Employment Breach of Contract
A deal is a deal. There are few things as frustrating as someone not holding up their end of the bargain after you’ve reached an agreement with them—especially when that someone is your employer. Whether it is a promise to pay you commissions as defined in your commission plan or to grant you stock options as promised in your offer letter, you have the right to insist upon your employer fulfilling the promises that were made to you.
At Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe, LLP, we can assist you in holding your employer accountable for violating your contract. We have decades of experience successfully representing clients in complex breach of contract cases, and we can do the same for you. Contact our San Francisco law firm to discuss your case, or keep reading to learn more about the complexities of breach of contract cases.
The Complications of Breach of Contract Lawsuits
One key to achieving successful outcomes in breach of contract cases is understanding how courts and arbitrators balance traditional rules of contract interpretation with the additional protection California recognizes for compensation arrangements. The courts, the legislature, and California state agencies such as the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement have all provided important guidance, which must be carefully analyzed and applied to a particular compensation plan.
This is what makes breaches of employment contracts such a complex matter. Working with an experienced employment attorney is crucial to ensure your case has the greatest possible likelihood of success.
How Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe, LLP Can Assist You
Contracts offer important protection for executives and employees, and our firm has successfully litigated and negotiated a broad variety of cases involving violations of:
- Commission and bonus plans
- Executive employment agreements (including “good cause” and “good reason” clauses)
- Equity agreements
- Change of control and severance agreements
For example, we recently litigated and won a breach of contract lawsuit on behalf of a commissioned sales employee who was wrongfully denied his full commission after he closed a large deal. The arbitrator awarded our client over $6 million, including interest and attorneys’ fees. In another case on behalf of two executives, we won $745,000 in bonus payments, interest, and attorneys’ fees and costs.
We have won numerous other lawsuits regarding unpaid bonuses, commissions, and other types of incentive compensation. However, in most cases, we are able to resolve our client’s dispute through settlement. For example, we negotiated a $5 million bonus payment for the co-founder of a life sciences firm to settle a breach of contract case.
Cases we have brought for breach of commission plans and other compensation agreements have led to the recovery of millions of dollars in unpaid commissions for hardworking salespeople. Our comprehensive experience with these cases ensures our ability to provide you with the world-class representation you need in your own employment breach of contract case. If you have questions about your rights under an employment contract, please contact one of our attorneys.