deadlines and exceptions, see our overview of how long you have to file a discrimination claim and practical filing steps in our EEOC filing guide.

Where and How to File

You can file a charge online, by mail, or in person with the EEOC, and likewise with the CRD. Provide a clear timeline, identify decision‑makers, and attach supporting documents. Be specific about your disability, the accommodation requested, the employer’s response, and any retaliation.

Many Los Angeles firms help employees through these filings. Examples include Los Angeles disability discrimination attorneys at King & Siegel LLP, ADA & disability discrimination employment attorneys at Rise Law Firm, disability discrimination lawyers in Los Angeles at B&W Counsel, Helmer Friedman LLP’s disability discrimination team, California disability discrimination lawyers at Wilshire Law Firm, Shegerian Conniff’s disability discrimination practice, Custis Law’s discrimination lawyers, and SoCal Labor Law Group’s disability discrimination page. These resources show the breadth of local representation focused on disability rights.

After You Get a Right-to-Sue Letter

If the agency issues a Right‑to‑Sue, your next deadline to file in court starts ticking immediately. Evaluate venue, remedies, and whether to bring both FEHA and ADA claims. Our Los Angeles‑focused guide to workplace discrimination attorneys in L.A. explains how local counsel assess timing, evidence, and strategy under FEHA versus federal law.

Evidence That Strengthens Your Case

Strong cases are built on consistent documentation of requests, responses, and timelines, plus proof that accommodations were feasible. Keep everything in one place and back it up outside of work systems.

Medical Need and Functional Limits

Ask your clinician to describe functional limitations and how specific accommodations will enable you to perform essential functions. You generally don’t need to disclose diagnoses beyond what is needed to support the request. When appropriate, tie accommodations to objective job tasks.

Comparators, Timelines, and Pretext

Compare your treatment to similarly situated coworkers. If others got schedule flexibility or remote work but you did not, note that difference. Timeline evidence—such as discipline soon after an accommodation request—can show causation and pretext.

Communications and Performance Records

Save emails, HR portal messages, meeting notes, and performance reviews. If you were meeting expectations before a medical disclosure and then suddenly faced write‑ups, that pattern matters. For a fuller checklist, use our practical guide on proving disability discrimination.

Common Employer Defenses and How to Respond

Employers often argue that requested accommodations are unreasonable, cause undue hardship, or remove essential functions. They may also claim you pose a direct threat or cite a non‑discriminatory reason for termination. Anticipating these defenses helps you prepare evidence to rebut them.

Undue Hardship and Essential Functions

Under FEHA and the ADA, undue hardship is a high bar. Cost, resources, and business size matter, but employers must consider alternatives and engage in the process. Job descriptions should reflect real essential functions; if remote work or minor task swaps let you perform the core role, document how.

Direct-Threat Safety Claims

“Direct threat” defenses require objective evidence and an individualized assessment. If your condition is well‑controlled with accommodations, ask the employer to explain specific risks and how supports mitigate them. Medical notes that address safety concerns can be decisive.

Legitimate Reason vs. Pretext

Employers may cite performance or restructuring as legitimate reasons. Show pretext with timing, shifting explanations, inconsistencies, or deviations from policy. Preserve evidence that you asked for help and proposed workable solutions the employer ignored. Our broader resources on workplace discrimination laws and claim best practices offer additional strategies.

Damages and Remedies You Can Seek

FEHA remedies are robust. Depending on the facts, you can seek lost wages, emotional distress damages, reinstatement, policy changes, and attorney’s fees, among other relief.

Economic and Tax Considerations

Economic relief includes back pay and front pay. You may also recover lost benefits or out‑of‑pocket expenses tied to the discrimination. For an overview of how settlements and back pay can be taxed, see our guide to the taxation of settlement amounts.

Non-Economic and Punitive Damages

Emotional distress damages are common in FEHA cases. In egregious situations, punitive damages may be available to punish and deter unlawful conduct.

Injunctive Relief and Policy Changes

Court orders can require policy revisions, training, or accommodations moving forward. Reinstatement or transfer to a vacancy may also be appropriate.

Attorneys’ Fees and Costs

Prevailing employees often recover reasonable attorney’s fees and costs under FEHA. Fee‑shifting helps level the playing field, making it possible to litigate meritorious cases even against large employers. If you’re comparing representation models, our primer on contingency fees in discrimination cases explains common structures.

