Within the State of California, employment may be terminated at the will of either party. Some aspects of separation agreements may not be legal in the state of California, which has particularly strong protections for workers.California obeys "at-will" employment laws. Employees who are discharged must be paid all wages due at the time of termination. (Labor Code § 201). Legal news and tips for employees, including meal breaks, rest breaks, overtime and unpaid wages. Our employment and labor law attorneys in Southern California help employees understand their legal obligations and rights, and we take appropriate action. The first step in holding an employer accountable for wrongful termination is to file a claim with the EEOC outlining the details of the situation. The first step in the wage complaint process is to fill out a Form 1 labor board complaint. You will typically need to also fill out a Form 55 attachment.