Terry A. Wills

Terry is an astute and persuasive litigator in defense of companies and management faced with wrongful discharge, discrimination, and sexual harassment lawsuits in state and federal courts and in arbitration.

She is particularly known for her success with wage and hour issues, unfair competition and trade secret protections, employee benefits, employment contracts, drug testing, leaves of absence, disability, terminations, discipline, reductions in force, and severance arrangements, as well as mediation services to a multitude of businesses and public entities through civil alternative dispute resolution programs.

Terry is dedicated to providing organizations with knowledge on the rights of employers and their employees. She leads seminars throughout the year on current issues ensuring that members have the latest information required to manage the human resource component of running a business. Prior to private practice Terry worked for the Department of Labor gaining valuable experience in wage and pay practice administration.

She is licensed to practice before all California state courts, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Northern, Central, and Eastern Districts of California, and all courts of the State of California.

Terry is co-managing partner for the firm and its employees.

Results

• Successfully defended a satellite installation company in a wage hour misclassification trial. Ruling for the company was that all installers were properly categorized as contractors.
• Achieved dismissal on behalf of a manufacturer in a large wage hour class action, representing a substantial savings to the company in avoiding class certification.
• Received grants of summary judgment in the following representative matters: sexual harassment, racial harassment, age discrimination, retaliation (public policy and LC 1102.5), and non-compete claims.
• Conducted extensive investigations on behalf of public entities related to complex harassment and discrimination complaints, which led to favorable resolutions for all parties involved.

Publishing

• Severance Agreements: The Importance of Minding Your P’s and Q’s
• Court Strikes Down Employer-Friendly Defense in PAGA Actions
• Cautionary Tale: Delay in Payment of Arbitration Fees Can Result in Waiver of Right to Proceed in Arbitration
• Supreme Court Hands Employers Important Victory on Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) Claims
• Employer Victory on Favorable Method for OT Calculations
• EEOC Releases Updated Guidance on COVID-19 for Employers
• Governor Expands Paid Sick Leave for Food Sector Workers
• CARES Act Payroll Program and Loan Forgiveness
• From CEA’s California Employers Report: Harassment? When Do Employers Need To Do Something?
• From LeadingAge’s Engage Magazine: Age Discrimination and the Aging Workforce
• Everything You Need to Know About the EEO-1
• Wage and Hour Litigation: Meal and Rest Break Requirements
• Travel Time Pay and Exempt Status Determinations Can Be Challenging: What Can We Learn from Recent Class Action Filings?
• Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Compliance Involves an “Interactive Process”
• Devastating Wage Hour Lawsuits and Class Actions: Five Tips to Avoid Them
• Employees’ Critical Social Media Posts about Supervisor were Protected by the NLRA
• Pregnancy Disability Leave: How Much is Enough Under California’s Laws?
• California Law on Commission Payments – Make it Official and Make it Clear
• Terminating an Employee: Paying for a Termination Meeting

• California’s Fair Pay Act, Wage Statements, and More: Six New Year’s Resolutions for Employers in ‘16

Speaking

Community

• Capital Public Radio Board of Directors, (Chair 2015-2017)
• California Employers Association
• Sacramento Employers Advisory Council
• Workforce Investment Board, Sacramento Works, Former Board Member, (2006-2016)

Honors