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Wage and Hour Class Actions
Discrimination and Harassment
Whistleblower and Retaliation
Breach of Contract and Unpaid Incentive Compensation
International Employment
Family/Medical Leave
Mediation

Wage and Hour Class Actions

Rudy, Exelrod & Zieff, LLP pioneered the use of class actions to recover unpaid overtime compensation for large groups of employees and continues to be a leader in this area, handling some of the nation’s largest and most complex wage and hour overtime class actions.

Results include:

Over $200 million judgment in Bell v. Farmers Insurance, awarding unpaid overtime wages, interest, penalties and attorneys’ fees to Farmers Insurance claims representatives in California. The underlying jury verdict is the largest in overtime class action history. In addition, working as lead counsel in a nationwide class action asserting claims under federal law and the laws of several other states, we won a verdict awarding $52 million to Farmers Insurance claims representatives throughout the country.
$24 million recovered for computer technical workers misclassified as exempt from overtime pay.
$9.75 million paid to compensate delivery drivers who were illegally required to pay the employer’s business expenses and for overtime and minimum wage violations.

Discrimination and Harassment

Rudy, Exelrod & Zieff, LLP has extensive experience litigating nearly every type of discrimination claim, including discrimination based on race, gender, disability, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation and marital status.

Results include:

$7.5 million paid by a national retail chain to settle claims that it harassed and discriminated against African-American employees.
$3.5 million jury verdict in a sexual harassment case against the Safeway supermarket chain.
$1 million settlement for advertising executive in age discrimination case.

Whistleblower and Retaliation

Our firm is proud to represent employees who stand up against corporate wrongdoing. We have won numerous jury trials on behalf of employees who were terminated for complaining about illegal conduct- vindicating their individual rights and the public policies for which they took a stand.

Results include:

$2.78 million jury award to an executive who blew the whistle on corporate theft of trade secrets.
$1 million in punitive damages awarded by jury to an employee who refused to sign illegal non-compete agreement.
$1.6 million jury verdict for a manager who was fired after complaining about sexual harassment in the workplace.

Breach of Contract and Unpaid Incentive Compensation

The firm frequently negotiates and litigates claims involving breach of contract and unpaid compensation on behalf of employees at all levels, including sales professionals and senior executives. We have successfully negotiated for both cash and non-cash severance provisions, including accelerated vesting of stock, provision of outplacement services and enhanced health or retirement benefits.

Results include:

$12 million in lost salary and stock options recovered for a wrongfully terminated senior executive.
$2.2 million settlement and additional stock vesting for the CEO of a publicly-traded company whose employment contract was breached.
$717,000 in unpaid commissions recovered for three account representatives.

International Employment

Rudy, Exelrod & Zieff, LLP is one of the few firms in the country that specializes in representing American employees working overseas. We have expertise navigating the logistics of international employment litigation, and enjoy a wide network of overseas lawyers with whom we can partner on cross-border disputes. We also represent foreign nationals working in the U.S.

Clients include:

Hong Kong-based employee fired after complaining about sexual harassment at a global finance firm. Case proceeded under Hong Kong and U.S. law.

London-based employee of California company’s U.K. subsidiary asserted claims of disability discrimination under U.S. and British law. Case was filed in U.K. labour tribunal and U.S. federal court and was mediated in London.
Chinese citizen working in the U.S. asserted claims for race and national origin discrimination. Case proceeded in California state court.

Family/Medical Leave

Our firm has litigated violations of the family/medical leave laws for individuals and on a class action basis. We recently obtained a $6.3 million settlement for a group of employees who allegedly were fired in violation of the California Family Rights Act. In addition, the settlement required the employer to change its policies regarding the processing of leave requests.

Mediation

Mark Rudy has been serving as a mediator in employment and business-related matters for 16 years. He has mediated approximately 2,500 matters with a high degree of success. Mr. Rudy has been honored as one of the top 500 judges and mediators in America by Lawdragon in 2006, one of the top ten mediators in Northern California by the San Francisco Recorder, one of the top 20 mediators in the State of California by the Daily Journal, and one of the top five plaintiff employment lawyers in Northern California, San Francisco Recorder, Summer 2004. In March, 2004, Mr. Rudy was listed in the Recorder as one of the "Head of Class" employment lawyers.