Gabriel A. Mendoza

/My focus

I dedicate my practice to defending employers against wage and hour disputes, including Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and class action matters, and claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, employee misclassifications, independent contractor disputes, meal and rest breaks, off-the-clock work, failure-to-pay, and wrongful termination in single and multi-plaintiff/defendant matters.

In addition to my litigation experience, I advise clients on employment policies and practices, including review of separation agreements, employee handbooks, and meal and rest period policies and waivers. I also draft notices of employee privacy rights and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) memorandums for PAGA and class action matters. I assist clients with disciplinary actions and investigations, conduct employment practices reviews, and wage and hour exposure analyses and calculations.

/Representative experience

• Representation of corporations in their dealings with labor unions, including vulnerability assessments and disciplinary actions.
• Wage and hour class and collective actions, as well as OSHA (Occupational health and safety act) and other workplace safety issues.
• Litigation related to sex, race, age and national origin discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and employment-related restrictive covenants.
• Non-contentious matters relating to day-to-day business issues as well as workforce restructuring, and employment issues related to reclassification, reductions in force, asset sales, mergers, and acquisitions.
• Advice on the writing of policy handbooks for major corporations and HR training.

/Looking ahead

Understanding PAGA and wage and hour lawsuits is crucial for employers—especially those in California—to manage financial risks. Employers need to know how civil penalties are determined and the role of “aggrieved employees” who represent others in these cases. As the law in this field continues to evolve, employers need counsel who adapts to developments in the law in order to better position themselves to manage such risks.