Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

Re: Discrimination of Women by Businesses

Send the miscreants a letter documenting their bad behavior. Tell them you are in the business of *whatever your business is*, not the business of lawsuits. Then inform them that the provisions of

California Civil Code Section 51.5 provides: "51.5. (a) No business establishment of any kind whatsoever shall

discriminate against, boycott or blacklist, or refuse to buy from,

contract with, sell to, or trade with any person in this state

because of the race, creed, religion, color, national origin, sex,

disability, or medical condition of the person or of the person's

partners, members, stockholders, directors, officers, managers,

superintendents, agents, employees, business associates, suppliers,

or customers, because the person is perceived to have one or more of

those characteristics, or because the person is associated with a

person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those

characteristics." Then point out that Civil Code Section 52 provides remedies for actual damages, or $1000 per incident, plus attorney fees, and if their behavior was found to have been intentional, they could be liable for punitive damages.

Then invite them to meet with you to resolve the matter without a referral to the EEOC or litigation.