John Polson is a member of the firm’s COVID-19 Taskforce, a cross-disciplinary team of attorneys dedicated to advising employers on the many workplace law aspects of the global coronavirus pandemic.

John Polson is a partner in the Irvine office and a member of the firm's Management Committee. He represents employers and staffing industry clients in all aspects of labor and employment law, including transactional matters, litigation, compliance advice and audits, executive and management training, and other employment related legal matters.

John handles administrative and civil employment litigation matters, including arbitrations, in California and elsewhere. John has significant experience representing temporary staffing, employee leasing, and Professional Employer Organization (PEO) clients in labor, employment, tax, and transactional matters. 

He serves on the Legal Advisory Council of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) and is a frequent lecturer and author regarding multiple employer, joint employer, and human resources outsourcing arrangements.

John has served as a Professional Advisory Director for the Employer Services Assurance Corporation and as an Instructor in the University of California Irvine Human Resources Certificate Program. 

John is "AV" Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 2008. 

Honors & Awards

• Named, Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year", Employment Law - Management (2021)
• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (2008 – 2021)
• "AV" Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Professional Activities

• Member, National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO)
• Member, Legal Advisory Committee NAPEO
• Member, American Staffing Association
• Former Director, Employer Services Assurance Corporation
• Founding Sponsor, Alliance for PEO Electronic Compliance
• Member, Society of Human Resources Management
• Member, Orange County Bar Association

News

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

• Pay Equity, #metoo: Everything Your PEO Needs to Know
  National Association Of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO)
  NAPEO 2019 PEO Capitol Summit, The Ritz-Carlton
  Pentagon City, Arlington, VA
  5.22.2019
• 2019 Employment Law Updates
  Orange County Employment Managers Association (OCEMA)
  OCEMA Meeting, Andrei's Conscious Cuisine
  Irvine, CA
  2.7.2019
• Controlling EPLI Costs
  NAPEO 2018 Annual Conference and Marketplace
  Phoenix, Arizona
  9.6.18
• Happening in the States: A Legal & Legislative Update
  National Association Of Professional Employer Organizations 2018 PEO Capitol Summit
  Pentagon City, Arlington, VA|
  5.24.18
• 2018 Employment Law Updates
  Orange County Employment Managers Association Meeting
  Irvine, CA
  2.7.18
• 2018 Legislative Update
  Fisher Phillips Legislative and Benefits Update
  Irvine, California
  12.5.17
• Legal & Government Affairs Updates: California, Part I
  NAPEO 2017 Western States Update
  Las Vegas, NV
  10.18.17
• Legal & Government Affairs Updates: California, Part II
  NAPEO 2017 Western States Update
  Las Vegas, NV
  10.19.17
• Impact of the Gig Economy on PEOs
  NAPEO 2017 Annual Conference and Marketplace
  Orlando, FL
  9.6.17
• Impact of the Gig Economy on PEOs
  Trump Administration’s Impact on PEOs: Top 10 Things to Watch
  NAPEO 2017 Annual Conference and Marketplace
  Orlando, FL
  9.6.17
• Compliance - Playing it Safe
  PrismHR LIVE
  Nashville, TN
  6.14.17 
• Employment Law Updates
  NAPEO 2017 California Leadership Council Forum
  Sacramento, CA
  6.6.17
• What’s Happening in the States: State Law & Government Affairs Update
  NAPEO 2017 PEO Capitol Summit
  Pentagon City, Arlington, VA
  5.10.17
• PEO Special Clients
  NAPEO 2017 PEO Capitol Summit
  Pentagon City, Arlington, VA
  5.10.17
• New Employment Laws (Complementary Perspective on Employment and the New Administration)
  Burnham Benefits Webinar
  3.22.17 
• PEO Primer & PEO University: Workers' Compensation Risk Management
  NAPEO 2017 Risk Management Workshop
  Tampa ,FL
   2.22.17
• Industry Panel Session
  NAPEO 2017 Risk Management Workshop
  Tampa ,FL
• 2.23.172017 Employment Law Updates
  OCEMA Meeting
  Irvine, CA
  2.1.17  
• Hot Topics Legal Discussion and Q&A 
  NAPEO 2016 Legal Update & Western States LCF
  Phoenix, Arizona
  12.7.16 – 12.8.16
• HR/Legal: Mock Trial
  NAPEO 2016 Annual Conference & Marketplace
  Austin, TX
  9.7.16
• Burnham Benefits  
  Leave Laws or Legislative Updates
  Webinar
  6.15.16
• Are You Ready for The Next Lawsuit?
  California State Council of Society for Human Resource Management (CalSHRM)
  CalSHRM 2018 California State Legislative & HR Conference,|
  Sacramento, CA
  4.20.16 – 4.22.2016
• Top 10 Employee Benefits Mistakes and Misconceptions
  SHRM 2015 National Conference
  Las Vegas, NV
  6.30.15
• What's Happening in the States: State Law & Government Affairs Update
  NAPEO 2015 PEO Capitol Summit
  Pentagon City, Virginia
  5.20.15
• 10 Things You Need to Address in 2015 to Stay Out of Litigation
  CalSHRM 2015 California State Legislative Conference,
  Sacramento, CA
  4.10.152015 Legal Update
  Brown & Brown Insurance Services of California
  Webinar Series
  3.24.15 
• PEO Primer
  NAPEO 2015 Risk Management Workshop
  Tampa, FL
  2.24.15
• 2015 Employment Law Updates
  Orange County Employment Managers Association (OCEMA) Meeting
  Irvine, CA
  2.4.15
• Everything You Need to Know About Doing Business in California
  California PEO Legal Workshop
  NAPEO 2014 California Leadership Council Forum
  Pelican Hill Newport Coast, CA
  12.10.14
• ACA: Exchange Update
  NAPEO 2017 Annual Conference and Marketplace
  Miami Beach, FL
  9.16.14
• ACA
  National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO)
  Atlanta, GA
  7.8.14   
• SHRM 2014 Annual Conference, Orange County Convention Center
  Orlando, FL
  6.22.14 - 6.24.14               
• The Affordable Care Act: Part II
  NAPEO 2014 Legal & Legislative Conference
  Pentagon City, Arlington, VA
  6.13.14
• Executive Next Practices
  High Performance, High Compliance: Transforming Regulatory Risks into Increased Company Valuation – A New Approach
  Irvine, California
  4.4.14
• NLRB Legal Update
  National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
  San Antonio, TX
  9.11.13
• 5 Ways To Lawsuit Proof Your PEO
  San Antonio, TX
  9.10.13
• PEO Primer
  National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
  San Antonio, TX
  9.8.13
• Supreme Court Update
  National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
  Webinar
  8.27.13
• California Legal Update
  San Diego, CA
  7.6.13
• PEO’s and the Web
  PEO Primer
  Arlington, VA
  5.20.13
• A Job Without Stress Is A Hobby
  CalSHRM
  San Diego, CA
  4.18.13
• California Legal Update
  Santa Ana, CA
  3.20.13
• Risk Management Workshop
  Tampa, FL
  3.1.13
• PEO Primer
  National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
  Tampa, FL
  2.27.13
• Regional Update
  National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
  Webinar
  2.19.13
• Orange County Employment Managers Association
  Santa Ana, CA
  2.1.13
• Legal Update
  Orange County Employment Managers Association
  Santa Ana, CA
  2.1.13
• OCCABA Legal Update
  Newport Beach, CA
  1.26.13
• Top 10 Reasons Employers Get Sued
  National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
  Scottsdale, AZ
  10.2.12
• PEO Primer
  National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
  Scottsdale, AZ
  9.30.12
• PEO Primer
  National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
  Columbus, FL
  7.18.12
• Litigation Is Not Accommodating
  Society for Human Resource Management
  Atlanta, GA
  6.27.12
• ADA On Trial
  CAPLAW
  Boston, MA
  6.20.12
• The Who, What, and How of Workplace Investigations
  CAPLAW
  San Diego, CA
  6.6.12
• NLRB - A Changing Landscape
  Arlington, VA
  5.22.12
• PEO Primer
  National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
  Arlington, VA
  5.20.12
• Avoiding Litigation With Your Employees
  ASCRS
  4.22.12
  Legal Update
• Litigation Is Not Accommodating
  SDHRM
  San Diego, CA
  1.18.12

