Universal City Walk is very crowded these days
Universal City Walk is very crowded these days with Freight Night going on at Universal Studios. This should bring plenty of jobs to the Eastern San Fernando Valley.
#UniversalCityjoblawyer #SanFernandoValley
The Warner Center office complexes in Woodland Hills.
The Warner Center office complexes in Woodland Hills. It is hard to believe these buildings have been there for more than thirty years.
At one time this was the Warner Ranch where movies were made.
#WoodlandHillsjoblawyer #WarnerCenter
The El Caballero Country Club
The El Caballero Country Club was founded by Edgar Rice Burroughs on land General Otis (LA Times' publisher) once owned. The original club house was General Otis' home. Although the Los Angeles open was played at the club in 1927 it went bankruptcy during the depression.
Another historian called into my weekly AM790 radio show a few weeks ago and challenged that the club was founded by Burroughs, or in the 20s. We were both right.
When I went to CSUN there used to be an old house on the corner of Darby and Nordhoff.
It looks like it and something else was knocked down. The area has changed. Those parking structures didn't used to be there either. The A and B lots were open lots even when I took the professional responsibility test there after taking the bar in the summer of 1993.
#Northridge #CSUN #Northridgejoblawyer
The ELG team of attorneys and staff after we heard the first version of Karl Gerber, Workplace Lawyer on KABC 790 to be heard every Sunday night from 7-8 PM. The first episode was a little racy, but quite funny. Next week we will interview an important mediator and litigant from a 6th year pregnancy discrimination battle following a trial I won a few years back.
#workplacelawyer #workplacelawyershow
The last time I cruised Van Nuys Boulevard in a Chrysler vehicle I wasn't the driver, but that was damn near 40 years ago. I was about the same age as my nine year old son who thought it was very fun, and wanted to see the movie Van Nuys Blvd. afterwards.
#VanNuys #VanNuysBlvdCruising
Employment Lawyers Group, Sherman Oaks, is on land that used to be part of the ultimate swimming pool contractors. Pool pioneers Anthony Pools and Paddock were across the street. Rivera swimming pools was to the east of me. All of these companies had Display Swimming Pools fronting Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks!
#vintageShermanOaks #AnthonyPools
The fairly new Laurel Point in Studio City. I can only imagine what this tenant improvement cost. Pretty good food.
#LaurelPointStudioCity #StudioCityworklawyer
Christmas Day looking east on the other side of Ventura Boulevard when I went to find something to eat. Yes, I worked the morning of Christmas Day. Only on a holiday like Christmas is Ventura Boulevard, near the Sherman Oaks office this deserted.
#ShermanOaks #workerlawyer
When I was a teenager I wanted to be a writer. I borrowed from my limited life experiences and wrote a novel in which the Karmann Ghia was a central component. I recently found the floppy disks from the literary work. The below link is a passage from the unfinished work, "Excessive Speed." Below is my Karmann Ghia some late afternoon day following a two hour wash and waxing.
#KarmannGhia #1967KarmannGhia
One summer day in 1988 I shot photos of tacky and unusual things in the Valley. On a new and improved vintage blog site I have posted the remains of these photos which are interspersed with a passage from a novel set in the Valley I wrote between 1985-1986 (and but was still editing it in 1988). I guess you could call this a bit of a mixed media project.
#dragracing #KarmanGhia #SanFernandoValleyVintage
The original promoter of Studio City built the below golf course and country club to entice people to buy lots in the area between Fairway Drive and Dixie Canyon. He used Mack Sennett Studio bathing girls to entice people into his land sale office in back of what is now CBS Radford in Studio City.
Read more about it in my article on the Hollywood Hills Country Club which was fifteen years in the making!
#StudioCity
Sometimes I use my lawyer skills to help the community. Today I appeared at a public hearing about a terrible hillside development Harvard Westlake plans. They want to spend 30 months to remove dirt from the hillside, fill 28,000 giant trucks, put a bridge across Coldwater Canyon and build a 9 story retaining wall for a parking garage for 28-100 of their students. Talk about trying to dupe public officials! A lawyer would be disbarred for misleading the judge if they tried a stunt like this!
