Ms. Kennedy defends companies, managers and executives in employment class actions and Private Attorney General Act (“PAGA”) cases concerning disputes over the classification of workers, overtime pay, payment of wages, and meal and rest breaks, as well as single and multiple plaintiff unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation cases.
Mindful of business goals and purposes, Ms. Kennedy regularly helps companies to comply with employment laws and to develop compliant policies and practices for the recruitment and hiring of employees, exemptions from overtime pay, compensation, leaves of absence, workplace accommodations, workplace privacy, discipline, and separation of employees. She frequently drafts or reviews employment agreements and policies as well as compensation plans.
Utilizing her previous in-house experience at publicly traded, technology companies, Ms. Kennedy regularly provides counsel to companies on employment issues in mergers and acquisitions and to executives on employment transitions.
Ms. Kennedy represents businesses in audits and actions brought by the U.S. Department of Labor, the California Labor Commissioner, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Department of Fair Employment and Housing.
Ms. Kennedy successfully defends companies and negotiates settlements in Americans with Disabilities Act and California disability access cases, specifically with respect to allegedly physical access barriers and non-compliant websites. Ms. Kennedy defends businesses sued for allegedly violating federal and California fair housing laws.
Ms. Kennedy’s clients include a wide variety of companies ranging from closely held to large, publicly traded companies hailing from a broad spectrum of industries, including semiconductor, senior home care, automotive, real estate, hospitality, medical and professional services.
