Jeffery Owensby, Esq.

Discrimination

• Mediated a claim brought by a tech industry executive who alleged that her inclusion in a group layoff was motivated by age and sex discrimination
• Mediated a claim brought by an individual who alleged harassment based on race and national origin, including racial epithets and derogatory insults directed at a group of Latino workers. The claim also involved allegations that immigration status was used as a threat to deter whistleblowing about the discriminatory conduct.
• Mediated a case brought by an industrial worker who alleged that she was assigned dirty, dangerous, and isolated tasks because of her race, while employees of other races received preferential treatment. The case involved complex procedural issues related to the claimant’s union membership.
• Mediated a two-plaintiff harassment and discrimination case against a public entity. Both plaintiffs were union members who navigated multiple levels of the grievance process. The matter involved extensive medical evidence related to emotional distress and ultimately resolved through settlement.
• Mediated a dispute involving two employees who alleged race harassment and discrimination while working for a high-end local employer. One employee claimed constructive discharge. The alleged harasser was investigated and terminated for misconduct by the employer.

PAGA

• Mediated three related PAGA cases involving a common consultant and separate companies operating fast-food locations.

Pregnancy Discrimination

• Mediated pregnancy discrimination claims against a defunct, bankrupt company, where the EPLI carrier was the only active party opposing the claims and the sole source of potential recovery for any judgment or settlement.
• Mediated a single-plaintiff pregnancy discrimination case involving an intervening bankruptcy and an interlocutory appeal, with trial imminent. A background insurance coverage dispute added complexity. The matter was resolved over two mediation sessions.

Prevailing Wage

• Mediated a complex employment dispute involving multiple plaintiffs asserting wage and hour violations and wrongful discharge claims. The case featured distinct subsets of claims and defenses among the plaintiffs, and multiple defendants represented by different law firms.

Sexual Harassment

• Mediated a claim of hospital employee who asserted that her male supervisor sexually assaulted her on company property.
• Mediated a case in which female workers alleged that their lead worker kissed, groped and made sexual gestures targeted at women over whom he had scheduling and task assignment authority.
• Mediated a claim by woman who after consensual sexual and romantic relationship with her boss ended was forced out of executive position in retaliation for not resuming sexual aspects of relationship.

Wage and Hour

• Mediated action by hotel housekeepers seeking payment for unpaid work time, overtime pay, and variety of penalties associated with improper payment practices of hotel owner.
• Mediated a case alleging missed break/missed meals and related penalties by long-term care workers.
• Mediated a class action wage and hour dispute involving union workers.

Wage and Hour Class Action

• Mediated a wage and hour class action with PAGA claims involving highly complex compensation structures that gave rise to numerous pay and Labor Code violation issues.

Wrongful Termination

• Mediated a case involving disability discrimination, wrongful discharge, and whistleblower retaliation. Despite initial reluctance to engage, the parties reached a resolution with significant movement by both sides.
• Mediated a case involving the dismissal of a physician outside the established medical staff processes and the statutory framework for curtailing medical staff privileges.