Source: https://www.lcwlegal.com/people/default/detail/alias/lisa-charbonneau/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 20:24:56+00:00

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Lisa represents cities, counties, and special districts throughout the state in litigation, advice and counsel, and all other matters pertaining to labor and employment law, including investigations, public employee discipline, labor relations, negotiations, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), wage and hour compliance, and the Public Safety Officers' and Firefighters' Procedural Bill of Rights Acts. She also works with the firm's school clients on wage and hour matters.
She has secured successful results, including dismissal or summary judgment, for clients in litigation matters ranging from FLSA collective actions to disability discrimination to First Amendment retaliation. She has also successfully represented clients before numerous administrative bodies and personnel commissions, including the California Labor Commission, the Department of Labor, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. A significant part of Lisa's advice and counsel work involves counseling clients on FLSA issues, conducting FLSA audits for clients, reviewing employer compliance with wage and hour laws, and assisting with payroll system upgrades and modifications to achieve compliance with wage and hour laws. Her practice also includes training on such subjects as discrimination and harassment, ethics, FLSA compliance, risk management, and supervisory skills.
Lisa received her JD from U.C. Hastings College of the Law in 2006 and was admitted to the California State Bar in December of that year. While at Hastings, Lisa served as an Equal Justice America fellow and received a grant to work on community economic development issues for the City of Detroit. Lisa earned her Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Government from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and soon after that worked at a political magazine, The American Prospect, until she began to pursue her law degree.
Lisa was recognized as a "Rising Star" by Northern California Super Lawyers in 2012, 2013, 2014-2016, and in 2010 received a Community Partner Award for pro bono work with the Transgender Law Center in San Francisco, California. She is a member of the California State Bar's Litigation Section.
The Flores Decision is Here to Stay – What Do California Public Employers Need to Know?
Valentine et al. v. Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District (2019) – U.S. District Court, Eastern District. Fair Labor Standards Act collective action involving more than five hundred firefighters. Court approved settlement and case dismissed with prejudice.
Spiller v. City of Petaluma (2018) – U.S. District Court, Northern District. Fair Labor Standards Act collective action involving police department employees. Court approved settlement and case dismissed with prejudice.
Baskin et al. v. City of San Luis Obispo (2018) – U.S. District Court, Central District. Multi-plaintiff Fair Labor Standards Act case. Court approved settlement and case dismissed with prejudice.
Hoffman v. County of Butte (2017) – U.S. District Court, Eastern District. Fair Labor Standards Act collective action brought by sheriff’s department employees. Court approved settlement and case dismissed with prejudice.
Stewart v. County of Amador (2017) – U.S. District Court, Eastern District. Fair Labor Standards Act collective action. Court approved settlement and case dismissed with prejudice.
Alviso et al. v. City of San Rafael (2017) – U.S. District Court, Northern District. Fair Labor Standards Act collective action. Court approved settlement and case dismissed with prejudice.
Anderson et al. v. Marinwood Community Services District (2017) – U.S. District Court, Northern District. Multi-plaintiff Fair Labor Standards Act case. Court approved settlement and case dismissed with prejudice.
Drobish et al. v. City of Citrus Heights (2017) – U.S. District Court, Eastern District. Fair Labor Standards Act collective action. Court approved settlement and case dismissed with prejudice.
Maner v. County of Stanislaus, Birgit Fladager (2016) – U.S. District Court, Eastern District. Represented County and District Attorney. Secured complete summary judgment for County and District Attorney in first amendment retaliation claim brought by a former deputy district attorney.
James et. al. v. City of Santa Clara (2016) – Santa Clara County Superior Court. Represented City and secured complete summary judgment for City in age discrimination claim brought by three plaintiffs.
On March 29, 2019, the Department of Labor (DOL) published proposed new rules on the Regular Rate requirements (i.e., the rate at which overtime must be paid) under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The proposed rules may be found here. The comment period for the proposed rules closes on May 28, 2019.
Should your agency permit employees to use their available paid leave accruals prior to designating leave as Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)-qualifying, even if your agency knows the leave is FMLA qualifying from the start? A new Department of Labor (DOL) Opinion Letter issued by the Acting DOL Wage & Hour Administrator explains that employers that delay designation of FMLA-qualifying leave more than five days violate the FMLA. Consistent with the new DOL Opinion Letter, employers should run FMLA once on notice of an FMLA qualifying event.
Is Minimum Wage a Matter of Statewide Concern? The Second Appellate District Says Yes, Applying the State Minimum Wage to Charter Cities (and Counties).
On February 25, 2019, the California Second Appellate District Court of Appeal issued a decision in the case Marquez, et al. v. City of Long Beach, holding that the state minimum wage applies to charter cities because minimum wages are a matter of statewide concern. The holding should be construed to apply to all counties (charter and general law) as well.
Under Article XI, Sections 4 and 5 of the California Constitution, charter cities and counties have exclusive authority to regulate and determine their own municipal affairs, free from intrusion by the state. These provisions of the Constitution are collectively referred to as the municipal affairs clause and have given rise to what is known as the “home rule” or “municipal affairs” doctrine. At its essence, the home rule doctrine embodies the principle that a municipality knows its wants and needs better than the state at large.
Many employers struggle with properly paying non-exempt employees who attend courses, conferences, seminars, meetings, and other trainings. In the absence of labor agreement provisions or other agency rules or policies governing this issue, public agency employers must follow the rules of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) when evaluating whether an employee is entitled to compensation for training time.

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