At Munck Wilson Mandala, we know that one of your most valuable assets is your talent, and the administration and human resources elements of a business are vital to success. Our team assists companies with the day-to-day operations related to human resources, management, and administration. We monitor the ever-changing regulations in employment law at both the state and federal level and keep our clients informed and protected. We help you set up employer/employee relationships that are well researched and executed in clear and fair employee agreements and other employee-related documents.

Munck Wilson Mandala has a comprehensive team well versed in employment and labor laws. We advise public and private companies, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, HR departments, and management on a full range of matters relating to employment agreements, ERISA and employee benefits, discrimination and sexual harassment, collective bargaining and grievance proceedings, and much more. We focus on collaboration to obtain the best results for our clients and avoid costly disputes but if disputes arise, we have an exceptional employment litigation team that will step in and has effectively neutralized expensive lawsuits.

We work closely with our clients to develop strategies that protect them from employment disputes and time-consuming, costly litigation. Our award-winning team is well known for handling complex matters and finding solutions that ensure compliance with a multitude of federal and state laws.

We provide results-oriented representation in all aspects of employment law, including:

  • Counseling and Preventive Law/Training
  • Dispute Prevention and Resolution
  • Employee Benefits
  • Employment Litigation
  • Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Plans
  • Federal Contractor Reporting (AAPs, Rehab AAPs, VEVRAA AAPs. Davis Bacon, Service Contract Act, etc.)
  • Immigration
  • Leaves of Absence
  • Management Training
  • Performance Management & Documentation
  • Posters, Record Keeping & Reporting
  • Safety
  • Traditional Labor/Collective Bargaining
  • Workplace Privacy Matters

“The Munck Wilson team provides excellent legal guidance and practical advice when employment matters arise, and they are key advisors in helping us develop and review effective agreements, policies and other related documents.” 

MWM Client

In the News

Munck Wilson Mandala is pleased to announce Lauren Mitchell as our newest litigation partner

Lauren received her J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, graduating cum laude. While in law school, she was selected as an articles editor for the International Law Review Association and she worked as a student attorney in the SMU Civil Clinic where she represented clients in consumer law matters. A little

2 minute read

In the News

OSHA’S Emergency Temporary Standard on COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing

On November 6, a panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay, stopping the ETS in its tracks until further court review.  Similar lawsuits were filed in other federal Circuit Courts.  While it may take weeks for the legal process to give the ETS a final thumbs up or thumbs down, employers

7 minute read

Press Releases

Munck Wilson Mandala Welcomes Employment Litigation Team James H. Berry, Jr. and Kate LaQuay

“This is the kind of growth we have focused on in our LA office since opening in 2018,” said managing partner William A. Munck.  “We started with a strong litigation team, adding corporate and transactional lawyers, and now we have a dynamic team of employment litigators who bring decades of experience representing clients in LA

2 minute read

In the News

Employer COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates: Yes or No?

The first question was answered by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) years ago, in its response to employer queries about mandatory annual flu vaccinations. Employers were told they could condition new or continued employment on being vaccinated but may need to accommodate individuals who refused for disability or religious reasons. On the disability side,

5 minute read

In the News

MWM Labor and Employment Client Alert – Coping with COVID-19

Business Closing Mandates Check websites for your local (city and county) and state governments to identify which businesses have been told to shut down and whether residents are being told to “shelter in place.” Is it an executive order or mandatory restriction or merely a recommendation? Restaurants and bars have been the focus of mandates

8 minute read

Press Releases

18 Munck Wilson Mandala Partners Named Texas Super Lawyers

The 2019 list of Texas Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) will be published in the October issue of Texas Monthly. The annual Texas Super Lawyers list honors Texas’ top lawyers based on surveys of more than 57,000 active attorneys across the state. The final list is estimated to be only five percent of Texas’ licensed attorneys. The following

less than a minute

Press Releases

Eight Munck Wilson Mandala Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America

The Best Lawyers in America© list is compiled annually through peer-review surveys among tens of thousands of leading lawyers. If the votes for an attorney are ample for inclusion in The Best Lawyers™, that attorney must maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain on the list for each edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay

3 minute read

Press Releases

Munck Wilson Mandala Welcomes Okon Hannagan Attorneys and Staff

“Melanie and Susan have impressive litigation experience and they embody our goal of attracting the best legal talent to represent our clients,” said managing partner William Munck.  “We are excited to have the entire OH team join us and know they will bring fresh perspectives and energy that will enhance our complex litigation and employment

3 minute read

Press Releases

Five Munck Wilson Mandala Partners Honored as Best Lawyers in Dallas

Munck is the managing partner of MWM, a member of the executive committee, and he chairs the firm’s intellectual property practice.  He has led MWM since the late 90s and grown the firm from six lawyers to 70 lawyers with three offices in Texas—Dallas, Austin, Marshall, and a Los Angeles office.  Munck received his J.D.

