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
New COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave: What It Means For Employers
02/15/2022 | Wendel Rosen LLP
California Governor Gavin Newson and the State Legislature have renewed COVID-19 related paid sick leave, which expired September 30, 2021. On February 9, 2022, the Governor signed Senate Bill 114…
Full Article
Returning to the Workplace: COVID-19 and New Laws for 2021
01/25/2021 | Wendel Rosen LLP
Employment attorneys Tammy Brown and David Goldman hosted a webinar on the challenges of managing employees in the age of COVID-19. The link to watch the recorded session is now…
Full Article
COVID-19 Resources for Employers
03/28/2020 | Wendel Rosen LLP
Guidance on Exemptions for Small Businesses from Federal Paid Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires that employers provide paid sick leave…
Full ArticleEvents
Untangling the COVID Mess and New Employer Challenges for California Businesses in 2022
01/19/2022 | Wendel Rosen LLP
Employers face new laws in 2022, including COVID-related regulations. In a recent webinar, Wendel Rosen employment law partners Tammy Brown and David Goldman review what’s new, what’s changed and what…
Full Article
COVID-19 in the Workplace: Managing in the New Normal
05/25/2021 | Alameda County Bar Association
Christine Noma, Partner in Wendel Rosen’s Employment Practice Group, will moderate a dynamic panel as they discuss “COVID-19 in the Workplace: Managing in the New Normal” on May 25, 2021….
Full Article
Returning to the Workplace: COVID-19 and New Laws for 2021
01/21/2021 | Wendel Rosen LLP
Join Tammy Brown and David Goldman for a discussion of the challenges of managing employees in the age of COVID-19. The presentation will include a review of the laws and regulations…
Full Article| Date | Category | Host | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/22/2020 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen LLP | 2020 Employment Law Update |
| 01/15/2019 | Seminar | Wendel Rosen Client Seminar | What CEOs, In-House Counsel, and Senior Execs Need to Know about 2019’s New Employment Laws |
| 05/01/2018 | Community | Oakland Small Business Week | Managing Your Employees: Keeping it Legal |
| 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
L.A. Times Names Partner Robin Thornton of Wendel Rosen a Legal Visionary
09/23/2021 | Wendel Rosen LLP
OAKLAND, Calif., September 22, 2021 – Wendel Rosen Partner, Robin Thornton, has been recognized as a Legal Visionary in the Business of Law: Trends, Updates, Visionaries & In-House Counsel Leadership Awards Magazine…
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Partner Christine Noma Discusses Families First Coronavirus Response Act for Employers
10/19/2020 | Daily Journal
Wendel Rosen partner Christine Noma addresses the ambiguity of the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act in a recent article by the Daily Journal. As COVID-19 continues to keep schools…
Full Article
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