Choosing a Los Angeles Disability Discrimination Lawyer

Look for a lawyer who routinely handles ADA/FEHA accommodation disputes, denial-of-leave cases, and disability harassment. Ask about interactive‑process litigation, summary judgment strategies, and trial experience under FEHA. Local knowledge of L.A. courts, juries, and employer counsel can influence outcomes.

Los Angeles has many practices dedicated to this work, such as King & Siegel’s disability discrimination attorneys, Rise Law Firm’s ADA and disability team, B&W Counsel’s disability discrimination practice, Helmer Friedman LLP’s disability lawyers, Wilshire Law Firm’s California disability discrimination group, Shegerian Conniff’s disability discrimination lawyers, Custis Law’s discrimination practice, and SoCal Labor Law Group’s disability resources. Reviewing multiple practitioners’ case summaries and approaches can help you gauge fit and strategy.

If you want a broader framework for vetting counsel and preparing questions, explore our L.A.-specific guide to a workplace discrimination attorney in Los Angeles and our general checklist on how to choose the right discrimination attorney.

Special Issues: Long COVID, Mental Health, and Workers’ Comp

Disability law intersects with evolving medical conditions and other legal systems. Handling these overlaps carefully can strengthen your claim and reduce delays in getting back to work safely.

Long COVID as a Disability

Many long‑COVID symptoms substantially limit major life activities and can qualify as disabilities. Reasonable accommodations might include remote or hybrid work, flexible hours, reduced physical exertion, or air‑quality controls. For practical steps to request and document support, see our long COVID workplace rights guide.

Mental Health Accommodations

Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other psychiatric conditions can be disabilities under FEHA/ADA. Often, small changes—like predictable schedules, short breaks, or a quiet workspace—make the difference between struggling and succeeding. Our guide to mental health workplace accommodations explains how to request support while protecting your privacy.

Workers’ Comp Overlap and Return-to-Work

After a workplace injury, workers’ comp handles medical care and wage replacement, while FEHA/ADA governs return‑to‑work accommodations. Employers cannot use workers’ comp status to sidestep accommodation duties. Learn how these systems interact in our explainer on the ADA and workers’ compensation.

Conclusion

Disability discrimination cases are time‑sensitive. The sooner you align medical documentation, job‑function evidence, and a clear timeline of requests and responses, the more options you preserve under FEHA and the ADA. Whether you are pursuing accommodations, responding to retaliation, or preparing to file, a focused plan anchored in your records—and the law—can restore stability and protect your career.

Need help now? Get a free and instant case evaluation by US Employment Lawyers. See if your case qualifies within 30-seconds at https://usemploymentlawyers.com.

FAQ

When should I contact a lawyer about disability discrimination in Los Angeles?

As soon as you notice resistance to accommodations, discipline tied to medical needs, or signs of retaliation. Early advice helps you document requests, meet filing deadlines, and avoid common pitfalls in the interactive process. Our local guide to a workplace discrimination attorney in L.A. outlines what to bring to your first consultation.

What if my employer denied my accommodation request?

Ask for the reason in writing and propose alternatives. Provide medical detail on functional limits and how the accommodation enables essential functions. If the employer refuses to engage in good faith, review your options under FEHA and the ADA using our ADA accommodations guide and evidence checklist for proving disability discrimination.

Can I recover damages for emotional distress?

Yes, emotional distress damages are available under FEHA, and punitive damages may be possible in egregious cases. You may also recover back pay, front pay, and attorney’s fees. For planning purposes, consider the tax treatment of different award types with our resource on the taxation of settlement amounts.

How long do disability discrimination cases take in California?

Timelines depend on agency backlogs, discovery scope, and whether your case settles or goes to trial. Some matters resolve in months; others take longer. Filing promptly and organizing strong evidence can shorten the path. See our guidance on claim best practices to keep your case moving.

Do I need medical proof to win?

You need enough medical support to show disability, functional limits, and how the requested accommodation enables essential duties. Detailed clinician notes tied to specific job tasks are powerful, especially alongside timelines, emails, and performance records. If you’re navigating post‑injury return‑to‑work, read our explainer on the ADA–workers’ comp interaction for additional tips.