Are you searching for an experienced, proven California wage and hour employer defense attorney? Wage and hour lawsuits have skyrocketed over the past few years here in San Diego and throughout California. Local businesses and corporations need a San Diego attorney with decades of wage and hour litigation risk management and representation experience and legal skill.
Can You Reduce the Odds of a Wage and Hour Dispute as an Employer in San Diego?
How do you reduce the odds of a wage and hour dispute in your business? What is the proven strategy the Watkins Firm provides to efficiently resolve wage and hour disputes and lawsuits in the shortest possible time frame?
San Diego and California corporations and employers face stiff challenges from their own employees, as well as federal and state agencies such as the US Department of Labor, the California Labor Commissioner, and tax related agencies such as the IRS and the Employment Development Department or EDD. We counsel employers on tactics and strategies from the point of an interview (prior to hiring) through the offer letter and employment contract through corporate policies and procedures, employee handbooks and the consistent actions and documentation required to prevent wage and hour and FLSA disputes and lawsuits before they ever arrive.
Our California Wage and Hour Defense Attorney Can Help to Resolve Any Dispute
Our experienced California wage and hour employer defense attorney will provide sound advice and counsel from the first conversation with you to begin to reduce and eliminate your risk and exposure. The Watkins Firm’s wage and hour litigation risk management extends to resulting disputes, lawsuits, hearings, mediation, arbitration and ultimately a trial. We help to reduce your exposure to a variety of PAGA, FLSA and wage and hour related violations and employee based lawsuits including but not limited to:
- Failure to pay overtime and unpaid overtime disputes
- Disputes over Various Leave Complaints including sick leave, vacation leave, holidays and jury duty
- Failure to provide meal, rest or recovery time
- Allegations of Off-the-clock work
- Minimum wage violations and issues surrounding commissions and incentive-based performance pay
- Misclassification of independent contractors
- Misclassification of exempt employees
- Severance pay disputes
The experienced wage and hour litigation and risk management team protects our business clients through the implementation of effective strategies, policies and procedures to prevent disputes from ever arising. When a dispute, hearing or lawsuit arises, Watkins Firm attorneys defend employers in California in all matters involving the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as well as California’s wage and hour laws. We have a strong track record of success in employment litigation and wage and hour cases, and invite you to ask about our case histories and the unique approach we bring to dispute resolution and litigation.
Pro-Tip: “Let’s talk about an employer who makes a mistake on the way somebody drafted someone’s paycheck in the tune of, let’s say $15 a week. The next thing you know, you’re in a PAGA class action that puts you at risk for $300,000, $400,000 because of an accounting error that led to a class action. Now, had you had certain types of agreements in place, even some kinds of arbitration agreements, that’s where we’re at now on these laws. You could have cut this off also, had you had some lawyer you could talk to about your procedures or maybe our HR person, someone you can call if there’s any questions, or your staff can call, then you won’t have this problem. And if you do, then you shut it down right away.
Pro-Tip: “Let’s talk about an employer who makes a mistake on the way somebody drafted someone’s paycheck in the tune of, let’s say $15 a week. The next thing you know, you’re in a PAGA class action that puts you at risk for $300,000, $400,000 because of an accounting error that led to a class action. Now, had you had certain types of agreements in place, even some kinds of arbitration agreements, that’s where we’re at now on these laws. You could have cut this off also, had you had some lawyer you could talk to about your procedures or maybe our HR person, someone you can call if there’s any questions, or your staff can call, then you won’t have this problem. And if you do, then you shut it down right away.Fast action in any of these matters is the key. Pick up the phone and call us the second that you think something’s going on. Why does that matter? Judges don’t really like these cases, and there’s a lot of technical reasons to throw them out because they’re turning into sort of a shady PI lawyer, the person that hangs out in the hospital room. These kind of employment lawyers are starting to be like that. And so if they don’t follow all the rules and you get to court in the first couple of months and you file a motion saying you didn’t give the proper notice, you didn’t state the proper cause of action, the judge will throw it out.
If you call us, as soon as you’re aware of it, we can help you to mitigate the problem, or remediate it, get rid of it, solve it altogether. If you know ahead of time and your good experienced lawyer at the Watkins Firm, sometimes we have them come in and say, no, no, no, don’t pay us all this money. Pay the extra $3,000 in wages. Send out amended pay stubs before you even have to answer the complaint. And guess what? All of the causes of action that have attorney’s fees in them are gone. Nobody wants to sue you anymore because of that. So yes, quick action gives your lawyer the ability to help you to do things that just destroy a case in the beginning.” – Dan Watkins, Founding Partner
What Will Success Look Like for You?
The California Labor Commissioner coined the phrase “wage theft” to vilify employers and create an atmosphere which is ripe for allegations of not paying a worker for their work. California is one of the most challenging states as an employer, and you need a partner who can help to level the playing field and protect your interests.
Your California wage and hour employer defense attorney from the Watkins Firm is focused on achieving a successful outcome for our clients. What will success look like for you? We are often able to resolve complex wage and hour litigation, and successfully negotiate a resolution that brings an end to the case in a manner that accomplishes our client’s goals and objectives. We represent you at every step in the process – from negotiations and appearances in initial hearings to mediation, arbitration and when required litigation in a Court of law.
If you are concerned about reducing your wage and hour related risks, or have become involved in a wage and hour dispute or litigation we invite you to review the strong recommendations of our clients and contact the Watkins Firm or call 858-535-1511 for a complimentary consultation today.
