Fighting for Fresno workers — in agriculture, healthcare, retail, and beyond — against wrongful termination, discrimination, and wage theft.
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Fresno County is California’s agricultural heartland and the economic center of the San Joaquin Valley, home to over 1 million residents and one of the most diverse workforces in the state. The county’s economy is anchored by agriculture and food processing, healthcare, education, government, retail, and a growing logistics sector. Fresno is also home to large immigrant communities whose workers are among the most vulnerable to wage theft, discrimination, and unsafe working conditions.
At Liane Ly Law, we represent Fresno employees who have been wrongfully terminated, discriminated against, sexually harassed, retaliated against, or denied fair wages. Attorney Liane Katzenstein Ly brings over 15 years of experience fighting for California workers in state and federal courts. Every Fresno County worker — regardless of industry, immigration status, or language — deserves to have their rights enforced. We are here to do exactly that.
Fired for an illegal reason? We fight for reinstatement, back pay, and damages when employers violate California termination law.
Discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, or national origin violates California and federal law. We hold employers accountable.
Hostile work environment and quid pro quo harassment are illegal. We provide compassionate, aggressive representation for harassment victims.
Did your employer punish you for reporting misconduct or filing a complaint? Retaliation is illegal and we aggressively defend your rights.
Unpaid overtime, missed meal breaks, misclassification — California wage law is strict. We recover what you are owed, plus penalties.
Contract disputes, non-compete issues, severance negotiation, and WARN Act violations — we handle the full range of employment matters.
Fresno County’s agricultural workforce is one of the largest in the United States and faces some of the most serious labor violations in California — including piece-rate pay schemes that result in below-minimum-wage earnings, heat illness due to inadequate rest and water breaks, and rampant misclassification through farm labor contractors. The county’s large immigrant workforce is particularly vulnerable, as employers often exploit workers’ fear of retaliation. California law protects all workers regardless of immigration status.
Attorney Liane Katzenstein Ly has over 15 years of experience representing California employees and has appeared in courts across the state. She is licensed in all California state courts and in the Central, Northern, and Eastern Districts of California. When you hire Liane Ly Law, you get an attorney who understands not just the law, but the economic realities facing workers in your region.
Attorney Liane Katzenstein Ly has fought for California workers since 2008, building a record of results in state and federal court.
We handle most employment cases on contingency — you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
We exclusively represent employees, never employers. Your interests are always our only priority.
If you believe your employer has violated your rights in Fresno County, don’t wait. Employment law deadlines are strict and evidence disappears quickly.
Liane’s passion extends beyond the courtroom. She dedicates her time to pro bono legal services, empowering low-wage workers and undocumented immigrants seeking asylum. She is also deeply involved with non-profits that advocate for workers’ rights, ensuring that her commitment to justice goes beyond her practice.
With over 15 years of experience, Liane has built a reputation for providing compassionate, results-driven representation. Her work has taken her to state and federal courts, where she has achieved significant victories for workers across a wide range of industries. Whether addressing wage disputes, fighting against wrongful termination, or standing up to discrimination, Liane approaches each case with the belief that every worker’s story matters.
At Liane Ly Law, we’re not just about legal representation—we’re about changing lives.
We understand the courage it takes to speak up against unfair treatment and the impact losing your job can have on every aspect of your life. We’re here to stand by your side every step of the way. Let us help you reclaim your voice and achieve the justice you deserve.
Relentlessly pursuing justice with passion, precision, and unwavering commitment to protect your rights and achieve the results you deserve.
Delivering expert legal representation with integrity, reliability, and a steadfast focus on achieving the best outcomes for our clients.
Bringing years of proven expertise to navigate complex legal challenges and secure justice for our clients.
Our attorneys can help you with any disputes or issues between you and your employer. These can come in the form of any of these common issues:
Wrongful termination claims are usually based on being actually fired from your job. However, there are some exceptions.
We can often start wrongful termination or other discrimination claims if you have not been actually fired, but your employer has refused to put you on the schedule or return your calls/emails, or has otherwise cut you off without explicitly firing you.
In some cases where your treatment at work was so intolerable that you were forced to quit, you can still sue for wrongful termination based on “constructive discharge.” This says that a reasonable person in the same situation would also have been forced to quit, so courts should not treat it like you voluntarily quit.
Yes, but it has far more employment protections than most at-will states.
In an at-will employment system, you can quit and your employer can fire you for any reason or no reason. The biggest restriction, however, is that they cannot fire you for an illegal reason, such as discrimination or retaliation.
Your employer does not need a “for cause” reason to fire you, but they also cannot fire you based on discrimination or retaliation.
Employers in California are required to offer a certain number of sick days, and to honor their sick day policies. If you have properly reported your sick days, but your employer is now denying you sick days, demanding you come in while sick, or trying to discipline or fire you for taking sick days, call a lawyer.
Additionally, state and federal laws may allow sick leave without pay or termination for various medical issues, including a family member’s illness. Talk to a lawyer about your rights under these rules, and whether you may have a case for wrongful termination.
Retaliation is when your employer creates negative conditions or punishes you for doing something you were legally allowed to do. This may come after you do any of these, for example:
Retaliation can also come in many forms, such as
In many cases, employers try to lay the groundwork for a “legal” reason to punish or fire you. These extra steps are taken to cover up the fact that their real reason for firing or disciplining you is retaliation or discrimination.
For example, if you report sexual harassment, then find that you are being called into your supervisor’s office for a performance improvement plan or repeat tardiness (when there were no issues before you reported the harassment), they could be looking for pretextual excuse to fire you.
Call a lawyer and document everything, as it is still possible to prove that the underlying reason for your firing or discipline was an illegal reason, not the legal pretext they gave.
Many cases deal with monetary damages for things like back pay, job retraining and job search costs, and the benefits you lost while you were out of work. In many cases, this can be a game changer, and getting these damages is essential.
Attorneys’ fees can also be recovered in many cases, especially Title VII cases dealing with workplace discrimination.
In some cases, you may be entitled to “specific performance” or “equitable relief,” which means that the court orders the defendant to take actions. This may mean giving you something they were supposed to provide under a contract or reinstating you to your previous position.
Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, other laws, and Supreme Court cases provide robust protections for workers across the country.
This specifically protects from discrimination based on any of these categories:
Additional statutes and case law have added pregnancy status, gender, and sexual orientation into “sex” protections.
The ADA provides disability protections, and other laws provide protections against discrimination based on some health information and conditions.
California puts more explicit protections into the law instead of relying on court rulings. These include the same protections listed in Title VII, plus explicit protections for
