Media Mentions

Jul 8, 2011

Laura Maechtlen Extensively Quoted in the L.A. Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Reuters, The Recorder, Daily Journal, Law360 and SHRM

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Seyfarth Shaw San Francisco Labor and Employment partner Laura Maechtlen was extensively quoted on the California Supreme Court decision Oracle v. Sullivan in the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Reuters, The Recorder, The Daily Journal, Law360 and SHRM on June 30 and July 1.

The court unanimously ruled that overtime protections for California employees would be extended, regardless of where they live. While the decision focused on California-based employers, Laura pointed out that out-of-state companies could still be subject to claims from employees trying to expand the court's holding.

Laura voiced a common concern amongst employment lawyers, "Employers subject to the decision could face a slew of additional claims by nonresident employees claiming that they were improperly classified as exempt and/or owed overtime for work performed in California." She advised, "Employers should be concerned about how far the implications of this holding go."

She added, "Plaintiffs will undoubtedly push the envelope of this ruling in the class-action context."

Laura also touched on another issue certified by the court. "Luckily, the California Supreme Court sided with Oracle...If the court had found that UCL [California Unfair Competition Law] applied to overtime work performed outside of California for a California-based employer, a class action could have been filed on behalf of a nationwide class under the California Unfair Competition Law by borrowing the FLSA as a predicate act."

Click here to read the full Reuters article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/30/oracle-lawsuit-idUSN1E75T1SL20110630
Click here to read the full L.A. Times article:  http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-california-overtime-20110701,0,5271758.story