Labor Beat Alerts

In a pension rights case with major implications, on August 10th, the First District Court of Appeal issued a decision for the retiree in Nowicki v. Contra Costa County Employees’ Retirement Association (Case No. A160337). In a surprising but welcome result, the Court overruled the retirement system’s attempt to reduce the retiree’s pension benefit retroactively … continue reading

A plan by the Newsom administration and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to close the California Correctional Center (CCC) in Susanville was dealt a setback this week when a Lassen County judge issued a Temporary Restraining Order halting the closure. The order was based on the State’s failure to comply with the … continue reading

They did it again! Gary Messing, Gregg Adam, and Jason Jasmine were listed again this year in the Lawdragon listing of 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyers in the Country. This “indispensable guide to the heroic lawyers throughout the U.S. working to ensure that workers’ rights are respected and fairly compensated” was recently published for the … continue reading

We are proud to update you that on January 29, 2021, MAJ Attorneys Gary Messing, Monique Alonso, and Laurie Burgess secured a preliminary injunction against Foster Poultry Farms to protect workers at its Livingston plant represented by the United Farm Workers (“UFW”). This ruling comes hot on the heels of the Merced County Superior Court’s … continue reading

In a win for all public sector employees and retirees in the CalPERS system, the Third District Court of Appeal on Monday rejected Transparent California’s effort to reverse the Sacramento Superior Court’s ruling that CalPERS could withhold records identifying which of its retirees is disabled. This leaves standing the Superior Court’s decision that CalPERS correctly … continue reading

We are proud to report that on December 28, 2020, on behalf of Foster Farms workers represented by the United Farm Workers (“UFW”), MAJ Attorneys Gary Messing, Monique Alonso, and Laurie Burgess secured the first temporary restraining order (“TRO”) in the nation that compels a meat packing plant to institute safety protocols issued by the … continue reading

The biopic Rocketman concludes with Elton John’s hit “I’m Still Standing,” which was written in 1983, and signaled a sharp turnaround from a darker place in the maestro’s career. After Thursday’s decision in Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association v. Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association, the California Rule can also sing “I’m Still Standing;” however, its … continue reading

This morning, the California Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association v. Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association. The 90-page opinion maintains the California Rule but found that the changes to PEPRA at issue in this case were constitutional: With respect to the merits of plaintiffs’ constitutional claim, however, we hold … continue reading

After significant lobbying from labor advocates, including MAJ, Governor Newsom issued an executive order this week creating a workers’ compensation presumption for employees who contract “any COVID-19-related illness.” This is a significant development for first responders who, as they serve the public, have been exposing themselves to the novel coronavirus for months without any assurance … continue reading

Here is one observer’s view on today’s important pension rights oral argument before the California Supreme Court in Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association v. Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association: 1. Gavin is largely reading from Jerry’s playbook. The Brown Administration argued aggressively that future public employee pension benefit accruals should not enjoy constitutional protection. In … continue reading