Who'd spend $50,000,000-$150,000,000 to build that kind of an eyesore just for parking for a few rich kids who refuse to carpool? It doesn't take a genius to see they want to establish themselves on the other side of Coldwater Canyon in the middle of a residential neighborhood in order to justify some big time expansion in a few years.
What was particularly creepy about this public hearing is these reject types who seemed to be living off of daddy's money 30 years later showed up unshaven to say they were from Zuma or Beverly Hills and they supported the project because they were trying to protect the high school they went to 30 years ago. This was mixed with all sorts of elderly residents talking about the probability of the dust storm causing Valley Fever, admitted warnings pregnant women and young children should not be in the area due to the construction, getting sick from something Harvard Westlake uses on their field which was a known poison and the school offering to buy their home, saying they would probably die in case of an emergency if traffic from the structure were diverted onto their street because the people in the structure might get out but they would not, and they would have a field light shined in their living room at night so they could not watch TV.
#StudioCitylaborlawyer #stopHarvardWestlake
Went to this Palmdale shopping center for lunch today. I got through three witnesses in Palmdale today. We finished early, around 3 PM and I went back to the Sherman Oaks office to work until past 6:30. Yet another case in which literally every witness, including the plaintiff, has a different version of the events.
#Palmdaleemploymentlawyer #sexualharassmentlawyerPalmdale
Would you like to see a three story parking lot terminate in this location, or a gate allowing entry into a 90 foot parking structure here in this residential estate neighborhood of Studio City.
If you aren't thrilled about a pedestrian bridge along Coldwater Canyon, or retaining walls and soil removals not done since the 405 widening project there is an August 2, 2017 meeting at the city.
#trafficongestionStudioCity
Empiric research has revealed San Fernando Valley rumpus rooms were decidedly different than east coast rumpus rooms namely insofar as they were not located in basements. Other differences existed such as size and reason for existence. A must for both coastal versions was faux wood paneling and a bar with bar stools. Read about it in my new article!
#rumpusroom #midcentury living #SanFernandoValley
This is California Dreaming. Mild, sunny, blue sky Spring weather. Palms reflect off a Studio City mid-rise on the other side of the Art Director's Guild which sits next to the end of the CBS Radford Lot.
#CaliforniaDreaming #SpringinCalifornia #StudioCity
Now that Clancy' in Glendale is closed there is not a good place for seafood in the area. The restaurant depicted here, on the other side of Central, is not the best place for seafood. The food was all of a very low quality and lacked flavor.
#Glendalejoblawyer #Glendaleseafood
This was 3 days ago. I suppose there are only 3 more days left of Radio Shack. Radio Shack, home of the Battery of the Month Club. Creator of the first laptop I'd ever seen; the Pocket Computer. Yes, the TRS-80 Models I-III and the Color Computer which I took the most interest in programming because I thought it was a simple, colorful machine. Yes, the Apple was a joke back then.
The end of an era; the era of the electric hobbyist. Nowhere anymore the home for every small electric part. An iron to Solder together an 8080 kit computer.
And a fitting Radio Shack to say goodbye to. One situated in what was once the largest outdoor mall in the world extending slightly North from this North Hollywood location and going south to Laurel Plaza. Now the most depressing reminder of Little Israel, Post War boom, and outdoor malls.
#RadioShack #NorthHollywood #LaurelPlaza
At one time Sherman Oaks was home to many supper clubs including Abbott & Costello's, Laurel & Hardy's, but former vaudeville performer Charles Foy had a long run first in Studio City and then in Sherman Oaks, along Ventura Boulevard, from 1939-1956. House regulars were Joe Frisco, Jackie Gleason, and Rowan. Later this became the site of the Pepper Mint Stick an early 60s teen night club.
Click on my rare postcard to get to my heavily researched article into the Charley Foy Supper Club, and it connection to the Cinnamon Cider where the Beatles gave their first US interview after their 1964 Hollywood Bowl appearance.
