While the Golden State has most everything you’d ever want to enjoy, employers doing business in California know that a Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) lawsuit is not one of
Continue Reading When Good Intentions Become PAGA: Initiative to Repeal PAGA on November 2024 Ballot in CACharles O. Thompson
Charles Thompson serves as the Co-Chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Wage & Hour Class and Collective Action Litigation group. He focuses his practice on employment litigation and counseling representing clients through all phases of Class Actions and Single Plaintiff cases. Charles has wide-ranging experience litigating employment-related issues for public and private companies, having handled over 1,000 employment matters for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to Silicon Valley startups. He has tried employment, commercial, and professional liability cases to verdict and directed verdict, has litigated and appealed cases from California State Courts to the United States Supreme Court, and is a Fellow of the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.
Charles represents employers in wage and hour cases, as well as EEOC class actions, in state and federal courts across the United States and has broad experience appearing before the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, the Employment Development Department, and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor.
In addition to his trial and counseling work, Charles serves as a private and judicial mediator and arbitrator, and has acted as a pro-tem judge upon request of the court. He has broad experience in binding arbitrations and trial. He has taught trial advocacy, diversity, employment and substance abuse to clients and industry organizations.
Throughout his career, Charles has been a champion for diversity and has served on the Executive Committee of the board of Directors for the Justice & Diversity Center of The Bar Association of San Francisco. He actively supports and promotes diversity efforts and collaborates with clients on diversity issues.
Rounding Time Roundly Criticized by California Court of Appeal
The practice of rounding an employee’s time up or down to the nearest interval is widespread. It offers employers the convenience of using round numbers to determine the number of…
Continue Reading Rounding Time Roundly Criticized by California Court of AppealThe End of AB 51?
On Feb. 15, 2023, the Ninth Circuit in Chamber of Commerce v. Bonta issued its ruling on the ongoing question of Assembly Bill (AB) 51’s enforceability in relation to arbitration…
Continue Reading The End of AB 51?Executives Potentially Liable for Wage Claims
The California Court of Appeal ruled in Seviour-Iloff v. LaPaille1 that employees could pursue Labor Code-based claims against executives of their employer, personally. The court found that Labor Code…
Continue Reading Executives Potentially Liable for Wage Claims
New California Bill Would Prohibit Employers From Acting Against Workers for Off-Work Cannabis Use
A bill introduced in the California Assembly in February 2022 would prohibit employers from discriminating against workers and job applicants for off-duty marijuana use.
Assembly Bill (AB) 2188 would amend…
Continue Reading New California Bill Would Prohibit Employers From Acting Against Workers for Off-Work Cannabis Use
First Circuit Court of Appeals Rejects Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Applicability to FLSA Collective Actions; Creates Circuit Split
In Waters v. Day & Zimmerman NPS, Inc., the First Circuit has seemingly muddied the waters on Bristol-Myers Squibb’s applicability to FLSA collective actions.
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Continue Reading First Circuit Court of Appeals Rejects Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Applicability to FLSA Collective Actions; Creates Circuit Split
Vaccine Passport Efforts Need To Stay Mindful Of ADA Title III
While much ink has been spilled answering questions about employers requiring or not requiring proof of vaccination status and the consequences for employees failing to do so, one question has…
Continue Reading Vaccine Passport Efforts Need To Stay Mindful Of ADA Title III
2 US Circuit Courts Side with Employers, Limit Scope of FLSA Collective Actions Based on Failure to Establish Specific Personal Jurisdiction
In 2017, the Supreme Court decided Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. v. Superior Court of California, addressing due process concerns related to personal jurisdiction in the context of an action where…
Continue Reading 2 US Circuit Courts Side with Employers, Limit Scope of FLSA Collective Actions Based on Failure to Establish Specific Personal Jurisdiction
Mission Possible: Revamp and Reeducate for Prevention of Workplace Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
As States “reopen” and employees “return to work,” employers are presented with a fresh opportunity to revisit their pre-pandemic policies. McKinsey reported in the fall of 2020 that women, LGBTQ…
Continue Reading Mission Possible: Revamp and Reeducate for Prevention of Workplace Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
Employers Must Brace For PAGA-Like Bills Across US
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Continue Reading Employers Must Brace For PAGA-Like Bills Across US