“I thought I had no choice but to sign what they gave me. Marcelina went through it with me in Spanish, line by line, and told me what each part meant.”
Rosalva R.Packing shed worker
Workers' lawyers in Salinas
What happens to me if I speak up?
Zavala & Dizon represents people who work in the Salinas Valley when an employer cuts their pay, pushes them out or crosses a line. Call or write in English or Spanish. We start with your worry, not a form.
Begin with your worry
What becomes of my…
These are the questions people ask first. Each one has a page that answers it in plain words.
…my paycheck?
Late pay, overtime that never shows up, tips held back, deductions nobody explained. You can ask for what you earned, and claims have deadlines, so it helps to ask early.
Unpaid wages…my job if I speak up?
Raising a safety problem, asking about pay or reporting a boss is protected. If you were let go afterward, that can be retaliation.
Let go or forced out…my dignity at work?
A supervisor who touches, taunts or treats you differently because of who you are isn't just a bad boss. It may be harassment or discrimination.
Harassment and discrimination…the paper they handed me?
A layoff notice, a severance offer, a release to sign on the spot. You can take it home, read it and ask us before you sign.
Layoffs and severance
From the valley
Most of our clients work within sight of fields like these.
Salinas sits in a long valley between two mountain ranges, and the work that feeds the country happens here: in the fields, the cooling sheds, the processing plants, the trucks and the kitchens.
Marcelina Zavala and Efren Dizon opened this office downtown so that someone who works a long shift can still reach a lawyer in the same week. We know the employers, the seasons and the schedules.
What that means for you
Marcelina and Mika meet clients in Spanish; Efren in English and Tagalog
Early and late calls, by appointment
Nothing is filed without your say-so
Once you reach us
From first call to your decision
No pressure and no jargon. Each step ends when you say it does.
- 01
You tell us
Tell us what happened in your own words. Marcelina, Efren or Mika will answer, usually within a business day.
- 02
You talk, we listen
Bring what you have: pay stubs, texts, a schedule, a letter. If you have nothing on paper, come anyway.
- 03
We say what we see
A plain answer about your rights, the deadlines and the choices. If we're not the right firm, we say so.
- 04
Your choice
Nothing is filed and nothing is sent without your yes. How we're paid is explained in writing before we start.
Heard from clients
What clients said about the way we worked
“Efren never made me feel like a number. He explained the steps and called back every time he said he would.”
Ruperto T.Truck driver
“Mika answered my messages in the evening, after my shift. That mattered more than I can say.”
Fortino M.Line cook
Sample comments. Each client's case is different, and what happened in one doesn't predict the result of another.
First questions
What people want to know first
Do I need papers to have rights at work?
No. Pay, safety and anti-discrimination protections generally cover everyone who works, whatever their immigration status. We'll tell you plainly how your situation affects your options. We don't handle immigration cases, and we can point you to someone who does.
Will my employer know I called a lawyer?
Not from us. We don't contact your employer until you decide what you want us to do.
How long do I have to act?
Claims have deadlines, and some are short. Call as soon as you can, even if you aren't sure you have a case.
What papers should I gather?
Pay stubs, your schedule, texts, letters and the names of anyone who saw what happened. If you have none of it, come anyway; we'll start from your account.
Say what happened in the language you think in.
Write in English or Spanish. If it's late, send a message and we'll answer in the morning.
Please don't send confidential details through the site.