Attorney Profile

Sharilyn R. Payne

Areas of Emphasis
Labor and Employment Law
Litigation and Counseling
Bar Admissions
California
U.S. District Courts for the Central,
Eastern, Northern, and Southern
Districts of California

Practice Emphasis 
For more than 20 years, Ms. Payne’s practice has focused on labor and employment law, providing counseling to employers and defending employers in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies including the Labor Commissioner and the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. 

Services to Clients
Ms. Payne advises employers on how to address a wide range of employment matters including wage and hour issues, classification of workers as independent contractors, exempt/non-exempt classification issues, wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Ms. Payne also prepares employee policy manuals, audits employer records to ensure compliance with California law, performs workplace investigations, and provides harassment prevention training that complies with the California statutory requirements. She conducts all of these services in both English and Spanish. Ms. Payne also presents seminars on a variety of employment law topics. 

Education
JD, University of California Hastings College of the Law, 1999 
  (legal extern to Hon. John Munter, San Francisco County Superior Court, 1998)
MA, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Translation and Interpretation of Spanish/English 
  (Now Middlebury Institute of International Studies), 1988
BA, Latin American Studies, University of California Los Angeles, 1983
AA, Hartnell College, 1980 (Valedictorian)

Professional Affiliations
State Bar of California
American Bar Association
Monterey County Bar Association (Board of Directors 2012 to 2017, Secretary 2013, 2017)
Monterey County Women Lawyers Association (Past Vice President, 2005)
Central Coast Human Resources Association (President 2007; Legislative Director 2005 to 2006,
  2013 to 2014)

Community Service Activities
Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley (Board of Directors 2015 to 2021)
Girls Inc. of the Central Coast (PR/Marketing Committee 2014-2017)
The First Tee of Monterey County Pay It Forward Mentor (2015-2018)

Other Experience Highlights 
Ms. Payne speaks, reads, and writes Spanish fluently. In addition she is proficient in French and Portuguese. She has written articles on employment law issues, which have appeared in local publications such as the Salinas Valley Business Journal and El Sol. Ms. Payne is a graduate of Leadership Salinas Valley (2002).