Even companies with a single employee are subject to employment issues. Our attorneys bring a responsive, problem-solving approach to help businesses of all sizes successfully address complex employment issues and decrease litigation risk. Highly experienced in matters from policy planning, contract drafting and negotiating, to management training and litigation, our attorneys work closely with clients to tailor business-specific, practical solutions so their businesses can focus on business.
Diverse Client Experience
Our clients range from small start-ups to large corporations and include non-profit and trade organizations. We have extensive experience in a range of industries, including employment staffing, product manufacturing, public agency employers, homebuilding, dealership franchises, retail, and restaurants.
Comprehensive Services
We help clients with regulatory compliance, contracts and agreements, disputes, organizational changes, benefits administration and other issues. Clients appreciate our experience, insight, and practical approach to addressing a range of employment legal issues, such as:
- Wrongful termination claims
- Discrimination and harassment claims
- Wage and hour matters
- Investigations
- Drafting and/or reviewing employee manuals and policy documents
- Employment contracts and nondisclosure agreements
- Severance and separation agreements
- Reduction in force
- Employee benefit plans
- Leave (military, family, etc.) provisions and compliance
- Employee discipline matters
- Collective bargaining and National Labor Relations Board
- Occupational Safety & Health Administration
- Americans with Disabilities Act provisions and compliance
- Unfair business practices and competition matters
- ERISA and COBRA compliance and fiduciary obligations
Training
We provide training on a variety of topics, including the Anti-Sexual Harassment Training mandated for supervisors at companies with 50 or more employees (which will change on January 1, 2021, when businesses with 5 or more employees will be required to provide training to all employees), diversity, and best practices for management.
Litigation and Conflict Resolution
Our attorneys are experienced in successful courtroom advocacy at the trial and appellate levels, as well as representing employers before administrative and regulatory bodies, including the California Labor Commissioner, California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Firm attorneys have experience including:
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Obtained favorable settlement of class action lawsuit involving alleged violations of Unruh Act.
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Member of trial team that obtained defense verdict for client in employment dispute involving claims of discrimination and retaliation.
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Successfully represented organics company against lawsuit by dissident shareholder and director of breaches of fiduciary duties, failure to allow inspection of corporate records, misappropriation of corporate opportunities, involuntary dissolution and wrongful termination of employment claims
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Successfully represented physician and surgery center against claims by former nurse for alleged wrongful termination, breaches of public policy rights, unpaid wages, penalties and interest.
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Successfully represented a medical staffing company and a surgeon in a lawsuit brought by the surgery scheduler after she was terminated from employment while she was on a disability leave of absence as a result of a reduction of workforce business decision.
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Music v. Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust Fund, 712 F.2d 413 (9th Cir. 1983) – Determined the standard for fiduciary liability in cases involving retroactive pension plan modifications under ERISA and the LMRA, leading to the recovery of benefits exceeding $10 million for a class of retired, disabled Teamsters.
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Successfully defended a dry cleaner against a claim that the dry cleaning facility failed to meet the access requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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Counsel for a leading investment brokerage firm in an employment discrimination class action and related breach of duty of loyalty counterclaim; successfully compelled arbitration to avoid class claims, prevailed on defense of discrimination claim, and obtained damages awards on firm’s breach of duty of loyalty claim.*
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Represented various employee groups in class action claims under California Business & Professions Code Section 17200 for violations of wage and hour and other employment claims.
