Employment Defense

Employment Defense Lawyer for Los Angeles Businesses

Companies can find their business imperiled by an employee’s complaint against them. The employment relationship is fraught with pitfalls due to the complexity of the federal, state and local employment laws. Disputes may arise in connection with wage and hour, discrimination allegations, wrongful termination, non-compete agreements, and employment contracts. If you need a seasoned Los Angeles employment defense lawyer, consult Ben Mehdian of Mehdian Law APC. He brings years of experience, as well as sophisticated, tailored, and, when necessary, creative, strategy to every client’s case.

Employment Defense

Los Angeles companies must fulfill a wide and detailed range of legal obligations in connection with their relationships to employees. These obligations may involve federal, state, or local laws. While certain laws provide for remedies that cannot be negotiated away, in other cases, employees’ rights may be governed by an employment agreement, nondisclosure agreement, or other contract.

Lawyer to Defend Against Wage and Hour

Companies are not always certain whether their employees should be classified as exempt, nonexempt, or an independent contractor. However, these classifications are defined by California law, and not according to what the employer and employee may have initially agreed between themselves, and the rules surrounding employment classifications can have large consequences for an employer in terms of the wages they must pay and when they can be held liable for what hasn’t been paid.  

In addition to getting sued for minimum wage claims, employers face potential claims for failure to abide by California overtime laws in a host of ways they may not realize are violations. For instance, even lightly encouraging your employee to work off the clock can lead to that employee working more hours than specified on their timesheets, and hence, down the road, your company could be hit by an overtime claim, which could prove expensive. Similarly, an employer that allegedly doesn’t provide meal or rest breaks as legally required may find that their employees have banded together to bring a class action lawsuit, even though the value of each of these claims are tiny when examined one-by-one.  

Employment Discrimination

Mr. Mehdian can defend your company against discrimination lawsuits. Federal antidiscrimination lawsuits are often pursued under laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). These laws include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). When a plaintiff is able to recover under these laws, the damages are capped based on the size of employer.

However, discrimination lawsuits brought under FEHA do not have these kinds of caps, and a company can face significant damages awards and tremendous losses. It is crucial to retain a seasoned Los Angeles lawyer who has a keen understanding of your business objectives, and the facts, and can develop a legal strategy that considers the nuanced differences between employment lawsuits under federal, state, and local laws.

Class Action

When employees band together to successfully bring a class action against their employer, a business may flounder. A class action can be a powerful tool for plaintiffs, and severely damage a company. In addition to the potential expense these lawsuits may trigger for the employer, there may also be ramifications for the company’s public image and goodwill.

In order to pursue class action relief, class action plaintiffs must meet certain required elements to get their class certified. In some cases, the strongest defense our lawyers may be able to mount is to attack one or more elements that the plaintiff is trying to show exist to stop certification, and thereby significantly reduce exposure.

Los Angeles Lawyer Who Develops a Strong Defense

The nature of the plaintiffs’ claims will determine their remedies and the extent to which your business may suffer harm. Generally, however, employment lawsuits are brought to recover compensatory and punitive damages, both of which can entail significant expense for a company.

Consult a Seasoned Employment Defense Attorney

Call the seasoned Los Angeles employment defense attorney Ben Mehdian of Mehdian Law, APC at (844) 463-4342 or (310) 889-0706 or contact us to schedule a consultation concerning your litigation needs. Mr. Mehdian uses insights gained over many years to provide not only an honest assessment of a client’s case, but a smart and effective strategy to achieve the desired results.