A serious medical diagnosis or a chronic condition can feel overwhelming enough without also worrying about your job. Yet many California employees in that exact position find themselves facing a demotion, a denied accommodation request, or a termination shortly after their employer learns about a disability. If this sounds familiar, you may be wondering whether what happened to you was simply an unfortunate business decision or something the law does not allow.
California’s disability discrimination protections are among the strongest in the country, and Rubin Law Corporation helps employees throughout Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Southern California understand exactly where that line sits. Whether you were passed over for a promotion, denied a reasonable accommodation, or fired after requesting medical leave, we can review what happened and explain your options under state law.
What The Fair Employment And Housing Act Covers
The Fair Employment and Housing Act, commonly known as FEHA, is the primary state law protecting California workers from disability discrimination. It applies to employers with five or more employees and covers a far broader range of conditions than many people realize. A disability under FEHA includes any physical or mental impairment that limits a major life activity, and the definition extends to conditions that are temporary, episodic, or currently in remission.
This means conditions like depression, anxiety, a herniated disc, diabetes, or a cancer diagnosis in remission can all qualify for protection. You do not need a visible disability or a permanent diagnosis for FEHA to apply. According to the California Civil Rights Department, disability discrimination occurs whenever an employer treats a qualified worker unfavorably because of an actual disability, a history of disability, or even a perceived disability, regardless of whether the perception is accurate.
The Employer Duty To Provide Reasonable Accommodation
One of the most misunderstood parts of FEHA is the interactive process. Once an employer knows or should know that an employee has a disability, the law requires a timely, good faith conversation about what accommodations might allow that employee to keep doing the job. This is not optional, and it is not satisfied by a single email exchange or a form letter.
Common Accommodations Employers Overlook
A reasonable accommodation can take many forms depending on the job and the condition involved. Employers sometimes assume a request is unreasonable without seriously exploring alternatives, which is itself a violation of the law. Some accommodations we regularly see denied without proper consideration include the following.
- A modified or reduced work schedule to accommodate medical appointments or treatment.
- Additional unpaid leave beyond what a company policy typically allows.
- Additional unpaid leave beyond what a company provides under the CFRA/FMLA policy.
- Reassignment to a vacant position the employee is qualified to perform.
- Equipment, software, or physical workspace changes that allow the employee to perform essential job functions.
An employer may only refuse an accommodation if it would create significant difficulty or expense given the size and resources of the business. A generalized concern about inconvenience does not meet that bar, and refusing to even discuss options with the employee almost always signals a deeper problem.
Recognizing Disability Discrimination At Work
Disability discrimination rarely announces itself directly. Few employers state outright that a termination or demotion relates to a medical condition. Instead, the pattern usually shows up in timing and inconsistency, such as a sudden shift in performance reviews shortly after a diagnosis is disclosed, or a rushed termination immediately following a return from medical leave.
Employees also frequently experience retaliation after requesting an accommodation or raising a concern about how they were treated. Retaliation might look like a sudden reduction in hours, exclusion from meetings, or increased scrutiny that did not exist before the request was made. Termination decisions following reports of harassment or discrimination are retaliatory. If a decision affecting your job followed closely after your employer learned of your condition, that timeline matters.
Documentation makes a meaningful difference in these cases. Saving emails about accommodation requests, doctor’s notes describing work restrictions, and performance reviews from before and after the disclosure can help establish whether an employer’s stated reason for an adverse action holds up.
What Rubin Law Corporation Brings To Disability Cases
Steven Rubin has spent more than 25 years representing California employees against employers ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, and disability discrimination cases have produced some of the firm’s most significant recent results. In 2025, Steven secured an $800,000 settlement in a disability discrimination case that went to court, and in 2026 he obtained a $900,000 settlement in a disability discrimination matter resolved through arbitration, an unusually large recovery for that forum.
We take the time to understand the medical and professional details of your situation before recommending a path forward, whether that means a direct negotiation with your employer or preparing your case for litigation. If your condition, treatment schedule, or accommodation request played any role in how your employer treated you, reaching out for a case evaluation is a reasonable first step toward understanding your options.