Publications
Important Information about Potential New Interpretation of Federal Paid Sick Leave Law
03/28/2020 | Wendel Rosen LLP
Per new guidelines from the US Department of Labor, it appears that the DOL may be interpreting the new paid sick leave to apply only when the quarantine or isolation…
Full Article
It’s as Simple as “ABC” – Determining Whether Workers are Independent Contractors or Employees
05/25/2018 | Client Update
[Updated 6/8/2018] It has long been a challenge for California businesses to determine if a worker can be considered as an independent contractor or must be treated as an employee. …
Full Article
2018 Employment Law Updates
01/01/2018 | Employment Practice
California employers will face a barrage of new restrictions and requirements in 2018. Moreover, the administrative agencies that are responsible for investigating violations of the employment laws and enforcing those…
Full ArticleEvents
2020 Employment Law Update
01/22/2020 | Wendel Rosen LLP
CEOs, In-House Counsel and Senior Execs: You’ve Got More Employees Than You Think! Join Wendel Rosen employment law attorneys Tammy Brown and David Goldman on January 22, 2020 for a…
Full Article
What CEOs, In-House Counsel, and Senior Execs Need to Know about 2019’s New Employment Laws
01/15/2019 | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar
Keep Your Company Out of the Headlines! Join Wendel Rosen employment law attorneys David Goldman and Maggie Grover on January 15, 2019 for a fast-paced overview of recent developments California…
Full Article
Managing Your Employees: Keeping it Legal
05/01/2018 | Oakland Small Business Week
Join Wendel Rosen attorney David Goldman who will present, "Managing Your Employees: Keeping it Legal" at Oakland Small Business Week on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 12:30 PM. Join David as…
Full Article| Date | Category | Host | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04/10/2018 | Seminar | The American Foundry Society (AFS) Northern California Chapter | Immigrant Worker Protection Act: The Challenge of Complying with Conflicting State and Federal Laws |
| 02/07/2018 | Seminar | IFMA East Bay Chapter | Higher than a Kite? Bringing the Workplace Down to Earth |
| 11/08/2017 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar | What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You! |
| 09/20/2017 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar | The Leave of Absence Puzzle |
| 08/23/2017 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar | Higher than a Kite? Bringing the Workplace Down to Earth |
| 04/27/2017 | Seminar | Brown & Brown of California | Top 10 Employment Law Changes for 2017 |
| 01/25/2017 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar | Top 10 Employment Law Changes for 2017 |
| 11/03/2016 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar | Oh Snap(chat)! … and other Social Media Problems at Work |
| 10/13/2016 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar | Wages and Interest and Penalties, Oh My! |
| 05/25/2016 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar | Breaking Bad? Learning How to Manage Bad Professionalism and Harassing Behavior under the New FEHA Regulations |
| 04/06/2016 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar | Discipline Without Fear |
| 11/18/2015 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar | Employment Law Update 2016 |
| 03/19/2015 | Seminar | Oakland Business Development Center | Mastering the Minimum Wage |
| 02/23/2015 | Seminar | Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area | Legal Training for Oakland Restaurant Owners |
| 01/22/2015 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Seminar | 2015 Employment Law Update |
| 02/13/2014 | Seminar | David Goldman | Important Employment Laws for 2014 |
| 01/29/2013 | Seminar | David Goldman | What You Need To Know About New Employment Laws For 2013 |
| 01/23/2013 | Seminar | Construction Financial Management Association | Sexual Harassment Training for Supervisors |
| 02/16/2012 | Seminar | David Goldman | What You Need to Know About Employment Law in 2012 |
| 02/24/2011 | Seminar | Top Employment Headlines for 2011 | |
News
Christine Noma Comments on Overtime Exemptions for Retail Employees
06/01/2020 | Daily Journal
Wendel Rosen partner Christine Noma provides legal insight on overtime exemptions for retail employees. Visit Daily Journal to read the full article (subscription required).
Full Article
Christine Noma Speaks on Labor Law in the COVID-19 Era
05/26/2020 | Daily Journal
In a recent interview by Daily Journal, Wendel Rosen partner Christine Noma speaks on labor law in the COVID-19 era where lines between salaried and exempt employees are often blurred….
Full Article
Supplemental Paid Leave for Illness Related to COVID-19: A New Cost of Business for Large California Food Companies?
04/22/2020 | Wendel Rosen LLP
On Thursday, April 16, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order N-51-20 (the “Executive Order”), effective immediately. The Executive Order requires all food sector businesses that employee 500 or more…
Full Article