#Pepper Mint Stick #Supper Clubs #BeatlesFirstUSInterview
This is African Mahogany strips at a San Fernando Valley Home Depot. These strips can be used for casing or base (although there is one very thin piece in the picture that is too narrow for most ideas of casing). African Mahogany is thought to be an exotic wood. It is good these pieces are now available at Home Depot. My earlier order came from a mill in Pennsylvania. I am using these for the case and basing for our Oxnard office because the doors are African Mahogany.
As usual, a construction tip brought to you by a real laboring labor lawyer.
#AfricanMahogany #SanFernandoValleyworklawyer
Paris, London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles Valley College all cultural meccas of the civilized world. Like any other place of importance Los Angeles Valley College is undergoing massive construction. Hopefully the beautiful mid-century front awning will not go.
#Valleylaborlawyer #LosAngelesValleyCollege
You will see this landmark building on the left side of the street if you get off on Coldwater Canyon to go to Employment Lawyers Group Sherman Oaks, less than a mile away. You can also see a little piece of the Little Brown Church in back of the landmark building. Ronald Reagan got married at that church.
#StudioCityjoblawyer
The Dixie Canyon Harvest Festival was today. Strange, my old shoes are on the bottom of this minion depicted herein. Dixie Canyon Elementary is literally across the street from Employment Lawyers Group, Sherman Oaks.
#FallHarvest #DixieCanyonElementary #joblawyerShermanOaks
The Victory Drive-In, in North Hollywood, is where the Vallarta Market and CVS presently sit on Victory Boulevard just east of Coldwater Canyon. The Drive-In featured plentiful baby sitters, bottle warmers, and a staff capable of knowing whether a teenager hid in a car trunk to avoid paying admission. Read more about it on my historical blog.
#driveinmovietheaters #joblawyernorthhollywood #victorymovietheater
During the 1940s 1/8 scale vs. 1/12 scale was the dilemma. Uncle Walt decided on the 1/8 scale after seeing David Rose's Sherman Oaks railway first known as the Gar-Rose and then Holiday Special. David Rose, an American born in England, preferred an European steam design. Uncle Walt thought an American design he could dress up would work best for him, but he wanted more than the 950 feet of track he saw.
#Carolwoodrailroad #1/8scalebackyardrailroad
This 1959-1966 Encino low-rise is once again a cutting edge design. I am glad it survived!
#googiearchitecture #Encinoworklawyer
The City of Los Angeles now requires expansion tanks on water heaters. This expansion tank was installed in August of 2015. As you can see it is spraying water all over a basement. These tanks are made very poorly and leak. This is an example of a building requirement that causes substantial property damage and potential great bodily injury. Spraying expansion tanks can create terrible mold, electrocution, ruin ducts, bring down hillsides, get underneath a foundation via crawl space and lots of other places.
If the expansion tank does not have a shut off you can use without disconnecting screws (which a licensed plumber should do) you will need to shut off your water at your main until a plumber arrives.
The City of Los Angeles and the State of California needs to consider burdensome laws that lead to true wastes of water and the likelihood of serious property destruction and bodily injury.
The other lurking flooder in your house are water softeners. Water softener leaks are likely to take out your house and require a remodel down to the studs. Water softeners will eventually fail and can lead to endless water floods.
#gasheaterexpansiontanks #expansiontankleaks @watersoftenerleaks
Rope twirling and eating Western food has become very popular in Studio City. So has calling the police to make noise complaints at 8 PM on a Saturday night.
Well, I am sorry to report I was the victim of civil rights abuse on Saturday night. Police officers entered myu gated property without permission and proceeded to falsely claim they could seize the band's equipment and issue a misdemeanor to me for a noise complaint neither of which was true.
Two police officers proceeded to watch friends and family raise my son in a chair and do the horah for his Bar Mitzvah. When it was over they continued to harass me and expouse untrue threats. This put a real crimp on the party which included six months of back breaking labor on my part and about a year's worth of work on my wife's part not to mention out of town guests.
The band could not play, and there would be no dancing.
