Litigation Paralegal Labor and Employment Defense- PAGA and Wage and Hour Analysis- 3707693

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Litigation Paralegal Labor and Employment Defense- PAGA and Wage and Hour Analysis

Location: Irvine CA 92614

Salary/Payrate: 113-120k

Work Environment: Hybrid 2 days wfh after 90 days

Term: DH

Bachelor’s degree required: No

Referral Fee: AMS will pay $500 should the person you refer gets hired

Job Description:

Pertinent notes that you want candidates here

Labor & Employment Business Litigation Secretary

Location: Irvine, California

Work Arrangement: Fully onsite for the first 90 days; hybrid schedule of three days onsite thereafter

Schedule: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Compensation: $113-120k

Reports To: Labor & Employment / L and E Litigation Attorneys

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Labor & Employment Paralegal to join our team in Irvine, California. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in California employment law, with particular experience handling Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) matters, wage-and-hour litigation, class action claims, and employment-related disputes. The successful candidate will provide comprehensive litigation support to attorneys throughout all phases of employment litigation, including case investigation, discovery, document review, legal research, damages analysis, deposition preparation, mediation, and trial preparation. Candidates should possess a strong understanding of California Labor Code requirements, PAGA litigation procedures, wage-and-hour compliance issues, and the ability to analyze complex payroll and employment records.

Key Responsibilities

PAGA & Wage-and-Hour Litigation

• Assist attorneys with the management and development of California PAGA claims and representative actions.
• Analyze and review employee timekeeping records, payroll data, wage statements, pay stubs, and personnel files.
• Conduct wage-and-hour analyses involving unpaid wages, overtime, meal and rest period violations, minimum wage violations, off-the-clock work, expense reimbursement, and waiting time penalties.
• Assist with identifying potential Labor Code violations and calculating applicable penalties and damages.
• Review payroll and timekeeping data to identify patterns of potential violations across employee groups and representative periods.
• Assist with PAGA notice preparation, LWDA-related filings, and litigation documentation.
• Support the preparation of PAGA settlement analyses, mediation briefs, damages summaries, and supporting exhibits.
• Assist with class certification and representative action discovery and analysis.

Employment Litigation Support

• Manage litigation files and maintain case calendars, deadlines, and discovery schedules.
• Draft and prepare discovery requests, responses, subpoenas, deposition notices, and other litigation documents.
• Assist with written discovery, document production, privilege review, and electronic discovery.
• Organize, review, and summarize employment records, personnel files, payroll records, and other relevant evidence.
• Prepare deposition summaries, chronologies, witness files, and trial exhibits.
• Coordinate with clients, opposing counsel, court personnel, vendors, and expert witnesses.
• Assist attorneys with mediation, arbitration, settlement negotiations, and trial preparation.

Wage-and-Hour Data & Damages Analysis

• Perform detailed reviews of payroll and timekeeping data using Excel and other analytical tools.
• Create and maintain spreadsheets analyzing employee hours, overtime, meal and rest periods, wage rates, and potential statutory penalties.
• Identify discrepancies in payroll practices and potential violations of California wage orders and Labor Code provisions.
• Assist in calculating potential exposure for unpaid wages, premium pay, waiting time penalties, wage statement penalties, and PAGA penalties.
• Prepare damages models and supporting documentation for settlement evaluations and litigation strategy.
• Work with forensic accountants, damages experts, and other litigation consultants as needed.

Legal Research & Case Management

• Conduct legal research regarding California Labor Code provisions, applicable Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders, and employment litigation developments.
• Assist with preparing legal memoranda, case summaries, and research materials.
• Maintain accurate electronic and physical case files.
• Monitor litigation deadlines and ensure timely completion of assigned tasks.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employment and personnel information.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3–5 years of paralegal experience, preferably in labor and employment litigation.
• 1700 hour billable hour requirement
• Demonstrated experience with California PAGA claims and wage-and-hour litigation.
• Strong understanding of California Labor Code provisions, wage orders, and employment-related litigation procedures.
• Experience reviewing and analyzing payroll records, timekeeping data, wage statements, and employee personnel records.
• Ability to perform wage-and-hour calculations and identify potential statutory violations.
• Experience supporting class action or representative action litigation preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Strong organizational, analytical, research, and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple cases and competing deadlines in a fast-paced legal environment.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently and collaboratively with attorneys.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, formulas, data sorting, filtering, and analysis of large payroll datasets.
• Experience with PAGA representative penalty calculations and exposure assessments.
• Familiarity with California meal and rest period requirements, overtime calculations, regular rate of pay, minimum wage, and final wage payment requirements.
• Experience with class action damages analysis and settlement allocation calculations.
• Familiarity with California Superior Court litigation procedures and federal court practice.
• Experience with litigation management platforms, e-discovery tools, and document review software.
• Paralegal certificate or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and investigative abilities.
• Advanced attention to detail, particularly when reviewing complex payroll and employment records.
• Ability to identify trends, discrepancies, and potential legal exposure.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong time management and prioritization abilities.
• Professionalism, discretion, and commitment to maintaining client confidentiality.

Work Environment

The position is fully onsite in Irvine for the first 90 days to facilitate training, integration with the legal team, and development of firm-specific workflows. Following the initial 90-day period, the position transitions to a hybrid schedule with three days onsite per week.

Benefits

• $113-120k
• 401(k) plan
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Hybrid work schedule following the initial 90-day onsite period

Ideal Candidate

Ideal candidate is going to have strong labor and employment background, Wage and Hour Analysis experience PAGA experience or strong business litigation skills

Firm does utilize eDiscovery - relativity and 1,700 billable hours

Responsibilities:

• Experience in Labor and Employment Defense
• State and Federal E filing experience is ideal
• PAGA and Wage and Hour Analysis experience

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Polished- dress sharp for interview, no stretchy clothes