2 minute read

Press Releases

Munck Wilson Mandala’s Audrey Mross Selected as a 2019 Alumni Fellow of Kansas State University

“We are very happy for Audrey and congratulate her on this honor,” said William Munck, managing partner of MWM.  “Audrey’s commitment and involvement in the many organizations that support alumni, students, and faculty at Kansas State University demonstrate her sincere passion and dedication to her alma mater.” At Munck Wilson Mandala, Mross is a partner

2 minute read

Press Releases

16 Munck Wilson Mandala Partners Named Texas Super Lawyers

The 2018 list of Texas Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) will be published in the October issue of Texas Monthly. The annual Texas Super Lawyers list honors Texas’ top lawyers based on surveys of more than 57,000 active attorneys across the state. The final list is estimated to be only five percent of Texas’ licensed attorneys. The following

less than a minute

Press Releases

Munck Wilson Mandala’s Michael McCabe Selected as a Best Lawyer in Dallas

Among his peers, McCabe is consistently honored as a top lawyer in employment law and litigation.  Annually he is selected as a Texas Super Lawyer and he has been listed among the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Texas and Top 100 Super Lawyers in DFW since 2014.   McCabe has also been listed as a Best

2 minute read

Press Releases

16 Munck Wilson Mandala Partners Named Texas Super Lawyers

Dallas, TX, Sep. 5, 2017 —–  16 partners from law firm Munck Wilson Mandala have been selected as Texas Super Lawyers for 2017.  Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.  Produced and managed by Thomson Reuters, the selection

less than a minute

Press Releases

Six Munck Wilson Mandala Partners Named Best Lawyers in America

The Best Lawyers in America list is compiled annually by conducting peer-review surveys among tens of thousands of leading lawyers. If the votes for an attorney are ample for inclusion in Best Lawyers, that attorney must maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain on the list for each edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay

2 minute read

Client Alerts

California Weighs Making Fast Food Franchisors Liable for Employment Law Violations Affecting Employees of Franchises

If signed into law, Assembly Bill 1228 (the “Fast Food Franchisor Responsibility Act”) would add to the Labor Code Section 2810.9, making covered fast food franchisors jointly responsible (with the franchisee) for the franchisee’s violations of specified laws, rules, and regulations. For example, the franchisor would share liability for violations of the state’s Fair Employment and Housing

2 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: Countdown to California Minimum Wage Increases

On January 1, 2023, California’s statewide minimum wage increased to $15.50/hour for all employers.  But starting July 1, 2023, employers in every city and municipality listed below will be required to pay more than the state’s required minimum ($15.50/hour) due to local laws requiring higher hourly rates. Employees in the city of West Hollywood, for example, must be

2 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: Court Orders Delay in Enforcement of the CCPA

The CCPA (Civil Code Section 1798.100, et seq.) requires California businesses to inform consumers about the collection and use of the consumer’s personal information. The Act prohibits businesses from collecting, using, retaining, or sharing such information except to the extent “reasonably necessary and proportionate to achieve the purposes for which” the information is obtained. The legislature

2 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: Are California’s Wage Orders About to Be Re-Written?

Many of the specific wage and hour requirements that California employers must follow are set forth in industry-specific “Wage Orders.” The current Wage Orders, which are available at https://www.dir.ca.gov/iwc/wageorderindustries.htm, were drafted more than 20 years ago by the IWC. The IWC, which was created by the Legislature as part of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR),

2 minute read

Client Alerts

CALFORNIA COMPLIANT: Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions for California Employers in 2023

California employers may be challenged to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions in 2023, which has brought significant changes in various California labor and employment laws. Some of the most widely applicable new laws that will impact the workplace in 2023 include: Given that California law provides that overtime-exempt employees must receive a salary of at

6 minute read

Press Releases

23 Munck Wilson Mandala Lawyers Named to 2024 Best Lawyers List

Munck Wilson Mandala is pleased to announce that 23 lawyers have been included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic

2 minute read

In the News

As the Heat Index Rises, Standards for Keeping Employees Cool May Also Change

Written as a column for Daily Journal by MWM’s Kate LaQuay and Sahar Shiralian The dog days of summer are almost over, which is cause for celebration for many Californians. Recent historic heat wave were likely the sizzling inspiration for a new proposed regulation establishing a heat illness standard for indoor work areas. On Aug.

5 minute read

Client Alerts

Significant Potential Changes to Cal/WARN Requirements

Among the changes that likely will affect California employers beginning in 2024 are new rules for giving advance notice to employees and government officials when a group of workers will lose their jobs because of a “mass layoff, relocation, or termination.” A bill amending the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act (Cal/WARN, Labor Code Section

7 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: Imminent Increase in Requirement to Provide Paid Sick Leave to California Workers

Employees’ Accrual & Use of Paid Sick Time, Historically Since 2015, California has required employers to provide employees a limited amount of paid sick leave. The entitlement to paid sick leave is set forth in Labor Code Sections 245.5, 246 and 246.5. These statutes broadly define “employer,” for this purpose, as including any person (or

4 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: New Rules to Record and Investigate Violence in California Workplaces

