Kumin Sommers LLP

The Blog

U.S. Sues AT&T for Age Discrimination
08/21/2009 - 17:11

Yesterday the A.P. ran a news piece announcing that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was suing AT&T for age discrimination.

Headquartered in Texas, AT&T is the country's biggest telecommunications utility company and has almost 300,000 employees.

The lawsuit alleges that AT&T has discriminated against older employees by "denying them the chance to be rehired solely because they left under early retirement plans."

Up to 50,000 AT&T employees have left under the guise of an early retirement program, after which AT&T then deems you ineligible to be rehired.

Are you a computer professional who should be getting overtime pay, but isn't?
05/12/2009 - 19:39

If there is one profession that works long hours, it's the computer professional.

It can be hard to tell since California has changed the overtime rules for computer professionals four times since January 1, 2006. And even smart companies like EA, Google, and Yahoo get it wrong.

Employment Law Updates: The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
04/21/2009 - 17:41

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 became law earlier this year, and successfully reverses a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision (Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.) in which a woman had sued her employer over wage discrimination. The court ruled that because the company’s initial wage decision had occurred many many years earlier, Ledbetter’s claim was time-barred even if it had an ongoing discriminatory impact on her present pay level.

Nursing Home Operator Settles Workplace Discrimination Suit
04/16/2009 - 18:34

The Los Angeles Times reported today that a southern California based healthcare outfit operating nursing homes settled an EEOC-initiated class action lawsuit.

Skilled Healthcare Group, Inc. which has nursing care facilities in 6 states, was alleged to have enforced an “English-only” against Spanish-speaking employees, but not against native speakers of other languages.

News

Best of The Bay October 2008
02/17/2009 - 13:21

Kumin Sommers LLP partner Matthew Kumin named KRON-4 Television’s “Best of the Bay” Small Business Attorney for San Francisco County.

Stephen Sommers named ALRP Attorney of the Year 2008
02/17/2009 - 13:23

The AIDS Legal Referral Panel (“ALRP”) has named Stephen Sommers its “2008 Attorney of the Year. The award will be presented at ALRP’s From The Heart 25th Annual Reception and Auction on November 13, 2008.

http://alrp.org/downloads/Fall%202008%20Newsletter.pdf

Wrongful Death Case Settled March 2008
02/17/2009 - 13:24

Matthew Kumin settled a wrongful death case for $1,250,000. Surviving family members of the decedent, a 63 year old man, who left behind a wife of 39 years, three grown and married children, and 10 grandchildren, were pleased that the case resolved without a trial.

CHP Pays Topless Peace Protesters $150K to Settle Civil Rights Lawsuit
03/05/2009 - 00:44

November 2008 -- In a victory for freedom of speech and peace protesters, “Breasts Not Bombs” activists have favorably settled their civil rights claims with the California Attorney General’s Office over their wrongful arrest while participating in a peace protest in November 2005 on the Capitol lawn in Sacramento.

Kumin Sommers Hires New Attorney - Rory Quintana
03/31/2009 - 16:03

Rory was Steve Sommers law clerk while he was in law school during the summer 2007. Rory is passionate about employment law and civil rights. In addition to representing employees while working for Sommers Law Group, a precursor to Kumin Sommers, Rory represented employees when he worked for Minami Tamaki LLP and Price & Associates LLP. Rory is also a avid writer. He is a published poet, has written a novel, and has had a stageplay performed. At Kumin Sommers, Rory will continue to focus on securing justice for disaffected employees.