Employment Litigation & Counseling
At Van Etten Suzumoto & Sipprelle LLP, our employment law attorneys represent clients throughout California in all phases of employer/employee relations and employment-related disputes, including arbitration tribunals, litigation in state and federal courts, and administrative hearings. We also provide counseling to employers concerning a wide variety of employment-related issues.
LITIGATION
Our lawyers represent clients in claims and allegations across the employment spectrum:
- Discrimination - race, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, disability, genetic information under various state and federal laws, such as the FEHA, Title VII, ADA, ADEA, PDA, or the newly-created GINA.
- Sexual harassment - quid pro quo or hostile work environment, including same-sex harassment and peer harassment consisting of unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that is so severe or pervasive that it creates an intimidating atmosphere or interferes with employee performance.
- Wrongful termination - In many instances, the terms of an employment contract will govern causes for termination. Even in an employment at-will situation, many laws and policies describe the circumstances under which employers can and cannot terminate employees.
- Retaliation - the law protects employees when whistleblowing about illegal conduct, but there is a vast grey area between reporting conduct in violation of public policy and complaining about policies with which one disagrees, which may be insubordination or interfere with company practice so as to be a terminable offense.
- Breach of contract - Whether an explicit contract or a company policy or handbook, terms of employment are often set out in writing, detailing conditions of employment and causes for termination.
- Wage and hour law violations - including wage and hour class actions alleging violations of state and federal laws regarding minimum wage, maximum hours (overtime), meal and rest periods, and professional and administrative exemptions.
- ULP charges - Claims for unfair labor practices brought before the National Labor Relations Board by employees protected by collective bargaining agreements.
COUNSELING
We provide advice, counsel, and training to keep employers informed and compliant with a wide range of important employment topics:
- We assist clients with compliance with California and federal wage and hour laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and California laws enforced by DIR and DLSE.
- We provide advice on compliance with Federal and California anti-discrimination, anti-harassment and anti-retaliation laws, including assisting with the defense of charges brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH).
- We help employers make sure their policies and practices are in conformity with mandatory federal and state leave laws such as the Family and Medical Leave Act and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA).
- Our comprehensive employment law counseling also covers issues of unfair competition, protection of trade secrets, record-keeping requirements, vacation and other human resources practices. The firm also negotiates and documents employment and severance agreements on behalf of employers and provides sexual harassment and other training to employers' management and non-management staffs.
For advice and counsel, assistance with negotiating and drafting documents or recordkeeping requirements, or quality, effective representation in employment-related litigation, contact Van Etten Suzumoto & Sipprelle LLP.