What is “Workplace Violence”? SB 553 defines “workplace violence” as “any act of violence or threat of violence that occurs in a place of employment.” Workplace violence can include, for example: use of, or threats of, physical force against an employee; and use of, or threats of, a firearm or other “dangerous weapon.” It does

3 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: Don’t Forget the Freelancers: Los Angeles’ Expanded Protections for Freelance Workers

Who is Covered? Hiring Entities and Freelance Workers The Ordinance applies to “hiring entities,” which are entities regularly engaged in business or commercial activity. Specifically, a hiring entity “owns or operates any trade or business, including a not for profit business, or represents itself as engaging in any trade, or business.” The Ordinance carves out

4 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: Governor Declares That FEHA Already Prohibits Discrimination Based on “Caste” and Therefore Vetoes SB 403

Co-sponsors of SB 403 argued that “[c]aste may not be as visible as race to the California legislature, but it is a longstanding system of exclusion…”. Notably, the Legislature declared that SB 403 should not “be construed to mean that discrimination on the basis of ancestry does not already include discrimination on the basis of

2 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: California Workers Entitled to Leave for “Reproductive Loss” Beginning January 1st

Employees’ Existing Right to Take Bereavement Leave Last year, the Legislature amended the California Family Rights Act (CFRA, Government Code Section 12945.2, et seq) to grant eligible workers the right to take unpaid leave after the death of a family member. Government Code Section 12945.7, which became effective on January 1, 2023, requires companies employing

3 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: California Adds Teeth to Prohibitions Against Non-Competes

What Is a Prohibited Non-Compete Agreement? As a matter of public policy, California favors an open market for workers, so that they may move from one business to another as they choose. Although some states (at least for now) permit individuals and businesses to enter into contracts that “reasonably” restrict the individual’s right to work

5 minute read

Press Releases

Munck Wilson Mandala Ranked Among 2024 Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”

In Dallas, MWM ranked as a Best Law Firm® in commercial litigation, copyright law, corporate law, employment law/management, insurance law, labor law/management, litigation/construction, litigation/intellectual property, litigation/labor and employment, litigation/patent, mergers and acquisitions law, patent law, sports law, technology law, trademark law, and venture capital law. In Austin, MWM ranked as a Best Law Firm® in

2 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: When Workplace Rules May Be “Unfair Labor Practices”

Subjects Often Covered by “Workplace Rules” Most employers develop and distribute standards, rules, or a code of conduct applicable to their employees. Communicating written expectations for workplace conduct (whether as part of an Employee Handbook, or a standalone document) benefits both employees and employers. In a perfect world, employees understand (and avoid) behavior that might

6 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: California Trailblazes with Two New Employment Laws Protecting Employees’ Off-Work Use of Cannabis

Assembly Bill 2188 / Prohibition of Employment Discrimination Based on Off-Work Use Until now, California employers have been permitted to reject applicants, or discipline employees, based on their use of marijuana – even if that occurred during non-work hours and away from the workplace. The state Supreme Court confirmed in 2008 that voters’ efforts to

4 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: The Year in Review – Changes to California’s Employment Laws

1. Expansion of the Entitlement to Paid Sick Leave. Beginning in 2024, California workers will be entitled to take more days of paid sick leave each year. Senate Bill 616 amended Labor Code Sections 245.5 and 246 to increase employees’ minimum rate of accrual of paid sick time to 40 hours, or five days, each

5 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: New Resources for Drafting Workplace Violence Prevention Plans

Background – Senate Bill 553 Senate Bill 553 (SB 553) amended Labor Code Section 6401.7 and added new Labor Code Section 6401.9. The bill expanded employers’ obligations with respect to the prevention of workplace injuries by adding a requirement to create a written plan specifically designed to prevent and record instances of “workplace violence.” A

2 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: Changes to California’s Requirements for Reporting of Pay Data

Background – Pay Data Reporting According to the CRD, California’s legislature imposed pay data reporting requirements to “encourage [] employers to self-assess pay disparities along gendered, racial, and ethnic lines in their workforce and to promote voluntary compliance with equal pay and anti-discrimination laws.” The state’s Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits discrimination “in compensation

3 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: Hiring Workers Just Got More Complicated in California

Background – California’s Fair Chance Act and the City of LA’s Fair Chance Ordinance California’s Fair Chance Act (FCA, Government Code Section 12952) restricts both the time when and extent to which employers can consider a person’s conviction history in making employment decisions (read more here). Among other things, the FCA prohibits covered employers from:

6 minute read

Client Alerts

California Compliant: California’s Supreme Court Reiterates Standard for Resolving Whether Time Spent for Security Checks Is “Hours Worked”

“Hours Worked” and California’s Various Wage Orders One reason wage and hour questions can be complicated in California is that the state has seventeen different Wage Orders. Most of the Wage Orders relate to specific industries or occupations, with a catch-all for “miscellaneous employees.” Guidance from the state’s Division of Labor Standards Enforcement explains how

6 minute read