On April 8, 2025, partner Mira Hashmall presented oral argument before the California Supreme Court on behalf of the defendants in Brown v. City of Inglewood, et al. The case poses the following issue: Are elected public officials considered employees under Labor Code section 1102.5(b) for purposes of whistleblower protection? A decision from the Court is expected within the next three months.
The issue before the California Supreme Court stems from Mira’s victory in the California Court of Appeal—which held that an elected public official in the City of Inglewood could not bring a whistleblower retaliation claim under Labor Code section 1102.5 because elected officials are not “employees” under that provision. The Court of Appeal held that the anti-SLAPP motion filed by the City, Mayor, and Councilmembers seeking to strike the official’s claims should have been granted in its entirety. The California Supreme Court granted review to decide whether elected officials are “employees” for purposes of whistleblower protection under Labor Code section 1102.5(b).
