Employment Litigation

Stradling's employment litigation attorneys have defended employers in every imaginable kind of employee lawsuit and administrative proceeding.

We have defended employers in individual and class action lawsuits in state and federal courts throughout California, in both jury and court trials, and on appeal. We also have extensive experience in arbitration, with individual employees and under collective bargaining agreements with union.

Our attorneys have also defended employers in every type of administrative proceeding, including:

  • Wage claims before the Labor Commissioner
  • Unemployment appeals before the State of California
  • Unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board
  • Discrimination and harassment complaints before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and California Department of Fair Employment and Housing
  • Workplace safety complaints before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  • Wage and hour audits by the U.S. Department of Labor
  • Payroll tax audits by state and federal authorities
  • Retaliation complaints before the Department of Labor under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Some of the claims and issues that we have successfully defended in litigation include:

  • Sexual harassment, and other claims of unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation based on race, age, religion, and other protected classes
  • Whistleblower claims for wrongful termination of employment
  • Reasonable accommodation of disabilities in the workplace
  • Family Leave, pregnancy leave, and other protected leaves of absence
  • Overtime claims, including “off the clock” work, and challenges to exempt classification
  • Wage and hour claims for meal and rest periods, uniforms, expense reimbursement, reporting pay, split shift pay, and paystub violations
  • OSHA violations and workplace safety disputes
  • Claims for commissions, bonuses, and other incentive compensation
  • Misuse of trade secrets, unfair competition, and theft of company property by former employees