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California Workplace Harassment Law: The FEHA Guide

California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits workplace harassment at employers of ANY size — even one employee — and covers contractors, interns, and volunteers. Workers have 3 years to file with the Civil Rights Department, damages are uncapped, and prevailing workers recover attorney's fees. It is the strongest state harassment law in the country.

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California at a glance

Statute
Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) — Cal. Gov. Code § 12940 et seq.
Covers harassment at
1+ employees for HARASSMENT (Gov. Code § 12940(j)) — 'any person regularly employing one or more persons or regularly receiving the services of one or more persons providing services pursuant to a contract.' CRD: 'Harassment is prohibited in all workplaces, even those with fewer than five employees.' Also covers applicants, unpaid interns, volunteers, and CONTRACTORS.
Other discrimination claims
5+ employees for discrimination (Gov. Code § 12926(d))
State agency deadline
3 years from the unlawful practice to file with CRD (Gov. Code § 12960)
Federal EEOC deadline
300 days (California is a deferral state — CRD is the FEPA); for harassment the clock runs from the last incident
After right-to-sue
1 year from CRD right-to-sue notice to file civil action (Gov. Code § 12965); right-to-sue notice required before filing your own lawsuit
Damages
NO statutory caps on compensatory or punitive damages (contrast Title VII's $50K-$300K caps)
State agency
California Civil Rights Department (CRD)

Verified against primary sources 2026-06-10. Statute: Cal. Gov. Code § 12940 et seq.

What you can recover under Fair Employment and Housing Act

  • NO statutory caps on compensatory or punitive damages (contrast Title VII's $50K-$300K caps)
  • Back pay and front pay
  • Hiring / reinstatement / promotion
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
  • Emotional distress damages
  • Punitive damages
  • Attorney's fees and costs including expert witness fees (Gov. Code § 12965; prevailing defendants recover only if action was frivolous)

Special provisions worth knowing

  • Harassment covered at ALL employer sizes (1+) including for contractors, interns, volunteers (§ 12940(j))
  • Employer liable for nonemployee (customer/client) harassment where it knew or should have known and failed to act
  • Statute current through SB 1100 (Stats. 2024, Ch. 877, eff. Jan. 1, 2025); SB 477 tolling changes eff. Jan. 1, 2026

Where to file in California

CRD

Los Angeles Office

320 West 4th Street, Suite 1000, 10th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(800) 884-1684

CRD

Riverside Office

1325 Spruce Street, Suite 320
Riverside, CA 92507
(800) 884-1684

Filing is CENTRALIZED statewide: online via California Civil Rights System (CCRS), phone 800-884-1684, 711 relay, TTY 1-800-700-2320, email contact.center@calcivilrights.ca.gov, or mail to HQ. CRD HQ/mailing is now 651 Bannon Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95811 (older datasets show the Elk Grove Kausen Drive address — stale).

File with CRD →

City guides in California

Los Angeles →San Bernardino →Orange County →

Compare deadlines across all states →

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