FYI noise ordinances go into effect in Los Angeles at 10 PM. Seizing a band's equipment is an unconstitutional taking under these circumstances. Threatening a lawyer with a misdemeanor when a noise complaint is an infraction like a speeding ticket, and could only be issued on the second call, is police harassment and a number of civil rights abuses.
It took me over a half hour to reach the Van Nuys Police Department's alleged supervisor on duty after their number rang for five minute sprees. .He initially hung up on me when I reported this. On my second go through he told me to continue the party. This was around 9:35, and the kid's party was done.
#PoliceHarassment #ropetwirling #PoliceAbuse #CivilRightsAbuse
Took the family to Old Heidelberg tonight, oops I mean Barone's.
Barone's first opened in 1945 at the present site of Casa de Cadillac. Not long after it moved to the site where Islands now sits on Ventura Boulevard. At the west of Hazeltine location Barone's flourished as a teen hangout where Rooney and Judy Garland were spotted on weekend nights. Round Valley resident Jane Russell demonstrated the pizza ovens for the Los Angeles Times.
I recall dining near the fireplace on Ventura Boulevard for several decades including a 6th grade graduation lunch in 1981 in which I had a red napkin on my lap. One of my best friends insisted Barone's square pizza be served at his high school graduation party.
Barone's moved to the Oxnard Street location in Van Nuys (now Valley Glen) not too long ago after they lost ground for the, "Wonderful" mixed use development that now occupies their former site.
Today's patrons talk about things like Ford Rancheros they had in the 70s and how their kids moved out of the Valley 20 years ago. I am fairly certain any given night there is a contingent of former Wednesday night cruisers on Van Nuys Boulevard.
The structure dates back to 1947, and original detail remain. This is one of the few spots in the area that can cause your mind to drift back to the days of leaded gasoline, American motors, booming business in Van Nuys,aerospace, a jaunt to Laurel Plaza, Fedco, skating on ice or wheels at an indoor rink, and a manageable stigma to the names Van Nuys and North Hollywood.
#Barone's #SanFernandoValleyVintage #joblawyerVanNuys
Reminds me of Bob's on Van Nuys Boulevard. Wednesday Night Cruise Night on Van Nuys Boulevard.
Actually this was an exhibit at the Ventura County Fair last year.
#Bob'sBigBoy #VanNuysjoblawyer
The embodiment of difference is important to the development of employment discrimination. Today I heard many people speak about how David Bowie embodied difference and, "Change(s)." Persons in the LGBT community, and those aware in the world, see him as a cornerstone in bisexuality being embraced in the mainstream, or being the reason for coming out.
Employment discrimination and gay rights aside, I think of Bowie as rock opera, Ziggy Stardust (a character I used in 99 episodes of bedtime stories for my sons including the future NASA scientist), and the progenitor of the New Romantic movement in England during the early 80s.
#DavidBowie #AbsoluteBeginners #LGBTdiscriminationlawyer
A lot of new houses are going up in the Sherman Oaks and Studio City area. Before I built this fence and my two or three year old who is now almost thirteen helped me paint it there was a deer lick on the other side where the new house is being built. There were also English gardens. While most of the construction in the area is ground-up this one involved not knocking down parts of the garage and foundation above it.
Oddly, I don't get too many calls about local builders ripping off employees.
#StudioCityConstruction
As they say, "Happy New Year." Yeah, um no comment on what might be behind the door.
Well, employee sanitation and health is very important. I am glad to see Target Van Nuys, at Sepulveda is taking care of business --- I mean maintenance.
#Targethumor #FunnyPictures
Before Sherman Oaks' sidewalks crumbled a movie theater graced the Southeast corner of Ventura Boulevard and Noble. Later when the office building replaced the movie theater I worked in the office building in 1989 while going to college.
#ShermanOakslaborlawyer #TheSherman
All of the good restaurants in Sherman Oaks and Studio City have gone out of business. In the S category there is Stanley's, Solley's.
