A former employee, Ruth Sanchez, filed the Dolores Huerta Foundation lawsuit on September 29, 2025, in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing the nonprofit of wrongful termination, retaliation, disability discrimination, misuse of grant funds, and unpaid wages after five years on staff. The 25-page complaint lists 11 causes of action, and a jury trial is scheduled for January 24, 2028. It is the first employment-related lawsuit ever filed against the foundation.
Who Ruth Sanchez Is and How She Was Fired
Sanchez was hired as a county organizer in August 2019 and promoted to resource center manager in 2020. She was the foundation’s sole employee in Los Angeles County, a position created after she secured a grant from the city of Los Angeles. The complaint says she regularly worked 60-hour weeks.
According to the lawsuit, her problems began after a family member of a foundation director was promoted above her without justification. Sanchez says she was asked to train that person and cover much of their work. When she complained about the employee’s performance and about her own treatment, she was demoted back to the organizer role and her pay was cut.
She was terminated on July 2, 2024. The foundation told her the reason was “downsizing” and later publicly described her departure as part of “an organizational realignment.” When Sanchez returned to the office afterward to collect her belongings, she says she was given only two hours to do so despite a foot injury for which her healthcare provider had approved a month of leave.
What the Complaint Alleges
The 11 causes of action are brought under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, the California Labor Code, and California’s unfair competition law. They fall into several categories.
Disability discrimination. Sanchez alleges the foundation failed to accommodate her foot injury, failed to engage in the interactive process, and failed to provide reasonable accommodation under FEHA.
Retaliation and wrongful termination. She alleges she was fired for raising concerns about grant misuse and for exercising her rights under disability law. A separate whistleblower retaliation claim is brought under the Labor Code.
Misuse of grant funds. Sanchez alleges that a $95,000 grant she secured was not used for its intended purpose. She also claims that another foundation employee falsified information and diverted grant money that was supposed to subsidize wages for paid canvassers.
Unpaid wages and labor violations. The complaint says Sanchez was not paid for 110 hours of work, was not reimbursed for thousands of dollars she spent on equipment, supplies, repairs, and mileage, and was not provided her 2024 W-2. It also alleges the foundation failed to provide required meal and rest periods.
Unfair business practices. A final cause of action is brought under California’s unfair competition law.
What Sanchez Is Seeking
Sanchez is asking for lost wages, lost earning capacity, employee benefits, and damages for emotional pain and suffering. She also wants the court to order the foundation to adopt policies to prevent future discrimination and retaliation. She is represented by LOYR, APC.
The Foundation’s Response and the Demurrer Ruling
The Dolores Huerta Foundation, through spokesperson Erik Olvera, called the lawsuit “unfortunate” and said Sanchez filed it “without first affording the Foundation the opportunity to respond to and possibly resolve the matter.” The foundation said it is “deeply committed to fostering a work environment where every member of our team feels safe, valued, and able to thrive both personally and professionally.” Olvera said this was the first employment-related legal action the foundation had ever received. The foundation declined further comment, citing “general policy, and in compliance with applicable California employment law.”
The foundation filed a demurrer challenging the seventh through ninth and eleventh causes of action, which involve the Labor Code and unfair competition claims. It argued those claims were uncertain and lacked sufficient facts. On March 4, 2026, Judge Kevin C. Brazile overruled the demurrer, allowing every claim to proceed. Additional hearings were held in February and March 2026.
Background on the Foundation
The Dolores Huerta Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 by labor leader Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union with Cesar Chavez in 1962. It is headquartered in California with significant operations in Bakersfield and the Central Valley, and is led by Executive Director Camila Chavez, Huerta’s daughter. The organization has more than 50 full-time staff and over 100 seasonal canvassers, and focuses on community organizing, civic engagement, education equity, and health initiatives.
Financial filings show roughly $6.2 million in revenue and $7.4 million in expenses in the 2024 fiscal year, with net assets of about $9.1 million. The foundation’s Form 990 filings have reported conflict of interest transactions on Schedule L for multiple years. Schedule L requires disclosure of business transactions or grants involving key employees, officers, or their family members.
What Happens Next
With the demurrer overruled, all 11 causes of action move forward toward the jury trial set for January 24, 2028, at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles. The foundation has not filed an answer disputing the specific factual allegations publicly, and no findings have been made on any of Sanchez’s claims. If you are following the case, the next milestones will be the pretrial discovery schedule and any dispositive motions filed in advance of trial.