Valerian Law, P.C.

California Appeals Court affirms $7 million verdict for Whistleblower retaliation case

Otra victoria para los denunciantes: Zirpel contra Alki David Productions

Artículos / October 7, 2023

En junio de 2023, un tribunal de apelaciones de California confirmó una indemnización de un tribunal inferior de 7 millones de dólares en daños y perjuicios al demandante Karl Zirpel por represalias por denunciante en Zirpel contra Alki David Productions. Un jurado determinó que el empleador de Zirpel, Alki David Productions (ADP), había despedido ilegalmente …

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California Appeals Court affirms $7 million verdict for Whistleblower retaliation case

Another Win for Whistleblowers: Zirpel v. Alki David Productions

Case Results / January 13, 2024

By Alex Li A California appeals court in June 2023 affirmed a lower court award of $7 million dollars in damages to plaintiff Karl Zirpel for whistleblower retaliation in Zirpel v. Alki David Productions. A jury had found that Zirpel’s employer, Alki David Productions (ADP), had illegally fired Zirpel after he raised safety concerns regarding …

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microaggressions in employment law

How the Language of “Microaggressions” Plays Out in Employment Law

Employment Law / August 4, 2023

By Ella Zalon (7/28/2023) Commonly experienced in workplace settings, microaggressions are comments or behaviors made due to underlying biases held towards certain groups. They point to an implicit attitude one may hold about a protected class (e.g., ethnic, racial, gender minorities) and can be overlooked or unnoticed by bystanders. Microaggressions may not be direct remarks …

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workers rights

Podrías ser un denunciante incluso si no lo sabes.

Artículos / July 26, 2023

Derechos de Trabajadores/ 15 de Noviembre, 2022 “Soy generalista de Recursos Humanos en una empresa privada mediana. Le dije a mi gerente de departamento que no deberíamos disuadir a los empleados de hablar sobre el pago, porque eso podría ser ilegal. Aprendí esto en una capacitación organizada por nuestra firma de abogados de empleo externo …

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California Supreme Court Upholds Workers' Rights

The Path Forward Is Clear for California Workers Suing as Private Attorneys General

Private Attorney General Act / July 20, 2023

By Dan Gildor Workers in California rejoiced this week after the California Supreme Court resolved an issue that threatened to curtail lawsuits by workers to penalize employers for not complying with the California Labor Code. The Court sided with workers’ rights and held that the individual workers who sue their employer pursuant to the California …

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An Employee Until Proven Otherwise: Determining Your Independent Contractor Status Under California Law

Employee Rights, Employment Law / June 13, 2023

By Eileen Torrez  Being misclassified as an independent contractor when you should be classified as an employee can have significant implications for workers. It can impact your job security, how much you pay in taxes, and whether you are protected by the law if something goes wrong.  Learning more about the laws governing worker classification, …

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Rudniki v. Farmers: Wrongful Termination Suit Results in $150 Million Punitive Damages Award

Case Results, Wrongful Termination / May 26, 2023

By Dan Gildor and Alex Li In 2021, a high-profile case involving Farmers Group, Inc. and Farmers Insurance Exchange resulted in an award of $155 million in compensatory and punitive damages to Andrew Rudniki, former Senior Vice President of Claims Litigation and 37-year employee of Farmers. While this jury-ordered award, one of the largest of …

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non individual paga claims

Now That “Individual PAGA Claims” Are To Be Arbitrated, What About the Non-Individual PAGA Claims?

Private Attorney General Act / May 9, 2023

By Xinying Valerian On May 9, 2023, the California Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Adolph v. Uber Technologies on the question of “whether an aggrieved employee who has been compelled to arbitrate claims under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) that are ‘premised on Labor Code violations actually sustained by’ the aggrieved employee [citations …

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California’s Private Attorney General Act for the Uninitiated

California’s Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) for the Uninitiated

Private Attorney General Act / May 1, 2023

By Dan Gildor May 1, 2023 As attorneys who represent employees in California, we often encounter clients who are not aware of their rights as employees.  But while knowing one’s rights are important, so is knowing how the rights are enforced. One enforcement mechanism that is important for all employees to know about is the …

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