The Watkins Firm team have decades of experience serving our clients as wage and hour and PAGA employer defense attorney in San Diego and Southern California. Federal, state and local laws have recently updated to increase the thresholds for minimum wage and overtime wages. This is just the latest development in an ever-changing landscape for area employers over the past few years.
Defending Employers in Disputes With Employees
Employee related lawsuits, PAGA actions, disputes and hearings before State and Federal agencies have sharply increased. Plaintiff’s representatives are actively recruiting employees to pursue unpaid overtime litigation, disputes regarding meal and rest breaks as well as the misclassification of employees as independent contractors.
How is a San Diego employer supposed to stay abreast of all the changes, and modify present operational strategies to reflect the new realities of employment law in California? The Watkins Firm has provided employer defense services to San Diego employers for more than 40 years. We keep abreast of all changes in federal, state and local laws and regulations and work with our clients to ensure that they are in full compliance.
In addition, a Watkins Firm wage and hour and PAGA employer defense attorney in San Diego will help our clients to implement strategies that are specifically designed to prevent wage and hour related disputes and litigation before it ever arises. There are many steps a San Diego employer can take to protect themselves and establish clear documentation that has the best chance to hold up in a hearing or courtroom.
Wage and Hour and PAGA Employer Defense Attorney From A to Z
It begins with the initial correspondence prior to employment and continues through onboarding and all subsequent interactions with management. Employee handbooks should be carefully crafted and consistently updated to reflect these changes. Management must consistently apply and implement all disciplinary and promotional policies and procedures and go through all changes to the handbook and company policies with each employee. The employee should initial each change contained within these documents and sign at the bottom to provide evidence that new policies were clearly communicated and understood.
It is important to come up to speed on recent developments regarding arbitration agreements here in California. A recent United States Supreme Court decision has overturned California laws which prevented employers from requiring arbitration agreements for employees. It is time to re-implement this important protection in order to reduce plaintiff’s lawsuits and PAGA actions and minimize legal and financial exposure in any dispute with an employee. Ask your Watkins Firm employer defense attorney about the process to customize and implement your arbitration agreement in the immediate future.
An effective wage and hour and PAGA employer defense attorney in San Diego and Southern California at the Watkins Firm can help you to prevent wage and hour disputes from arising, and represent you at every step as an employer to prevent issues and resolve them when a dispute occurs. We put you in the best possible position to defend employee allegations and prevent financial losses due to wage and hour litigation. We invite you to work with us, and learn all you can do to reduce your wage and hour exposures. We invite you to review Our Podcast Episode 18 – Private Attorneys General Act and the strong recommendations of our clients and contact the Watkins Firm or call 858-535-1511 for a complimentary consultation today.
