Whistleblower

Ephraim Roy Hess has practicing law for more than 30 years. He has successfully represented both individuals and small to medium sized businesses in matters ranging from sexual harassment and age discrimination to the negotiation of severance issues and the enforcement and defense of non-compete agreements. Some areas of representation include: Employment and Labor Law • Discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, age, race, national origin, religion, disability, or pregnancy • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) • Drug Testing • Sexual Harassment • Contract review/negotiations • Whistleblowers and Retaliation • Long Term Disability • EEOC/FCHR Charges • Unemployment • Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) Business Law and Litigation • Non-Compete Agreements • Severance Agreements • Confidentiality Agreements • Defense and claims of breaches of contract • Response to Administrative Charges • Defense against discrimination charges • Employee vs. Independent Contractor Classification Issues Civil Trials and Appeals • Contract disputes • Malicious Prosecution • Fraud • Breach of Contract • Public Records Actions • Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices • Breach of Fiduciary Duty Please contact the Hess Law Firm at (954) 585.8599 to discuss your individual matter.

Throughout my 35 plus years of practice, I have represented individuals in all aspects of employment law in order to protect their jobs and families from the arbitrary actions of management who often view their employees as disposable. I have been proud to represent victims of discrimination of all types and effectively prosecuted their claims in either federal or state court. More recently my firm has advocated for an employee who has been harassed on the basis of their sex, age, or race. We have discovered that simply because an employer may have a procedure for reporting such harassment does not mean that the employee is protected or that the claims are fully investigated. The Law Offices of F. Benjamin Riek III has won significant victories for whistleblowers in both administrative and state court actions. We are proud to represent those few individuals who are willing to put aside the fears of retaliation and bring forth the illegal or dangerous actions of their employers -whether it is a pollution violation or misstating financial records. There are strong laws to protect employees in many areas who become aware of illegal activities at work. We are always willing to represent you before the proper agency or in court. In recent years, I have seen a significant increase in the number of cases of retaliation from employers for either reporting discrimination or harassment or cooperating in the company’s investigation of the claim. The employees targeted for retaliation are not just those who were victimized but also the witnesses who saw and heard what happened and told the truth, however inconvenient it might be to management. Don’t let the human resource department or a supervisor intimidate you! It is surprising that even today many companies try to cheat their employees out of the proper earnings through a variety of illegal activities. Some of the more obvious are forcing their workers to work off the clock, either before or after their shift, failing to pay overtime for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week, or telling you that you are an independent contractor when you have no control over your work hours. All of these actions violate the Fair Labor Standards Act which has been enforced since the 1930s. If you are classified as an independent contractor, not only does the company avoid withholding taxes, they also don’t pay their portion of social security and unemployment taxes that could affect you as you near retirement. I have a broad and diverse background representing employees and am always willing to meet with you to discuss your situation.

Antonio Gonzalez is a seasoned litigator in the employment law field. He started his law career defending employers in employment cases such as discrimination and harassment lawsuits, as well as providing advice and counsel to employers. After defending employers for six years, Antonio opened up his own practice, Gonzalez Law. His current practice focuses exclusively on representing employees in employment-related lawsuits. Antonio received his JD from Loyola Law School, where he was an editor for the Loyola Law Review. During law school he also externed for then U.S. District Court Judge and former California Supreme Court Justice, Carlos Moreno. He received his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Stanford University. Gonzalez Law is a Los Angeles area labor & employment law firm exclusively representing employees with respect to workplace matters. Since the firm’s inception, the goals and philosophy is to assist individuals and their families obtain justice. Additionally, the firm assures that companies who are engaging in unlawful conduct take corrective action and provide a workplace free of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage violations, and unlawful conduct towards employees. The firm cares about its clients, providing special care to every case and treating every client with respect. Please call us for a free employment law consultation.

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