Practice Overview
Jeanine DeBacker, chair of the firm’s Employment Law practice, is a litigator who uses her courtroom experience to help employers prevent lawsuits through well-crafted policies, staff trainings and informal dispute resolution. Jeanine counsels businesses on human resources, employment and employee benefits issues. Her practice focuses on representing employers in all areas of employment and benefits law, including wage and hour claims, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, collective bargaining issues, trade secrets and other employment-related claims. She represents both public and private employers in administrative proceedings, class actions, civil litigation, mediations and arbitrations, and federal and state appeals.
Jeanine is committed to providing her employer clients with ready access and a quick response. She assists with all aspects of the employment lifecycle, from hiring to compensation to management to separation, including creating and implementing workplace policies and procedures (including technology privacy), conducting harassment investigations, and counseling on employee performance management, including corrective actions and terminations. Jeanine has specific, high level expertise in employee compensation, including drafting and negotiating executive compensation and severance agreements.
Jeanine advises clients with regard to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code, for their qualified retirement plans, 401(k) plans and multiemployer plans in litigation and before government agencies. She works with clients regarding plan administration, qualification and participant communication. Her unique expertise in employee benefits provides great value to her clients who are grappling with executive compensation issues.
Publications
• “To Google... or Not to Google A Perplexing Question for HR,” HR West, Fall 2009
Affiliations
- Society for Human Resource Management
- California State Council, Legislative Director, 2007 - present
- California State Council, Legislative Lawyer, Chair, 2007 - present
- California Learning System, Legal Advisor, Compensation and Benefits Module
- International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists
- Northern California Human Resources Association
- Central Valley Human Resource Management Association
- Government Affairs Director, 2007 - Present
- International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
- Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom
- Alameda County Bar Association
- Labor and Employment Law Section, Executive Committee, 2006-2010
- Labor and Employment Law Section, Chair, 2006-2007
Speaking & Teaching
Jeanine conducts employment-related seminars and trainings for all levels of management, human resource professionals,in-house counsel, supervisors, and employees. She also presents customized, on-site training programs. Her most recent presentations include:
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training (AB 1825)
- Annual Employment Law Update
- An Introduction to Commuter Tax Benefits and How to Implement Them
- The Changing Workplace: Family Responsibilities, Discrimination, Gender Identity & Domestic Partnership
- Hidden Costs and New Benefits: Employee Benefits During a Recession
- How to Comply With the San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance
- What if I Google my employee and actually find something? What employers need to know about social media and employment law
- Leaves of Absence for the California Employer
- Elimination of Bias: Understanding and Reducing Bias in the Legal Profession (MCLE – One Hour of Elimination of Bias Credit)
- Are Your Company’s Trade Secrets on You Tube? How Confidential Business Information Can Disappear from Your Company Via Social Networking and Portable Devices
- Please Sue Me! Mistakes companies make and best practices to avoid them
Jeanine also teaches Legal Aspects of Human Resource Management for the Human Resource Management (HRM) Fundamental Issues Program at San Francisco State University College of Extended Learning.