Wrongful Termination Archives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Former President Sues Keystone Engineering Company, KE Company Acquisition Corp., Cornerstone Capital Holdings, LLC and Oasis Outsourcing, Inc.: Suit Highlights Retaliation; FEHA Retaliation, Gender Discrimination; Age Discrimination, Sexual Orientation Discrimination, Failure to Prevent Discrimination, Wrongful Termination, Unfair Competition, Breach of Fiduciary Duty of Majority Shareholders and Accounting.

EL SEGUNDO, CA (February 23, 2016)— Jamie Vitalich, an accomplished female aerospace industry executive recently filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Keystone Engineering Company, KE Company Acquisition Corp., Cornerstone Capital Holdings, LLC and Oasis Outsourcing, Inc. The suit accuses defendants of whistleblower retaliation, FEHA retaliation, gender discrimination, age discrimination, sexual orientation discrimination, failure to prevent discrimination, wrongful termination, unfair competition, breach of fiduciary duty of majority shareholders, and demands an accounting.

According to the Complaint, the decision makers for the company stated that the Company ”would gain more business with a male President,” and shortly thereafter re-assigned Jamie, marginalized her, demoted her .and promoted a male to President, Ian Ballinger, who then terminated Jamie.

Defendants originally recruited and hired Jamie in 2013. The Complaint goes on to allege that her tenure as President “was marked with achievements , which included: coordinating the implementation of independent IT, HR, quality management and operational finance systems; overseeing the divestiture of the Ontario facility for $7.5 million; and facilitating a company profit that reduced Keystone’s longstanding debt to $1 million.” Prior to her termination Jamie questioned “why Keystone was paying ….a Cornerstone employee…more than 50% of her salary.” The Complaint also alleges that prior to her termination, she questioned “a discrepancy of roughly $300,000 in the statement of the company’s profits between the set of books used to determine the employees’ 2014 profit-sharing and the set of books audited by a third-party auditor.” The Complaint further alleges, that contrary to the stated belief that the Company “would gain more business with a male President”, “with Ballinger at the helm, Keystone’s profits had plunged. Jamie, irrespective of retaining the title of COO, was systematically excluded from meetings vital to the proposal process, including customer proposals and visits, and was, instead, assigned menial, demeaning duties by Bushell and Ballinger.” The Complaint goes on to allege that the “campaign to oust Jamie from Keystone so the ‘face’ of the company would be a man culminated in the pretextual elimination of her COO position and her ….termination…”

“The actions as alleged in the Complaint highlight the destructive impact of illegal discrimination. The case also touches on current themes of discrimination in the world of private equity, venture capital and their portfolio companies (e.g., Tinder lawsuit) and the emerging area of law finding joint employer relationships. We’re eager to commence discovery to determine whether Defendants’ stated rationale was merely a pre-text to cover up a wrongful termination.” says Chris Adishian.

The lawsuit seeks damages for lost wages, benefits and career opportunities, special damages, punitive damages, interest, and attorneys’ fees and costs and an accounting. Click here to read a copy of the Complaint.

About Adishian Law Group, P.C. Adishian Law Group (https://adishianlaw.com) is a California law firm with a statewide practice in the areas of Corporate law, Employment law, Real Estate law and Mediation Services. As of November 2015, the firm has represented corporate and individual clients located across 22 California counties, 13 States outside of California and 9 foreign countries in over 480 legal matters. Adishianlaw.com is one of the oldest continually operating law firm websites on the Internet. The firm serves its clientele via three offices located in the major business hubs of El Segundo, Palo Alto and San Francisco.

For more information about this case, contact Chris Adishian:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

69 year old, Decorated U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.) Sues Cubic Corporation and Related Entities: Suit Highlights Retaliatory Discharge; FEHA Retaliation, Age Discrimination, Harassment, Failure to Prevent Discrimination and Wrongful Termination.

EL SEGUNDO, CA (February 22, 2016)— William V. Wenger, a 69 year old male, and Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.) recently filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Cubic Corporation and Related Entities. The suit accuses defendants of whistleblower retaliation, FEHA retaliation, age discrimination, harassment, failure to prevent discrimination and wrongful termination.

