Workplace investigations give employees an opportunity to be seen and heard, something not often available to them. This drives Vida in her work. She also enjoys the challenge of being compassionate yet impartial, providing a bit of clarity to a confused, emotionally charged situation.
Vida has practiced law for more than 25 years. She started her career as an employment defense litigator. She also advised employers on all aspects of employment law and human resources management as governed by Title VII, the California FEHA, ADA, ADEA and other federal and state employment laws.
Vida serves as an expert witness in state and federal employment lawsuits and mediates litigation and non-litigation matters. She assisted employers in resolving employment claims, including but not limited to harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims; wrongful termination claims; failure to accommodate and statutory leave violations; whistleblowing claims; wage and hour violations; and invasion of privacy claims. She also serves as a hearing officer in employee discipline appeal hearings.
Vida has conducted more than 200 workplace investigations and is experienced in complying with Title IX, Title 5, the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights and the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights. She has considerable experience investigating matters within a union setting and is particularly adept at investigating complex matters involving high-profile employers and individuals. A founding member of the Association of Workplace Investigators, she co-chaired the AWI Best Practices committee and helped establish the AWI Guidelines for conducting workplace investigations. She frequently trains attorneys, human resources professionals and EEO officers on how to conduct legally effective workplace investigations.
Vida also routinely conducts sexual harassment prevention training — including AB1825 compliance training — for state agencies and private companies. She teaches managers and supervisors how to implement legally effective performance reviews. She has conducted dozens of seminars on the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, employee drug testing and sexual harassment investigations. Clients have complimented Vida’s knack for making the law accessible, explaining complex legal concepts in a way that is both thorough and easy to understand. She believes training is most effective when it provides concrete, useful tips for navigating today’s complicated and highly regulated workplace.
Before joining the firm, Vida was Of Counsel with Stoel Rives LLP and Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation. She began her legal career as an employment litigator at Kronick Moskovitz and then co-founded Carlsen Thomas, LLP, a boutique employment law firm that offered workplace investigations and employee training throughout California for 13 years.
Vida loves gardening, which helped her survive law school with her sanity intact. She believes there is nothing more “zen” than feeling the soil move through her fingers.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. “— Maya Angelou
“The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.” — Barack Obama
Pacific McGeorge School of Law, J.D.
California State University, Sacramento; B.A.
Investigations
Title IX
Trainings
Coaching
Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Expert Testimony
Climate Surveys and Assessments
State Bar of California
United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
United States Supreme Court
AWI-CH
OIG announces the selection of Vida Thomas as the firm’s new managing partner. She succeeds Amy Oppenheimer, who will continue as a partner in the firm.
Jack Morse and Neil Bautista explore how an outside investigation might have helped in this article from The Recorder.
Vida Thomas will present during the California Lawyers Association Labor & Employment Section 2023 Public Sector Conference in Sacramento.