Articles

• "String Theory – How Does it all Fit Together?"
  Hot HR Topics – Sexual Harassment, Pay Equality
  May 2019
• "California’s new Sweeping Data Privacy Law"
  PEO Insider  March 2019
• "The Ever-Changing Legal and Regulatory Environment"
  Report From California – More Pain
  May 2018
• "New Frontiers – Business and Workforce Transformations Create New Opportunities for PEOs"
  The Gig Economy and Your PEO – Opportunities and Risks
  February 2017
• "Start-Up Guide"
  A Lawyer’s Letter to the new PEO Salesperson
  February 2017
• “California PEO Survival Guide” PEO Insider - Legal Currents
  June/July 2012
• “Navigating the Labyrinth”
  PEO Insider - Special PEO Legal and Regulatory Issue
  May 2012
• “NLRB Issues New Rules About Union Elections”
  Co-authored with Steve Bernstein
  PEO Insider - Special PEO Legal and Regulatory Issue
  May 2012
• "Employee Handbooks 2011"
  PEO Insider
  June/July 2011
• "Litigating with a Purpose"
  PEO Insider
  February 2011
• "The Privacy Police Here!"
  PEO Insider
  May 2010
• "Responding to Demand letter"
  NAPEO Legal Insights
  February 2009
• "Employee Handbooks"
  NAPEO Legal Review
  July 2009
• "Offer Letters and Termination Notices"
  PEO Insider
  August 2008
• “Top Five Ways to Stay Out of Court”
  Employment Market Place
  July 2008
• "Professional Employer Organizations and the National Labor Relations Act"
  NAPEO Legal Review
  2007
• "When is a New Worker Covered Under the CSA?"
  PEO Insider
  November 2007
• “Eliminate Vacation Policies for Attorneys”
  Orange County Lawyer
  January 10, 2007
• "Employee Status Under the ADA"
  PEO Insider
  December 2006/January 2007
• "Employment Contracts"
  NAPEO Legal Review
  2005
• "Best Performance Practices: What Do You Need in the CSA?"
  PEO Insider
  August 2004
• "One Lawyer, Two Clients, One Big Headache"
  PEO Insider
  October 2003
• "PEOs and the FLSA"
  NAPEO Legal Review
  August 2003
• "The Salary Basis Trap"
  PEO Insider
  June/July 2003
• “Professional Employer Organizations and the National Labor Relations Act”
  NAPEO Legal Review
  March 1, 2003
• "PEOs and the NLRB"
  NAPEO Legal Review
  March 2003
• "The PEO Phenomenon: Co-Employment at Work"
  Employee Relations Law Journal
  March 2002
• "Navigating the Joint Liability Matrix: Using the Contract to Protect the PEO"
  PEO Insider
  October 2001
• "Employment Agreements for Worksite Employees"
  PEO Insider
  August 2001
• "The Virtual Realities of Going Paperless"
  PEO Insider
  April 2001
• "Protecting Your Assets: Keeping the Business When Key Employees Leave"
  PEO Insider
  October 2000

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