Eric Steinert Featured on Fox Business
America's Nightly Scoreboard with David Asman

Seyfarth Shaw San Francisco office partner Eric Steinert appeared on Fox Business' America's Nightly Scoreboard with David Asman on June 22. The interview discussed the increase in litigation between employers and employees as a result of a lack of published court decisions or binding regulatory guidance on certain provisions in California labor law.

Eric notes that defining these provisions is uncharted territory, and people are beginning to sue their employers on behalf of similarly situated employees in cases resembling class actions.

When asked who is to blame, lawmakers or lawyers, Eric pointed out that the passing of the Attorney General Act in 2004, which allows private citizens to sue for civil fines and penalties for violations of certain California Labor Code provisions, expanded private enforcement to a lot of the laws and wage orders. As a result, there is less flexibility around compliance, increasing litigation, which becomes more expensive for employers.

Eric points out that the wage orders which were previously unavailable are now "fair game," which means that plaintiff attorneys can comb through provisions to try and figure out what they could sue over. He concludes by stating, "The more you expand the regulation where there's a private remedy, lawsuits will follow."

Click here to watch the full interview: http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1012740191001/a-slew-of-suitable-seating-lawsuits-in-california