The italians: Zach's, an Italian on the corner of Woodman and Ventura. King's Head in Studio City is gone. Care Cordial in Sherman Oaks is gone. Mogo's changed ownership, so did Hamburger Hamlet, El Rancho.
Is this all due to the pending minimum wage hike?
#TailO'theCock #MinimumWageLaw #SanFernandoValleyrestaurantsgone
Studio City Farmer's Market today. There were fewer vendors and people than expected for the weekend before Thanksgiving. Perhaps rents need to go down. However, not being confronted with throngs of people moving in every direction and lurking paparazzi was nice.
#StudioCityworklawyer #Studiocityfarmersmarket
If you see this view after going South on woodman from the 101 this is the right way to my Sherman Oaks office. Incidentally, in 2009 I reconstructed the building to the right with a pool slide on its roof.
#ShermanOaksJobLawyer #Joblawyer
Read about the 200 stable polo field complete with dining, swimming, and beer on the present locations of Dixie Canyon Elementary School and Saint Francis de Sales.
This post is rather dear to me because as you know, if you have ever been to my Sherman Oaks office, I can see onto the campus of Dixie Canyon Elementary School.
#VintageShermanOaks #HollyHeightsPolo
California Government Code Section 12940 prohibits harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and adverse employment actions based upon:
Race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, gender identification, sex, sexual orientation, age, military or veteran status, and genetic information.
As an employment discrimination lawyer California Government Code Section 12940 is the legal source behind many of the cases I represent employees in. Therefore, based thereupon, I pulled over and took a picture of the odometer in my van last night as it reached 12940!
#EmploymentDiscriminationLawyer #FEHA Lawyer
Today we poured part of the new foundation for the Oxnard office and quite a few structural upgrades. Yes, the ugly archway will come down next week. It was a 26 cubic yard pour inspected by a deputy inspector. Good crew, done in less than four hours. I used my concrete vibrator, did a little finishing, pulled stakes out (somebody else put in the wrong place), helped the inspector interpret the plans, and cleaned up.
#workerlawyer
#Employmentmediation
Today, thirty-eight years ago my family moved to a house in Sherman Oaks 91401. At the time, the neighbors differed whether they lived in Sherman Oaks or Van Nuys. Since then the boundaries of Sherman Oaks have expanded well past the South of Chandler neighborhood where this picture was taken.
During May of 1977 Star Wars played in movie theaters, many of which no longer exist. Us kids thought having a pool in the backyard was the high life. I took this picture of my sister (using a floatation device I think I used when learning how to really swim) with my Polaroid Instamatic. Although she was already an accomplished swimmer and would be on the Grant High Swim Team a few years later us kids during the 70s found it simply amazing to float around in inner-tubes.
Thirty-eight years later I am in the same Sherman Oaks office, I bought back in 1999, about a mile and a half from the depicted swimming pool.
#ShermanOaks
Famous liquor store marquee in the Encino area of Ventura Boulevard right before Tarzana.
A lot of mom and pop businesses that started in the earlier days of the Valley are going out of business and being replaced by corporate businesses; not this one though. Corporate takeovers of small leases usually lead to low wage workers, cut-throat corporate employment practices, and a different labor force than the old time mom and pops. Profits also generally leave the local area.
#VintageEncino #Valley #LaborLawyer
The darndest thing happened when I walked into my Sherman Oaks office today. My staff totally rearranged everything and put this cool retro furniture in my office. The wallboard is a little dark, but I guess it matches the period they were trying to emulate. On the other hand, I am thinking of hawking this stuff to finance a few expert witnesses on a wage and hour class action of mine. After all, I can't have anybody reclining in my office even if it is Passover.
#RetroOffice
This seemingly meaningless picture has enormous significance to this Sherman Oaks employment lawyer. This was taken in roughly the spot where Barone's used to be; at one time the longest running restaurant on Ventura Boulevard. The reflection in the building across the street is of Sherman Oaks' first, "Mixed Use" project above Islands on Ventura Boulevard from which this picture was shot. A few doors down from this location is a tattoo parlour that at one time was a real estate office my parents used to buy the house in Sherman Oaks that moved me into the area in 1977.
