Lawyer Monthly Magazine - September 2021 Edition

conduct in the workplace and talk about it. On the other hand, we have become polarised. Terms like “cancel culture”, “microaggression”, “Karen” and “snowflake” have made it into our lexicon, and attorneys have to consider the possibility of whistleblower fatigue. Will a plaintiff be viewed as being overly sensitive? A good attorney will spend time on the employer’s conduct -- the lengths the employer took to cover up the complaint or set the employee up for termination. Do you foresee any major legislative changes related to whistleblowing on the horizon? While there has been some fine-tuning over the years to address whistleblowing protection in California, what is still unknown is how whistleblowing statutes will change based upon COVID-19 related precautions. Will California adopt specific whistleblowing statutes protecting employees who complain about PPE shortages, non-compliance with social distancing, or mask requirements? Will employees protesting vaccine requirements at work find protection as whistleblowers? What advice would you offer to an employee who would like to address wrongful conduct in the workplace but is afraid of retaliation? We frequently receive calls from employees who suspect that they are being set up for termination because they have said something or refused to do something they felt was not right. I tell my clients that one of the hardest things to do is to be clear and assertive with human resources. While doing so may forever change their comfortable work environment, it takes some of the control away from unscrupulous actors who might be looking to paint a false picture of the employee’s performance, conduct, or behaviour. Doing so also helps employees maintain credibility down the road. James Urbanic Founder Urbanic & Associates 6080 Center Drive, 6th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90045-9205 T: 310-216-0900 | F: 310-216-0900 E: jurbanic@urbaniclaw.com www.urbaniclaw.com How do you measure your success? I know we have done a good job when our clients are happy with the result and feel that they made a difference. I know we have made an impression when our opposing counsel starts referring cases to my firm. Is there a particular creed or motto that you live by when it comes to ensuring results for your employees? Fight back, and when you do, fight hard. About Jim Urbanic... ‘I am James Urbanic . I am the principal attorney with Urbanic & Associates, a litigation firm located in Los Angeles. We are trial attorneys. Although we focus on representing employees who have suffered from retaliation, discrimination, or harassment, we take on cases we believe in. I have successfully obtained a number of large verdicts on behalf of my clients, and in each of those cases I saw something in my client that made me want to help them tell their story to a jury. Opposing counsel often ask me, “How do you decide which cases you want to take all the way to trial?” My answer is pretty simple: I want to take every one of our cases to trial.’ SEP 2021 | WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM MY LEGAL LIFE - JAMES URBANIC 25

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