Employment Law

Employment law deals with protecting the rights of working individuals. It encompasses payment of wages/overtime, meal and rest break violations, unemployment benefits; as well as discrimination, safety, and equal opportunity issues within the work place.

Representative Matters

• Assisted client with dealing with a difficult employee and answering many California law questions, including on moonlighting.

• Drafted and negotiated employee’s offer letters, employment agreements and separation and releases.

• Advised client on how to deal with the CA Employment Development Department’s (EDD) letters and matters.

• Advising clients about new California’s new labor laws: the AB5 employee v. independent contractor rules, and amended and revised worker agreements, along with researching alternatives.

• Negotiating severance benefits for employees to increase benefits upon departure from employment.

• Researching various state child labor law issues for models in the entertainment industry and advised clients.

• Drafted numerous agreements for workers, including offer letter, employment agreements, employee handbook, independent contractor agreements, fellowship agreements, releases and other employment documents.

• Drafted holiday party and event policies, waivers, and releases to protect employers.

• Counseled clients on the differences between exempt vs. non-exempt employees and how to prepare agreements, and pay in accordance with onerous California laws.

• Represented clients in having to terminate employees on the spot, including meeting with the employee on the client’s behalf, or advising from afar, and answering labor law questions concerning final paycheck, getting severance agreement signed, and how to get company equipment returned.

• Advised clients on setting up and implementing both independent contractor and employee incentive plans.

• Led company’s sexual harassment investigation and resulting employee termination, including dealing with the terminated employee’s retained counsel, resulting in a successful transition.

• Represented several physician-employees in their resignation/departure from a medical practice and assisted them with maintaining their right to continue their physician-patient relationship in a smooth manner with their former employers.

• Counseled clients on how to deal with employee resignations using separation and release agreements and severance pay, while recovering and protecting important company documents, devices, and data.

• Advised clients about hiring employees with green cards.

• Advised clients about pregnancy leave under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), California Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL), and the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and required notices on the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) website.

• Advised clients about and conducted exit interviews for clients.

• Represented employee in premature resignation from employment per an employment agreement with a set term and liquidated damages clause.

• Successfully used liquidated damages clauses in employment agreements to persuade employees to sign severance and separation agreements with no consideration paid by the employer.

• Represented physician assistant in terminating an employment agreement with medical practice.

• Assisted several clients with hiring personal assistants and domestic help by advising and providing employment and independent contractor agreements.

• Advising clients about pay cuts and how to implement with employees.