Are you searching for a San Diego employer wage and hour defense attorney for an employee dispute or defense in a class action lawsuit, PAGA action or other business litigation in San Diego and Southern California? How can the Watkins Firm’s proven track record of success over more than 40 years here in Southern California protect your interests and add strength to your side of the equation?
Wage and Hour Disputes and Class Action Lawsuits
Wage and hour disputes and class action lawsuits represent a significant financial risk for any California employer. The number of these cases have significantly increased over the past few years. What may start out as a seemingly small disagreement can develop into a full blown plaintiffs lawsuit that may threaten the viability of your company.
The experienced and proven employer defense and class action defense attorneys at the Watkins Firm work with our employer clients to implement protective strategies such as an employment agreement and arbitration agreement to prevent the certification of a class and protect our clients from the potentially devastating exposure created by wage and hour action, PAGA action or class action lawsuit.
There are several potential areas of exposure for San Diego employers under federal and state wage and hour laws. These include but are not limited to:
- Unpaid Overtime
- Minimum wage violations
- Misclassification of employees as independent contractors
- Commissions disputes
- Piece rate disputes
- Split schedules and modified work schedules (i.e. working four ten hour days without proper steps and required filings)
- Meal and rest break violations
- Donning & doffing issues
- Uniforms
When plaintiff’s lawyers hear of an issue within your company related to a wage and hour claim it is in their financial interest to fan the flame and attempt to take a single case and turn it into a lucrative “class” of cases or PAGA action against your company. Plaintiff’s attorneys take steps through their client to contact your former workers and even those who are still under your employ in an attempt to garner a large number of allegedly similar cases. The plaintiff’s attorneys will next approach the court and present “representative cases” which they assert represent a huge class of plaintiffs with similar lawsuits.
Our experienced class action and wage and hour defense attorneys have significant and proven experience defending a wage and hour class action lawsuit in San Diego and across Southern California. We work to dismantle the class allegations contained within the plaintiff’s case. We work to prove the “representative cases” are actually quite different and therefore no class action exists. We diffuse the common nature of the class which removes the incentive for a plaintiff’s attorney to move forward with the case.
You Need a Proven San Diego Employer Wage and Hour Defense Attorney
If you are a Southern California employer you need a proven San Diego employer wage and hour defense attorney to protect your interests at every step of the way. Ask about our work with employer clients to improve employment contracts, implement arbitration agreements, update existing policies and procedures and the employee handbook to create a firm foundation. Taking the right steps in the beginning and consistent actions as an employer can substantially reduce the likelihood of a wage and hour claim down the road.
There have been substantial game-changing legal developments relating to arbitration agreements for San Diego and Southern California employers. Take advantage of these important changes in the law and protect yourself as an employer by implementing arbitration agreements immediately.
Listen to a recent Podcast Episode 29 – Recent Big News in Arbitration to learn more about what has changed and how recent developments really help California employers.
If a dispute arises your attorney at the Watkins Firm will take fast and efficient action to resolve the matter before it can escalate. We us a unique approach to resolving disputes for our employer clients that is specifically designed to resolve disputes and lawsuits quickly and cost-effectively.
It may surprise you to learn your Watkins Firm attorney is able to resolve the vast majority of our employer defense disputes through effective, leveraged negotiation. This is the fastest and least expensive way to resolve any dispute with an employee. We represent and defend employers in negotiations, mediation, arbitration and at trial.
We invite you to review our recent Podcast Episode 26 – Wage and Hour Employer Updates for 2023 as well as the strong recommendations of our clients and contact the Watkins Firm or call 858-535-1511 for a complimentary consultation today.
