According to a recent news feature from the Orange County Register, the clothing retailer American Apparel is cutting 300 jobs in Los Angeles and 80 more in Garden Grove. The 80 employees may not be the only ones laid off in Garden Grove as union leaders are preparing for that number to reach 150 in the next week or so. These jobs are at a processing facility run by the clothing manufacturer in the Los Angeles area.
Union workers are not only unhappy with the layoffs but alleged that the layoffs were done in what is essentially a retaliatory fashion. These union leaders cite the fact that when the union was seeking certification to be the exclusive collective bargaining member at the company pursuant to National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regulations, and to register with the agency as the collective bargaining provider. If the certification is granted, this would give the union considerably more power in fighting for the rights of the company’s many employees.
The union officials claim that these layoffs were done to reduce the number of employees who support the union prior to the election that would allow for the certification. These many layoffs also occurred around six months after the time at which American Apparel filed for bankruptcy protection. It should be noted that there has not been an official finding as of this time that the company acted in a retaliatory manner, and these are merely allegations by union representatives.
As our Orange County employment attorneys have seen in far too many cases, employers do engage in wrongful and retaliatory termination of employees. When this occurs it is best to seek a consultation with an experienced attorney as soon possible to make sure your rights are not infringed upon. It is also important to keep a journal of everything your employer does that you feel is evidence or an example of their retaliatory actions.
The more evidence you can document and provide to your attorney, the better your chances will be of a successful outcome in your wrongful termination case. There are many reasons that a termination can be deemed wrongful under the law in the state of California. If the termination is for anything other than cause, you may have a case against your employer. However, it should also be noted that the facts of every situation are different and you should speak with an attorney about your particular to case to see if you have a valid wrongful termination claim.
In some cases, an employee may be terminated for discriminatory reasons. This can include race based discrimination, gender based discrimination, age based discrimination, and many other types of discrimination. Again, the more incidents of discrimination you can document, the better the chances of a successful outcome to your case.
Contact the employment attorneys at Nassiri Law Group, practicing in Orange County, Riverside and Los Angeles. Call 949.375.4734.
Additional Resources:
American Apparel cuts 80 garment jobs in Garden Grove, 300 in Los Angeles, April 8, 2016, OC Register, By Lauren Williams
California Considering New Regulations to Prevent Workplace Violence Among Healthcare Workers, Jan. 11, 2016, Orange County Gender Bias Lawyer Blog