To sue for discrimination in California, follow these steps:
1. Report & document the discrimination — keep evidence (dates, emails, witnesses).
2. File a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) (formerly DFEH) — you must do this before suing. File online or by mail. You usually have up to 3 years from the last discriminatory act.
3. Request a “Right-to-Sue” notice from CRD. This lets you take the case to court.
4. File your lawsuit in California court within the time limit after getting the Right-to-Sue notice (typically 1 year).
5. (Optional) also file with EEOC for federal claims; you may get a separate right-to-sue notice.