Tony Oncidi
Partner
Anthony J. Oncidi heads the Labor & Employment Law Group in the Los Angeles office.
Tony represents employers and management in all aspects of labor relations and employment law, including litigation and preventive counseling, wage and hour matters, including class actions, wrongful termination, employee discipline, Title VII and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, executive employment contract disputes, sexual harassment training and investigations, workplace violence, drug testing and privacy issues, Sarbanes-Oxley claims and employee raiding and trade secret protection. A substantial portion of Tony’s practice involves the defense of employers in large class actions, employment discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination litigation in state and federal court as well as arbitration proceedings, including FINRA matters.
Subscribe to all posts by Tony Oncidi
A California court has ruled that an arbitrator (not a judge) should decide on the applicability of California Labor Code Section 925 to a dispute between a law firm partner and his former law firm. Zhang v. Superior Court, 2022 WL 16832570 (Cal. Ct. App. 2022). This ruling potentially undermines the protections of Labor Code … Continue Reading
We invite you to review our newly-posted November 2022 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Equal Pay Act Claim Should Not Have Been Dismissed Whistleblower Claim Should Not Have Been Dismissed In Part School District Employee May Have Been Discriminated … Continue Reading
Limon v. Circle K Stores Inc., 2022 WL 14391789 (Cal. Ct. App. 2022) Plaintiff Ernesto Limon was employed by Circle K (which operates gas stations and convenience stores in California) for just one month before filing this putative class action lawsuit against his former employer, alleging violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Limon … Continue Reading
CSV Hospitality Mgmt. LLC v. Lucas, 84 Cal. App. 5th 117 (2022) CSV Hospitality Management LLC obtained a restraining order under the Workplace Violence Safety Act against Jermorio Lucas who was living at the Aranda Residence, a residential hotel that provides supportive housing to formerly homeless individuals. In support of its petition against Lucas, CSV … Continue Reading
Espinoza v. Superior Court, 83 Cal. App. 5th 761 (2022) Rosa M. Quincoza Espinoza sued her former employer, Centinela Skilled Nursing & Wellness Centre West, LLC, for discrimination and retaliation. The employer filed a motion to stay the litigation and compel arbitration, invoking the terms of an arbitration agreement that Espinoza had signed. After the … Continue Reading
Miller v. Roseville Lodge No. 1293, 83 Cal. App. 5th 825 (2022) Roseville Lodge No. 1293, Loyal Order of Moose, Inc., hired Charlie Gelatini to move an ATM on its premises. Ricky Lee Miller, Jr., who worked for Gelatini and was the person who performed the work, was injured on the job when he fell … Continue Reading
Trujillo v. City of Los Angeles, 2022 WL 15119812 (Cal. Ct. App. 2022) In a negligence case, the City of Los Angeles made a settlement offer to the plaintiff pursuant to Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 998 a few days before the hearing on defendant’s motion for summary judgment. Just four minutes after the court … Continue Reading
Price v. Victor Valley Union High Sch. Dist., 2022 WL 16845113 (Cal. Ct. App. 2022) La Vonya Price worked as a part-time substitute special education aide at the Victor Valley Unified School District before applying for a full-time position. Although she received an offer for a full-time position, it was contingent upon her passing a … Continue Reading
Killgore v. SpecPro Prof’l Servs., LLC, 51 F.4th 973 (9th Cir. 2022) While consulting for an environmental project for the United States Army Reserve Command, Aaron Killgore believed he was being required to prepare an environmental assessment in a manner that violated federal law. Killgore was fired shortly after he reported the suspected illegality to … Continue Reading
Allen v. Staples, Inc., 84 Cal. App. 5th 188 (2022) Joyce Allen worked at Staples as a field sales director (FSD) reporting to area sales vice president Bruce Trahey; FSD Charles R. Narlock also reported to Trahey. As part of a corporate reorganization in February 2019, Trahey informed Allen and several other FSDs of his … Continue Reading
In the continuously evolving whistleblower retaliation standard we previously reported on earlier this year here and here, the Ninth Circuit has now weighed in on California Labor Code section 1102.5 in Killgore v. Specpro Pro. Serv., LLC, No. 21-15897. In holding that a consultant on an environmental project for the U.S. Army Reserve Command raised … Continue Reading
We invite you to review our newly-posted October 2022 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Hollywood Producer Is Not Liable For Drowning Death Of Executive Assistant Employer May Not Inquire Into Former Employee’s Immigration Status Workers’ Comp Determination Does Not Govern … Continue Reading
Johar v. CUIAB, 2022 WL 4139848 (Cal. Ct. App. 2022) Reena Johar, a home improvement sales person, left work to care for a terminally ill relative, but after just one week, the employer “decided she had quit” and gave her no new sales appointments. Although Johar told the Employment Development Department that she lost her … Continue Reading
Malloy v. Superior Court, 2022 WL 4298371 (Cal. Ct. App. 2022) Eleanor Malloy began working remotely for her employer (which was located in Orange County) at her home in Los Angeles County in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Malloy filed a complaint in the Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging pregnancy discrimination under the … Continue Reading
Meda v. AutoZone, Inc., 81 Cal. App. 5th 366 (2022) Monica Meda worked as a sales associate at an AutoZone for approximately six months before quitting and suing for violation of the Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”), asserting AutoZoners (the operating company for AutoZone) had failed to provide suitable seating to employees at the cashier … Continue Reading
Technology Credit Union v. Rafat, 82 Cal. App. 5th 314 (2022) Technology Credit Union (“TCU”) obtained a Workplace Violence Restraining Order (“WVRO”) against one of its members (Matthew Mehdi Rafat) based on TCU’s evidence that Rafat allegedly made a credible threat of violence against M.L., one of TCU’s employees. The Court of Appeal reversed the … Continue Reading