Child labor, or a proud day? After six plus years watching me water the plants on the balcony of the Sherman Oaks office he was finally allowed to go out on his own (with lead counsel supervising) and do it. He did it just right. Now we will have to clean up all of the garbage and dirt on the on the balcony.
This is what you will find at the top of Dixie Canyon Place which runs in back of my Sherman Oaks office. This is a Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Preserve Warren Beatty paid to do something that caused a plaque with his name at the start of the climb.
The rock to the right is harder than shale. It may be limestone.
#ShermanOaks #hikingtrails
Read the story of Oak Park, California. It was developed by Louis Boyar, my mother-in-law's uncle. It used to be radio personalities, Fibber McGee & Molly's ranch.
https://employeelawca.com/vintagela/lakewood-ca-jewish-developers/
#oakparkca
Taken from the abandoned part of Dixie Canyon, in Sherman Oaks, that used to go through to Mulholland Drive. If you keep moving down Dixie Canyon you will land at my Sherman Oaks labor law office on Ventura Boulevard between Dixie Canyon and Greenbush.
#shermanoaks
Valencia, California in the Santa Clarita Valley. From the parking of a mediator's office where I am mediating a male on male sexual harassment case. The sexual harassment happened on an oil field in Bakersfield.
#Valencia
Sherman Oaks from Fulton to west of Van Nuys Boulevard and north past Victory Boulevard. My Sherman Oaks office is not far below this precipice, slightly to the left. I have been serving this end of the San Fernando Valley as a labor lawyer since my career began almost 21 years ago.
Christmas on November 1st at Macys in Sherman Oaks. About a mile from my Sherman Oaks office. It was a fancy store long ago when it was a Bullock's.
#Sherman #Oaks
The 134 Freeway looking North, in Burbank less than 7 miles from my Sherman Oaks office. This is the road to my Sherman Oaks office from Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, and East towards San Bernardino. Hundreds of clients have travelled this path for superior employee representation. Thousands of defense witnesses have used this path come to my cross-examination hell.
Happy Halloween From the Studio City side of the Longridge Estates, just blocks from my Sherman Oaks office. The crowds were milder than in years past and so were the Halloween decorations. Notwithstanding I noted a few potential labor abuses: 1) domestic employees beyond their 45 hour in a week handing out candy without being paid overtime; 2) children under 12 directing other children to get candy from their homes.
Administrative hearings happen in the oddest places. This is a community room at the William Hart Park in Newhall, California. Today I appeared at an administrative hearing in this room. I prevailed in the administrative hearing in a manner that has a monetary value of more than $228,000 over the next 40 years, and another $85,500 if the interested party lives to 100.
The administrative agencies typically used in employment cases include the EDD for unemployment benefits, the DFEH and EEOC for discrimination, and the Labor Commission for various wage issues.
#EEOC #lawyer
I've gotta hand it to my Sherman Oaks staff, and particularly one of my paralegals, for putting together this cake on my birthday.
Burbank, California home of Disney Studios, NBC, Warner Brothers, other studios, and the high-rise office buildings in the background. Also home of Sardo’s where on Tuesday nights members of the industry (adult film industry aka porno stars) show up for karaoke. Never personally been inside for any reason. Today I am the neighborhood on a wrongful termination case mediation, and got coffee at the Starbucks in Vons.
Bison in the Santa Clarita Valley at the William S. Hart house. After prevailing at the administrative hearing last week in a community room on these Newhall premises I decided to go back for a tour of the property with my eldest son.
#Newhall
Studio City, California. The present entrance to CBS Radford. To the left you can vaguely see one of the office buildings. I imagine it was from one of these upper story windows somewhere along Radford Daniele Watts was seen with her boyfriend. Personally, I am greatful to CBS for providing parking for the Studio City Farmer's Market on Sunday mornings. I often buy fresh produce while dodging the paparazzi taking pictures of stars on break from the studios, or maybe they are trying to get my six-year old and I in matching Hawaiian shirts. To read my post about how CBS Radford used to be the Mack Sennett Studio and then Republic Pictures go the below link:
https://employeelawca.com/vintagela/so-business-profile/
This is the Burbank location of two prominent mediators who mediate a lot of employment law cases. A good mediation facility, like this one, is intended to assist litigants in feeling more relaxed and in control of their settings. Having control over one's lawsuit is one of the reasons mediators believe settling an employment case through mediation is important to both parties.
