Enrique M. Vassallo is a Partner at Orbach Huff & Henderson. Enrique’s practice is primarily focused on human resources and labor and employment matters.

With over thirty years of experience representing public school districts and public agencies throughout the state, Enrique has assisted K-12, community college districts and public universities in a wide range labor and employment matters including drafting employment policies and manuals, negotiating collective bargaining agreements and interpreting their provisions, advising employers on progressive discipline of employees, addressing disability and leave issues including employee requests for reasonable accommodations, and representing employers in employee discipline and dismissal hearings.

Enrique has also advised public agency clients on the California Education Code, the Ralph M. Brown Act, the Public Records Act, the False Claims Act, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, and conflict of interest laws applicable to public officials and employees.

He has litigated a wide variety of matters before many forums including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, California Court of Appeal, State and Federal trial courts, as well as before administrative bodies such as the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Administrative Law Judges, the California Office of Administrative Hearings, the California Public Employment Relations Board, the California Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, Commissions on Professional Competence, and school district Personnel Commissions.

His litigation experience includes actions involving civil rights violations, retaliation claims by whistleblowers, writ relief, patent infringement, defamation, invasion of privacy, commercial and business disputes, construction defects and delays, professional negligence, quiet title, trespass, infliction of emotional distress, unfair business practices, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, mechanic’s liens and stop notice claims, landlord/tenant disputes, and wrongful termination.

He also has handled several class actions involving wage and hour violations, including successfully defending a multimillion-dollar action filed by over 100,000 employees against a school district for wage errors caused by its new payroll system. Due to the nature of his practice over the years, he has extensive appellate court experience.

Enrique has handled a full range of board-related issues that arise on a daily basis, including addressing questions regarding the open meeting requirements under the Ralph M. Brown Act, the conduct of board meetings, the Public Records Act, conflicts of interest, and board procedures.