Services

: Employment :

employmentSmithTrager assists clients in defense of wrongful discharge, wage and hour, employee benefits, discrimination and related tort and contract claims. In addition, SmithTrager offers advice on litigation avoidance, personnel counseling and policy creation and review.

Our employment law services include

  • Defense of wrongful termination and related tort and contract claims.
  • Defense of employment discrimination claims in state and federal courts and before government agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing.
  • Wage and hour counseling regarding avoidance of wage and hour claims under the Labor Code, Wage Orders and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
  • Employee benefits litigation, including ERISA claims.
  • Employer counseling and policy review to prevent misappropriation of trade secrets, customer data, process know-how, and other confidential information by current, former and prospective employees. Litigation involving trade secret and unfair competition disputes.
  • Consulting with employers on personnel issues, including disciplinary action, employee handbooks, personnel policies, manuals and employment contracts, and litigation avoidance.
  • Training and educational programs for lawyers, human resources representatives, managers and supervisors in employment litigation avoidance, equal employment opportunity, discharge and discipline.

Representative Matters

  • Counseled various clients on employment litigation avoidance, including compliance with wage and hour laws, development of personnel policies and structuring contracts.
  • Conducted training and educational programs for human resources representatives, managers and supervisors on discharging and disciplining employees.
  • Obtained summary judgment on behalf of major national banking institution in multiple cases involving alleged violations of ERISA and FEHA as well as claims for breach of contract, unfair competition, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.