Capabilities

Workplace Legal understands the minefield of often overlapping federal, state, and local laws on wage-and-hour issues, from minimum wage, overtime, and meal and rest period compliance to properly classifying workers as “exempt” vs. “non-exempt” employees.

Workplace Legal represents employers in state and federal courts and before governmental agencies responsible for enforcing equal employment opportunity laws: the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), and the New York State Division of Human Rights (DHR). 

Workplace Legal helps clients navigate difficult employee discipline and termination decisions by providing smart, strategic HR guidance designed to minimize the risk of a future wrongful termination claim.

Workplace Legal advises clients on all types of “whistleblower” and other retaliation claims, from federal False Claims Act, Sarbanes-Oxley, and Dodd-Frank claims to state Labor Code  §98.6, §1102.5, and  §1197.5 claims.

Knowing when a worker can qualify as an “independent contractor” instead of an employee is complicated.  If you get it wrong, the consequences can be devastating.  At Workplace Legal, our attorneys understand the “ABC Test” and other tests that are used for determining employee vs. independent contractor status.

At Workplace Legal, our attorneys are experts in California’s dangerous PAGA law.  We not only defend employers who are facing a costly PAGA claim, but we also help employers adopt and implement compliant pay practices so that PAGA lawsuits never happen in the first place.

Knowing when an employee qualifies as “exempt” from overtime is complicated.  If you get it wrong, you are liable for back-due wages, overtime, premium pay for missed meal and rest periods, costly penalties, and the employee’s attorneys’ fees.  At Workplace Legal, our attorneys guide you through the proper classification of your employee and help you avoid costly mistakes.

Workplace Legal helps clients design, draft, and implement compliant leave of absence policies and thereafter guides clients through the “interactive process” and the resulting reasonable accommodation analysis.

Workplace Legal represents companies, CEOs, CFOs , COO’s, and other high-level executives and professional in complex, delicate employment termination negotiations. 

Workplace Legal attorneys have substantial experience drafting, negotiating, and litigating the range of restrictive covenants, from covenants-not-to-compete to customer and client non-solicitation agreements.

At Workplace Legal, our attorneys specialize in drafting employment agreements, from basic HR policies and employee agreements to complex executive employment contracts, bonus and incentive compensation plans, and proprietary information and invention assignment agreements.

At Workplace Legal, we know that trade secrets and other intellectual property are often our clients’ most valuable assets.  We partner with our clients and help them protect their intellectual property by drafting state-of-the-art agreements, filing or defending misappropriation claims, and, when necessary, seeking emergency injunctions to stop trade secret theft.

Workplace Legal defends employers in proceedings before the California Labor Commissioner, including during Berman hearings and in post-hearing appeals to the California Superior Court.

Workplace Legal has extensive experience arbitrating and mediation all types of employment law claims.  We regularly represent clients before arbitrators and mediators from the largest and most prestigious ADR firms in the country.