Skilled Family Medical Leave Act Attorneys in Long Beach, California
Reviewed by Eliot J. Rushovich, Managing Partner, Rise Law Firm, PC. Last updated October 2026.
Can I be fired for taking medical or family leave in California?
No. If you are eligible, the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) give you up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave a year to recover from a serious health condition, care for a seriously ill family member, or bond with a new child. Your employer may not deny eligible leave, interfere with it, or fire or punish you for requesting or taking it. Rise Law Firm represents employees only, never employers, and handles these cases on a contingency basis, so you pay no fees or costs unless we recover compensation for you.
If you were denied leave or punished for taking it, call (310) 728-6588 or contact us to request a free, confidential consultation.
Rise Law Firm represents employees who live or work in Long Beach. Long Beach employers range from the Port of Long Beach and the logistics companies that serve it to hospitals, schools, aerospace companies and the City of Long Beach itself, and the same California protections apply to all of them. If your employer is a public agency, such as the City or the school district, a government claim may be due within six months, so it is especially important to act quickly.
Does my employer have to give me family or medical leave?
Under California law, probably yes. Since 2021, CFRA applies to employers with 5 or more employees. You are eligible if you have worked for the employer for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months before the leave.
The federal FMLA applies only to employers with 50 or more employees, and only if at least 50 employees work within 75 miles of your worksite. Many employees of smaller businesses are protected by CFRA even though the FMLA does not apply. When both laws apply, the leave usually runs at the same time.
What can I take leave for?
- Your own serious health condition, including recovery from surgery or a hospital stay, or ongoing treatment
- Caring for a family member with a serious health condition. Under CFRA, this includes a child of any age, spouse, domestic partner, parent (including a parent-in-law, stepparent, foster or adoptive parent, legal guardian, or anyone who raised you as a child), grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or another person you designate
- Bonding with a new child after birth, adoption or foster placement. Parents who work for the same employer are each entitled to their own 12 weeks under CFRA
- Certain needs arising from a family member’s military deployment
Is family and medical leave paid?
CFRA and FMLA leave is unpaid, but your employer must continue your group health coverage during the leave on the same terms as if you were working. You may be able to receive partial pay through California State Disability Insurance or Paid Family Leave, and you may be able to use accrued sick leave or vacation. Those programs replace income. CFRA and the FMLA are what protect your job.
What are my rights when I return from leave?
When your leave ends, your employer must return you to the same position or a comparable one with equivalent pay, benefits and working conditions. An employer may not demote you, cut your pay, change your schedule to push you out, or eliminate your position because you took leave.
What counts as a leave violation?
There are two main kinds of claims:
- Interference. The employer denied leave you were entitled to, discouraged you from taking it, counted protected leave against you under an attendance policy, or failed to restore you to your job.
- Retaliation. The employer fired, demoted, disciplined or otherwise punished you because you requested or took leave. As with other retaliation claims, timing is often the most important evidence. See our page on retaliation.
If your own health condition is also a disability, your employer may have separate duties to accommodate you and engage in the interactive process. See our page on disability discrimination.
What other leave laws protect California employees?
- Pregnancy disability leave. Up to four months of leave for disability related to pregnancy or childbirth, at employers with 5 or more employees, in addition to CFRA bonding leave. See our page on pregnancy discrimination.
- Paid sick leave. At least 5 days or 40 hours of paid sick leave a year. See our page on paid sick leave.
- Bereavement leave. Up to 5 days after the death of a family member.
- Reproductive loss leave. Up to 5 days after a miscarriage, stillbirth, failed adoption or surrogacy, or unsuccessful assisted reproduction.
What should I do if my leave rights were violated?
- Keep copies of your leave request, your employer’s response, and any medical certification you provided.
- Write down dates, who you spoke with, and what was said, especially any comments about your leave.
- Keep documents you are lawfully entitled to have, such as performance reviews and pay records. Do not take confidential company materials.
- Request your personnel file and payroll records (Labor Code sections 1198.5 and 226).
- If you were fired, do not sign a severance agreement or release before speaking with an employment lawyer.
How long do I have to file a claim?
| Claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| CFRA interference or retaliation | 3 years to file with the California Civil Rights Department, then 1 year after a right-to-sue notice to file a lawsuit |
| Federal FMLA claims | 2 years, or 3 years if the violation was willful |
| Wrongful termination in violation of public policy | 2 years |
| Claims against a public employer | A government claim generally must be presented within 6 months |
These are general rules, and the facts of your case can change them. Contact us as early as possible so that no deadline is missed.
What compensation can I recover?
Under CFRA, which is enforced through the Fair Employment and Housing Act, an employee may recover:
- Lost wages and benefits (back pay) and future lost earnings (front pay)
- Damages for emotional distress
- Punitive damages when the employer acted with malice, oppression or fraud
- Attorney’s fees and costs
- In some cases, reinstatement
Under the federal FMLA, recovery is limited to lost wages and benefits, interest, an equal additional amount as liquidated damages in most cases, reinstatement or other equitable relief, and attorney’s fees. Emotional distress and punitive damages are not available under the FMLA, which is one reason California claims are usually brought under CFRA.
How much does it cost to hire Rise Law Firm?
Nothing up front. We handle leave cases on a contingency basis, which means there are no fees or costs unless we recover compensation for you. You can contact us to request a free, confidential consultation.
Why employees choose Rise Law Firm
- We represent employees only. We never represent employers, and we are prepared to take cases to trial when that is what it takes.
- Harvard educated lawyers trained at national law firms. Managing Partner Eliot J. Rushovich, a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, began his career at O’Melveny & Myers LLP. Partner Lisa M. Watanabe-Peagler practiced in the Labor and Employment group at Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., where she represented employers, which gives our clients direct insight into how companies defend these cases.
- Recognized by our peers and our clients. Eliot J. Rushovich and Lisa M. Watanabe-Peagler have each been selected to Southern California Super Lawyers for 2022 through 2027. Mr. Rushovich holds an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Our clients consistently give us five-star reviews.
- A record of results. We have secured millions of dollars for our clients. See our case results. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.
Contact our Long Beach family and medical leave lawyers
Call (310) 728-6588 or contact us online to request a free, confidential consultation. We represent employees who live or work in Long Beach from our office at 8383 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 800, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. Consultations are by appointment.