According to the Complaint, during his distinguished 45 plus year career in the military Col. William V. Wenger (Ret.) received multiple decorations including 3 Bronze Stars, and was a nationally recognized military expert having graduated and taught at the prestigious Army War College.

Cubic hired Bill to join the staff at the Georgian Armed Forces Command. The Complaint goes on to allege that “no employee….had more Joint Service experience in uniform…., more higher-level command time or year in command nor more military and civilian education than Bill.” It goes on to allege that he received “2-1/2 years of exemplary teaching reviews” before being told by a younger male supervisor that a “perception had…developed…that Bill suddenly….was not sufficiently knowledgeable in the subject matter.” The Complaint goes on to Bill properly lodged a “formal written complaint with Bill Craven (“Craven”), CUBIC’s Program Manager….on CUBIC’s ‘Employee Complaint Notice’ form”, yet no action was taken. The Complaint alleges that Bill subsequently “additionally lodged specific complaints about CUBIC’s C&GSC program…which directly violated specific requirements of the Statement of Work as enumerated in CUBIC’s C&GSC contract W91 CRB-14-C-0020-CGSC with the U.S. government.” As alleged in the Complaint, a few short weeks later he was terminated.

“In many ways, Col. William V. Wenger (Ret.) embodies those Americans who have served their country honorably, with distinction and most humbly. We’re eager to commence discovery to determine whether Col. Wenger (Ret.) truly was not “sufficiently knowledgeable” or if Defendants’ stated rationale was merely a pre-text to cover up a wrongful termination based upon his age and/or in retaliation for his proper complaints her lodged regarding Cubic’s conduct, including but not limited to its alleged non-compliance with U.S. government contracts” says Chris Adishian.

The lawsuit seeks damages for lost wages, benefits and career opportunities, special damages, punitive damages, interest, and attorneys’ fees and costs. Click here to read a copy of the Complaint.

About Adishian Law Group, P.C.

Adishian Law Group (https://adishianlaw.com) is a California law firm with a statewide practice in the areas of Corporate law, Employment law, Real Estate law and Mediation Services. As of November 2015, the firm has represented corporate and individual clients located across 22 California counties, 13 States outside of California and 9 foreign countries in over 480 legal matters. Adishianlaw.com is one of the oldest continually operating law firm websites on the Internet. The firm serves its clientele via three offices located in the major business hubs of El Segundo, Palo Alto and San Francisco.

For more information about this case, contact Chris Adishian:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Former North American Sales Director Sues Epicor Software Corporation: Suit Highlights Age Discrimination, Failure to Prevent Discrimination, Wrongful Termination, Unfair Competition and Failure to Pay Wages.

EL SEGUNDO, CA (September 18, 2015)— Franklin Tedford (“Ted”) Kelley, Jr., a 57 year old male, recently filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Epicor Software Corporation. The suit accuses the defendant of age discrimination, failure to prevent discrimination, wrongful termination, unfair competition and failure to pay wages.

According to the Complaint, Ted’s performance placed him in “the company’s elite “Circle of Excellence.” The Complaint goes on to allege that under the guise of a “company reorganization”, the company had “campaign to isolate Ted from the same accounts he had brilliantly managed….in an attempt to for Ted – an older, highly paid, long-term employee – to resign.” When Ted refused to resign, the Complaint alleges that the Company “cancel[ed] his recurring commissions….and raised Ted’s 2015 quota to…more than three times his 2014 quota…and, thereafter, again raised Ted’s 2015 quota”. According to the Complaint, following these and other actions alleged in the Complaint, the Company terminated Ted as “North American sales director” due to alleged “position elimination”.

“The notion that a hugely successful software company has suddenly decided that it will no longer need a ‘North American sales director’ is certainly interesting. Taking them at their word, it seems that the Company will no longer be selling its software in North America. We’re eager to commence discovery to discover, among other things, whether facts support that as being true or it is just a pretext.” says Chris Adishian

The lawsuit seeks damages for lost wages, benefits and career opportunities, special damages, punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees and costs. Epicor has removed the case to the United States District Court, Central District of California in Los Angeles. Click here for a copy of the Complaint.

About Adishian Law Group, P.C.

For more information about this case, contact Chris Adishian: