Employers with operations in California—especially those based outside the state and startup companies—face unique challenges. California law often sets the national trend with employment law developments predating changes across the country.
With attorneys in five California locations (Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Orange County and Sacramento), Jackson Lewis has one of the largest labor and employment law practices in the Golden State. We practice before all California federal and state courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the California Courts of Appeal and the California Supreme Court, as well as all California state and federal agencies involved in enforcing employment and labor law.
Susan E. Groff is a principal in the Los Angeles office of Jackson Lewis P.C. She is co-leader of the firm’s California Advice and Counsel resource group. The group delivers legal and practical guidance to assist employers in navigating what are frequently multi-disciplinary issues. Susan counsels management on a host of labor and employment issues, including wage and hour laws, disability and leave management, harassment and discrimination complaints, workplace investigations, reductions in force, litigation avoidance, and discipline and termination questions. Due to California’s nuanced and numerous disability and leave requirements, Susan dedicates much of her practice to advising employers on federal and California requirements for disability accommodation and protected leaves of absence. Importantly, she partners with employers not only on these technical disability and leave laws, but also on practical solutions in handling the same. Susan also provides guidance to employers on California’s challenging wage and hour laws. In addition to day to day advice, she assists with employer audits, compensation plan reviews, and policies in this area. Cepideh Roufougar is a principal in the San Francisco, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and the co-leader of the firm’s California Advice and Counsel resource group. She advises and counsels management in all areas of labor and employment law, with a focus on identifying practical solutions to help ensure compliance with state and federal law. Cepideh positions herself as a strategic partner when providing advice and counsel about litigation avoidance, employee management issues, implementing disciplinary actions, and collective bargaining issues. Her ability to see the big picture clearly and understand her client’s businesses in emotionally charged and highly complex disputes has helped her clients financially and prevented litigation. Her clients rely on her to guide them through both short-term and long-term planning to achieve their unique goals and strategies. Cepideh is an experienced trainer and presents seminars on a wide range of subjects, including: leave management and reasonable accommodations; preventing discrimination, harassment and retaliation; implementing and sustaining disciplinary actions; conducting defensible workplace investigations; first-line supervisor trainings; performance management/evaluations; and wage and hour issues. Cepideh has been successful in helping her clients prevail in numerous arbitrations and administrative appeals. She has extensive experience representing employers in labor and employment disputes. Cepideh has defended employers in employment litigation matters, including claims alleging violations of the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act, FLSA collective actions, and claims of harassment and discrimination. She also conducts complex workplace investigations. Jonathan A. Siegel is a principal in the Orange County, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He practices before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Labor Relations Board, state and federal agencies and courts. Jonathan also provides advice and counsel regarding labor and employment law with respect to various issues including wage and hour law, reduction in force, WARN Act, corporate restructuring, layoffs, discipline, leave management, harassment and discrimination issues. Jonathan defends employers regarding different varieties of wrongful termination and discrimination claims.Susan E. GroffEmail
Cepideh RoufougarEmail
Jonathan A. SiegelEmail