Whistleblower/Retaliation

• Steffens v. Regus Group PLC (08 CV 1494 LAB WVG)
  Jury verdict of $4,646,252 against property management giant Regus, for retaliatory firing its general manager in a San Diego facility after she reported break and overtime violations (2013).
• Confidential
  Arbitrator’s award of $770,000 million for retaliation against person complaining of discrimination (2004).
• Schell v. City of Los Angeles (CV 00-01454 FMC (RZx))
  Lawsuit filed on behalf of civilian employee of Los Angeles Police Department who was transferred and then fired for refusing to change her testimony in a prior lawsuit. Trial resulted in $4.3 million verdict for plaintiff (2001).
• Wysinger v. Automobile Club of Southern California (01132996)
  Jury verdict and attorney’s fees of over $2.85 million for retaliation and failure to engage in the interactive process with disabled employee (2006).
• Confidential
  Retaliation for whistleblowing — $1.2 million (2004).
• Confidential
  $1.1 million settlement against public entity on behalf of three plaintiffs who alleged retaliation for prior complaints and/or support for the others’ complaints of discrimination (2009).
• Bardzik v. Orange County Sheriff’s Department & Michael Carona (SA CV07-141-JVS (RNBx))
  Historic $950,000 settlement against the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and former Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona for violating Bardzik’s First Amendment freedom of speech rights by retaliating against him for supporting Carona’s opponent in the election for sheriff. Not only did HSRR secure a published decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upholding Bardzik’s claims and finding that Carona was not entitled to qualified immunity but the settlement of $950,000 is one of the largest settlements of its kind in the history of Orange County (2012).
• Blair v. City of Pomona (CV 96-6416-RSWL)
  Case by police officer who was retaliated against for his role in bringing forward allegations of police misconduct. Settled for $635,000 and returned to job (2001).
• Confidential
  Confidential settlement: $600,000 settlement against a bankrupt defendant. A race and national origin discrimination, harassment and retaliation lawsuit involving one of the company’s top performers who was terminated for “poor performance” after reporting race and national origin discrimination and harassment (2012).