Netflix is one of the most prominent streaming and entertainment platforms in the world, with over 300 million customers worldwide. Over the years, the company has developed their own movies, shows, and documentaries, thereby increasing their revenues and outreach. This, in turn, creates more jobs for people who want to work in the entertainment industry. However, not everyone at Netflix and other streaming companies can be counted on to behave in a professional and respectful manner.
Acts of discrimination and retaliation are very common at some of the world’s biggest corporations. Those who try to do the right thing and complain about these issues may be fired or subjected to other unfair employment decisions. If you were wrongfully terminated by Netflix, you may have grounds to file a claim for monetary damages. Please reach out to the lawyers of California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group to learn about the legal actions that are available to you.
Wrongful Termination Laws in California
The state of California, as well as the federal government, has numerous statutes that prohibit discriminatory conduct by employers, and this includes wrongful termination. Let’s take a look at some of the laws that have to do with your legal rights:
- The Civil Rights Act of 1967 prohibits employers from making adverse employment decisions on the basis of sex, age, race, religion, and other protected traits.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 mandates fair treatment and accessibility for disabled individuals in all public areas of life, including workplaces. For example, companies like Netflix must provide reasonable accommodations upon request for a physical or mental disability.
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act makes it illegal for employers to target those who are age 40 and older. Essentially, older workers cannot be fired, demoted, overlooked for promotions, etc. solely on the basis of their age.
- The California Family Rights Act gives workers the right to ask for extended medical leave (up to 12 weeks) for a serious medical condition without fear of losing their job.
Protected Characteristics Under California Law
Certain traits cannot be used as a reason to fire someone, and these are known as “protected characteristics.” Under California law, characteristics that cannot be used for negative employment decisions include:
- Race, ethnicity, nationality
- Age (40 and above)
- Veteran / military status
- Having a physical or mental health condition
- Pregnancy / childbirth
- Religion
- Gender or gender identity / expression
- Being HIV positive
- Genetic information
- Marital status
- Sexual orientation
- Political affiliation
If you suspect that your recent job loss had to do with workplace discrimination, contact our attorneys without delay. We can help you find evidence of wrongful termination and initiate an employment claim against Netflix.
Examples of Wrongful Termination at Netflix
Anyone can be discriminated against by their employer and fired over a reason that violates state of federal law. California is an at-will employment state, so employers do have the right to fire someone, even if their work performance is satisfactory. However, ending someone’s employment is illegal when it’s based on discrimination, like firing someone who complains about insensitive racial jokes from their supervisor.
By speaking with a Los Angeles Netflix wrongful termination lawyer, you can verify your eligibility for a lawsuit. It can be very challenging to obtain evidence and build a case that clearly shows how you were affected by discrimination and retaliation. To give you a sense of what is means to be wrongfully terminated, consider the following examples:
- Age discrimination – workers who are over the age of 40 are often looked upon as less capable or valuable to the company. Many employees of companies like Netflix may find that younger employees are given preferential treatment compared to those who are middle-aged. Older workers can also face greater scrutiny of their work and told that they are not meeting the company’s standards. These and other actions eventually result in a termination notice based on age discrimination.
- Religious discrimination – employees are subjected to jokes and other insensitive comments about their religion. They may also be prohibited from wearing certain religious attire, jewelry, etc. or denied time off for religious holidays.
- Sex discrimination – you are subjected to sexually harassing behavior, like a supervisor asking you for sexual favors in exchange for work benefits and perks. Or, you may be threatened with job loss for not engaging in sexual relations or complaining about sexual harassment to Human Resources.
- Racial discrimination – being a certain race or ethnicity can make you the target of jokes, bullying, demotion, and other unlawful conduct in the workplace. Employers must take action against such behavior and ensure that the employee is protected from retaliation by the offender.
- Pregnancy discrimination – pregnancy and childbirth falls under the category of medical conditions that count as a disability under California laws. Thus, you are entitled to reasonable accommodations, like time off for doctor’s appointments and additional breaks during the day to pump breast milk. You also have the right to seek maternity leave under the California Family Rights Act or the federal government’s Family and Medical Leave Act. Leave under these acts is job-protected, meaning your employer cannot fire you for seeking or going on pregnancy leave.
- Disability discrimination – employees with a physical or mental disability have the right to request accommodations that do not place an undue hardship on the employer. Your employer cannot refuse to engage with you in a discussion for reasonable accommodations, and you cannot be fired for making the request. You also have the right to file a complaint for disability discrimination with HR or a state / federal agency without fear of retaliation (job loss, for example). If you lose your job as a result of filing a complaint, you should speak with a wrongful termination attorney as soon as possible.
Discrimination and retaliation are two separate things, but they usually go together when someone is wrongfully terminated. Typically, workers to go to a specific individual at the company, like a Human Recourses rep, to complain about discrimination by a supervisor, manager, etc. As retaliation for snitching or continuing to press the issue, the worker is fired from their job or punished in some other way.
Value of a Netflix Wrongful Termination Lawsuit
It’s impossible to come up with a settlement value that applies to every wrongful termination lawsuit against Netflix. However, we can say that many of the cases handled by our attorneys result in payments of $250,000 or more. Your settlement or compensation from a jury verdict is based on many factors beyond the wages you lost because of an illegal firing. Our employment rights lawyers will fight to secure all the damages you are legally entitled to, such as:
- Value of lost income in the form of back and front pay
- Compensation for the value of lost work benefits
- Non-economic damages like pain and suffering
- Reinstatement of your former position
- Punitive damages as part of a jury award if there is gross negligence or misconduct by the employer
Netflix Wrongful Termination Attorneys in Los Angeles
If you are in need of legal advice for a wrongful termination case, look no further than California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group. Netflix and other major corporations can take advantage of workers who are unfamiliar with the legal system. That’s why many of them stay silent and fail to pursue a claim for illegal termination. Our lawyers are here to even the playing field and see that justice is served on your behalf.
Our commitment to you includes the Zero Fee Guarantee to ensure that you will never pay out of pocket for legal services. All payment owed to us is recovered once your settlement check is released by the employer, and that means we make nothing if you do not receive compensation. If you would like to learn more about the Zero Fee Guarantee and all the other ways we can assist you, don’t hesitate to contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our legal experts look forward to speaking with you during a free, private consultation.
