Elias Parisca is a seasoned labor and employment attorney whose practice encompasses litigation defense and proactive counseling designed to ensure statutory compliance, mitigate risk, and advance his clients' strategic objectives. As a litigator, he defends employers in wage-and-hour class and collective actions and representative claims under the California Private Attorney General Act (PAGA), as well as single-plaintiff claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, and other employment-related litigation. He has taken and defended numerous depositions, argued dispositive motions, and obtained a complete defense verdict at trial while serving as third-chair counsel. He appears regularly in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies throughout the United States, including the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Elias also partners with employers to minimize litigation risk by advising on the design and implementation of personnel policies, employee discipline and discharge, reasonable accommodations, protected leaves of absence, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and EEOC compliance, and wage-and-hour issues. He conducts internal investigations into claims of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, and delivers tailored anti-harassment training to management and rank-and-file employees. His practice includes drafting executive compensation packages, employee handbooks, employment contracts, separation and release agreements, and arbitration agreements.
Elias advises and represents Fortune 500 companies, emerging growth companies, and local businesses across a broad range of industries, including technology, social media, consumer products, food and beverage, retail, hospitality, media, sports, and entertainment.