Michael J. Rossiter
Practice Specialties

Employment Litigation

Mr. Rossiter has extensive experience successfully litigating employment cases on behalf of all kinds of businesses. Mr. Rossiter is a business-minded litigator who carefully counsels with his clients to find the best and most practical solution in each case, whether that means early informal resolution, mediation, summary judgment, arbitration, or trial. His depth and breadth of litigation and trial experience have proven to be invaluable in resolving even the most contentious matters.

Employee Handbooks and Personnel Policies

In conjunction with his employer advice and counseling practice, Mr. Rossiter specializes in the preparation and review of employee handbooks and personnel policies. As part of the firm's Employee Handbook Service, Mr. Rossiter personally meets with a client's management team to discuss in detail the organization and its personnel policy needs. Based on the information gathered during the consultation, Mr. Rossiter prepares a customized employee handbook that is in full compliance with all applicable federal and state employment laws, and that meets the needs and realities of the particular organization. Mr. Rossiter also works with his clients to prepare and implement specialized personnel policies.

Employer/Management Training

Along with his extensive work preparing and reviewing employee handbooks and personnel policies, Mr. Rossiter  regularly conducts training programs and seminars for employers, managers, and human resources professionals. Among the programs Mr. Rossiter offers are:

• Employment Law 101 - The Basics:
  
  
  • Labor Code Top 50 - The Top 50 Labor Code Sections You Should Know
    
  • Pre-Employment - Hiring Tips & Red Flags
  • Employment - The Three Strikes & How to Avoid Them
  • Post-Employment - Unemployment & Other Financial Concerns
• Employment Law 102 - Critical Wage and Hour Issues for California Employers:
  
  
  • Salary, Hourly or Production-Based Compensation - The Risks & Requirements
  • The Five Requirements for All Non-Exempt Employees (and Why They Matter)
  • Overtime and "Regular Rate" Claims - How to Stay Out of Trouble
  • Alternative Workweek Schedules - The Pros & Cons
• Employment Law 103 - Current Trends, Hot Topics & War Stories:
  
  
  • Leaves of Absence - When Do You Have to Allow Time Off?
  • Sexual Harassment - Protecting Against Personal Liability
  • Independent Contractors - Who Qualifies & Who Doesn't Qualify
  • Release Agreements & Severance Pay - Who, When, Why & How

Other Programs include: How to Conduct an Internal I-9 Audit; Leaves of Absence 101: The Basics; and Conducting Workplace Investigations.

Defense of Individual Defendants in Multi-Party Litigation
On behalf of businesses, Mr. Rossiter has litigated issues in a variety of areas, including discrimination and harassment, retaliation, wage and hour, trade secrets and unfair competition, and workers' compensation (Labor Code Section 132a discrimination, and serious and willful claims).

Mr. Rossiter specializes in representing individuals who are named as defendants in employment litigation, and who require separate representation from their employers. In discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases, the complaining employee, or former employee, typically sues not only the employer, but the supervisors and managers, too. In many cases, the law does not allow all defendants to use the same attorney. In those cases, Mr. Rossiter is brought in to represent the named individual(s). Most often, the employer is required to pay the legal fees and costs to defend its supervisors and managers.