In the area of employment law, it is almost impossible to resolve an employee lawsuit without a mediator. Employers and their employment defense lawyers are reluctant to offer money to settle an employment case outside the protected and confidential setting of mediation.
Since when was the Miracle Mile in Encino? It is true the first Encino General Store was within a mile of this marker, and so was 17000 Ventura which were Hughes headquarters he never visited, but the Miracle Mile is and always has been in Mid-Wilshire. The first car hop was there, the first drive-in back and park department stores, the first supermarket, the County museum, many corporate offices, wonderful architecture, and the list goes on.
For more intricacies on all parts of Los Angeles, see my Los Angeles history blog at https://employeelawca.com/vintagela/
#Encino
I was one of the first lawyers to use Labor Code Section 2699. By 2005 I had tried a 2699 case, given two MCLE lectures on it, and published at least one article on California Labor Code Section 2699 which was not yet referred to as PAGA by every Tom, Dick, and Harry. By 2007 many were critical of 2699 and claimed it was too much trouble for a 25% recovery for clients. By 2007 I had arbitrated a 2699 case for 69 aggrieved employees and won, but did think it was a lot of trouble for around $300,000 in 269 penalties. I sent the DLSE a check and they acted like it was the first one they ever got. I had sent a few before.
With Iskanian there will be a rush of 2699 filings. Perhaps this will deter some employers from class action waivers which have become a real problem for wage and hour class actions. Within the last year two excellent potential class actions of mine have devolved into 5-8 employee arbitration actions. I doubt I am alone.
Karl Gerber, Lead Trial Counsel of Employment Lawyers Group https://employeelawca.com/los-angeles-class-action-lawyer
#Sherman #Oaks
Happy Halloween From the Studio City side of the Longridge Estates, just blocks from my Sherman Oaks office. The crowds were milder than in years past and so were the Halloween decorations. Notwithstanding I noted a few potential labor abuses: 1) domestic employees beyond their 45 hour in a week handing out candy without being paid overtime; 2) children under 12 directing other children to get candy from their homes.
I've gotta hand it to my Sherman Oaks staff, and particularly one of my paralegals, for putting together this cake on my birthday.
Administrative hearings happen in the oddest places. This is a community room at the William Hart Park in Newhall, California. Today I appeared at an administrative hearing in this room. I prevailed in the administrative hearing in a manner that has a monetary value of more than $228,000 over the next 40 years, and another $85,500 if the interested party lives to 100. The administrative agencies typically used in employment cases include the EDD for unemployment benefits, the DFEH and EEOC for discrimination, and the Labor Commission for various wage issues.
Burbank, California home of Disney Studios, NBC, Warner Brothers, other studios, and the high-rise office buildings in the background. Also home of Sardo’s where on Tuesday nights members of the industry (adult film industry aka porno stars) show up for karaoke. Never personally been inside for any reason. Today I am the neighborhood on a wrongful termination case mediation, and got coffee at the Starbucks in Vons.
Bison in the Santa Clarita Valley at the William S. Hart house. After prevailing at the administrative hearing last week in a community room on these Newhall premises I decided to go back for a tour of the property with my eldest son. #Newhall
Is Hamburger Hamlet closed? If you go, you will be told they are under new management, but will be open in a week. A website reports they are gone! If closed, there are no words to express this loss. Having just moved to the San Fernando Valley on May 4, 1977, and not having time to go to the market, my family ate our first meal as a San Fernando Valley Family at this location. In 1996, after its glorious remodel, I rented office space for my law firm there for more than two years before purchasing the Sherman Oaks building I relocated to in 1999. As of late this had become my five year-old's favorite place because they served corn dogs.