Kaur v. Foster Poultry Farms LLC, 2022 WL 4243090 (Cal. Ct. App. 2022) Gurdip Kaur sued her former employer, Foster Farms, for discrimination based on disability and race/national origin, retaliation and violation of the whistleblower statute (Cal. Lab. Code § 1102.5). Prior to filing this lawsuit, Kaur filed a petition against Foster Farms with the … Continue Reading
Manuel v. Superior Court, 82 Cal. App. 5th 719 (2022) Rigoberto Jose Manuel sued his former employer, BrightView Landscape Services, Inc., for wrongful termination after he was injured on the job. Manuel alleged his employment was terminated in retaliation for his job injury; BrightView asserted that Manuel failed to return to work due to federal … Continue Reading
Musgrove v. Silver, 82 Cal. App. 5th 694 (2022) As part of an entourage of family and friends, a Hollywood producer (Joel Silver) brought his executive assistant (who was employed through Silver’s company) as well as a French chef Silver personally employed to a luxurious resort in Bora Bora, French Polynesia to attend the August … Continue Reading
It just wouldn’t be Fall without the passage of a flurry of new laws, shaking up the employment landscape in California. As of the close of the legislative session on August 31, several “job killer” bills (so called by the California Chamber of Commerce as reported here and here) passed the state legislature and are … Continue Reading
On September 5, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act or FAST Recovery Act (AB-257). In a breathtaking move, the state government, which is dominated at all levels by union-friendly politicians, will appoint a 10-member Council composed of employees, employers and “union activists” to set the minimum wages and … Continue Reading
As we previously reported here, in Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A. v. Bonta, 13 F.4th 766 (9th Cir. 2021), a three member panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals resurrected California Labor Code Section 432.6, which prohibited employers from requiring California employees to agree to arbitrate their employment-related disputes. In a new twist, … Continue Reading
The Los Angeles County Superior Court has confirmed an arbitrator’s October 2021 award of $31 million to be paid by actor Kevin Spacey to producers of the Netflix show House of Cards for Spacey’s alleged breach of contract. As we previously reported, the producers alleged that Spacey was responsible for millions of dollars in costs … Continue Reading
On July 7, 2022, Mayor Eric Garcetti signed the “Healthcare Workers Minimum Wage Ordinance” (“Ordinance”) which, effective August 13, 2022, increases the minimum wage to $25 per hour for healthcare workers employed at privately-owned healthcare facilities within the City of Los Angeles. Beginning January 1, 2024, the minimum wage will increase annually based on the … Continue Reading
Arbitrator Should Decide Whether NY or CA Law Applies
November 2022 California Employment Law Notes
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Arbitration Agreements, Class Actions, Disability, Discrimination, Employment Applications, Employment Law Notes, Equal Pay Act, FCRA, FEHA, Gender discrimination, Harassment, Independent Contractors, Negligence, Reasonable Accommodation, Retaliation, Settlement, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblowers, Workers Compensation, Workplace Safety, Workplace Violence, Wrongful Termination
Former Employee Was Not Injured By Alleged Violation Of FCRA
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Class Actions, FCRA
Target Of Workplace Violence TRO Was Entitled To Cross Examine Witnesses
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Workplace Violence
Employer Waived Right To Arbitration By Failing To Timely Pay Arbitration Fees
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Arbitration Agreements, Discrimination, Retaliation
Hirer Of Independent Contractor Is Not Liable For Injury To Contractor’s Employee
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Independent Contractors, Workers Compensation, Workplace Safety
Offer To Settle Expired When The Court Granted Summary Judgment Motion
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Negligence, Settlement
School District Employee May Have Been Discriminated Against On The Basis Of A Disability
Whistleblower Claim Should Not Have Been Dismissed In Part
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Retaliation, Whistleblowers, Wrongful Termination
Equal Pay Act Claim Should Not Have Been Dismissed
The Ninth Circuit Adopts Broad View of Whistleblower Retaliation Claim under the California Whistleblower Protection Act
October 2022 California Employment Law Notes
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in California Labor Code, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Disability, Discrimination, Employer Liability for Worker's Actions, Employment Law Notes, Immigration, Labor Code § 132, Leaves of Absence, Liability for Employee's Actions Outside the Workplace, Off-the-clock Issues, PAGA, Reasonable Accommodation, Retaliation, Serious Health Conditions, Statute of Limitations, Whistleblowers, Workplace Violence, Wrongful Termination
Employee Who Left Work To Care For Ill Relative Did Not Quit Her Employment And Was Eligible For Unemployment Benefits
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Leaves of Absence, Serious Health Conditions
FEHA Employee Who Was Working Remotely May Sue In County Where She Lived
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Coronavirus, COVID-19, Discrimination
AutoZone May Not Have “Provided” Suitable Seating To Employees
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in PAGA, Reasonable Accommodation
Workplace Violence Restraining Order Reversed Absent Credible Threat Of Violence
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Workplace Violence
Workers’ Comp Determination Does Not Govern Outcome Of Discrimination Case
Employer May Not Inquire Into Former Employee’s Immigration Status
By Tony Oncidi on Posted in Immigration, Retaliation, Wrongful Termination
Hollywood Producer Is Not Liable For Drowning Death Of Executive Assistant
California Employment Laws Passed and Pending
California Creates Unelected Council to Set Minimum Wages/Working Conditions of 500,000 Fast Food Workers
EMPLOYMENT ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS REMAIN LEGAL IN CALIFORNIA – AT LEAST FOR NOW!
California Court Confirms Kevin Spacey Must Pay $31 Million to House of Cards Producers
By Tony Oncidi and Dixie Morrison on Posted in #MeToo, Breach of Contract, Entertainment Industry, Sexual Harassment
