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HARMEETK.DHILLON(SBN:207873) KENLAU(SBN:261354) DHILLON&SMITHLLP 177PostStreet,Suite700 SanFrancisco,CA94108 Tel: (415)4331700 Fax: (415)5206593 harmeet@dhillonsmith.com klau@dhillonsmith.com AttorneysforPLAINTIFFADAMWITHERSPOON SUPERIORCOURTOFCALIFORIA FORTHECOUNTYOFSANTACLARA ADAMWITHERSPOON, CaseNo.: Plaintiff, COMPLAINTFOR: v. (1) RetaliationforReportingUnsafeWork Conditions(LaborCode6310) COLORLABS,INC.,BILLNGUYEN,and DOES1through15, (2) WrongfulRetaliationinViolationof PublicPolicy(LaborCode6310) Defendants. (3) WrongfulRetaliationforReporting IllegalConduct(LaborCode1102.5) (4) IntentionalInflictionofEmotional Distress (5) TortiousInterferenceWithProspective EconomicAdvantage (6) UnfairBusinessPractices(Business& ProfessionsCode17200) 1
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hehelpedfoundatthebehestofBillNguyen,serialentrepreneur.Nguyen,withthe acquiescenceofColorsboard,consistingofseveralprominentventurecapitalinvestor firmrepresentatives,createdanextremelyhostile,unsafe,andharassingatmosphereat Color,includingbringinganarmedcronyintotheworkplacetothreatenandintimidate employeescooperatinginaninvestigationintoNguyensfinancialandother improprieties.NguyenthreatedviolenceagainstWitherspoonsyoungsononseveral occasions.Nguyenroutinelyhumiliated,harassed,ridiculed,exploited,andpunished employees,whodepartedindroves.Finally,whenthecompanyfailedandkeyassets werebeingsoldtoApple,NguyenspecificallyretaliatedagainstWitherspoonbyblocking hisjobopportunitiesatApple,offeringhimademinimisseverancepackage,disparaging himintheworkplace,andcommunicatingtoothersthatWitherspoonwasbeing punishedforcooperatingwithaninvestigationintoNguyensupervisedbyColors outsidecounsel,GundersonDettmer.ThiscomplaintisfiledtoholdColorLabs,Inc., Nguyen,andtheirenablersliablefortheextremeandoutrageousmisconductperpetrated againstWitherspooninviolationofCaliforniastatutoryandtortlaws. THEPARTIES 2. PlaintiffAdamWitherspoonisaresidentofSantaClaraCountyintheState
businessinSantaClaraCounty. 4. DefendantBillNguyenisthefounderandoriginalCEOofColor,and
PlaintiffWitherspoonsdirectsupervisor.CounselforColorwillnotconfirmNguyens currentcapacity,ifany,atColor. 2
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5.
PlaintiffWitherspoonisunawareofthetruenamesorcapacitiesofthe
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11.
ThisCourthasjurisdictionoverallDefendantsbecause,uponinformation
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50.
Uponinformationandbelief,SteffensapproachedtheBoardtoexpressher
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54.
Afterthecall,PlaintiffWitherspoonneverreceivedanytypeofresponse
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specificallyrefrainedfromofferingWitherspoonwithaseverancecomparabletoothersin asimilarposition,becauseofstatementsWitherspoonmadeaboutNguyenduringthe investigationintoNguyenandDunphy.Specifically,onoraboutOctober15,2012, NguyentoldSteffens,inresponsetoherconfrontinghimaboutwhytheWitherspoon severancewasnotbeinghandledmorequickly,thatNguyensreasonwasWitherspoons cooperatingroleintheinvestigationintohismisconduct.Nguyenfurtherinstructed SteffenstotellWitherspoonthisandalludedtothefactthathewasnotbeingmadepart oftheteamjoiningApplebecauseofhisroleintheinvestigation.Steffensfollowed NguyensdirectorderandtoldWitherspoonandJordan,lateronOctober15,that WitherspoonsinvolvementintheinvestigationintoNguyensconductwasaffectingthe termsofhisseverance. 13
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64.
WhenaColoremployeeheardthatPlaintiffWitherspoonwasnotmaking
DefendantNguyen,PlaintiffWitherspoonsstatementsthathemadetoRalstonandthe 14
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DefendantColorcommunicatedPlaintiffWitherspoonsstatementsandcooperationin theinvestigationtoDefendantNguyen. 15
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75.
Inretaliationforreportingunsafeworkconditionsintheworkplace,
DefendantsColorandNguyenexcludedPlaintiffWitherspoonfromparticipatingin meetingswithApplerepresentativesseekingtohireDefendantColorsengineeringteam, ofwhichPlaintiffWitherspoonwasapart.DefendantNguyenfalselymisrepresentedto PlaintiffWitherspoonthathewouldbeapartoftheteamthatwastransitioningtoApple. Furthermore,DefendantsColorandNguyenretaliatedagainstPlaintiffWitherspoonby offeringhimanominalthreemonthsofseverancethatdidnotcomportwiththeeffortshe hadputintoColor,whereasotheremployeeswithconsiderablylesshistorywithColor eitherreceivedsignificantlylargerseverancepackages,orajobatApple. 76. PlaintiffWitherspoonisentitledtoreinstatementandreimbursementfor
statedhereintheallegationssetoutintheprecedingparagraphs. 16
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80.
Thereisafundamentalpublicpolicyinthisstateinfavorofhaving
DefendantsColorandNguyenexcludedPlaintiffWitherspoonfromparticipatingin meetingswithApplerepresentativesseekingtohireDefendantColorsengineeringteam, ofwhichPlaintiffWitherspoonwasapart.DefendantNguyenfalselymisrepresentedto PlaintiffWitherspoonthathewouldbeapartoftheteamthatwastransitioningtoApple. Furthermore,DefendantsColorandNguyenretaliatedagainstPlaintiffWitherspoonby offeringhimanominalthreemonthsofseverancethatdidnotcomportwiththeeffortshe hadputintoColor,whereasotheremployeeswithconsiderablylesshistorywithColor eitherreceivedsignificantlylargerseverancepackages,orajobatApple. 85. Uponinformationandbelief,PlaintiffWitherspoonallegesthatDefendants
ColorandNguyensdecisiontoretaliateagainstPlaintiffWitherspoonwaswanton, willfulandintentional,andcommittedwithmaliciousandrecklessdisregardforPlaintiff 17
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DefendantColorcommunicatedPlaintiffWitherspoonsstatementsandcooperationin theinvestigationtoDefendantNguyen. 18
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92.
Uponinformationandbelief,inretaliationforreportingunlawfulactivityin
theworkplace,DefendantsColorandNguyenexcludedPlaintiffWitherspoonfrom participatinginmeetingswithApplerepresentativesseekingtohireDefendantColors engineeringteam,ofwhichPlaintiffWitherspoonwasapart.DefendantNguyenfalsely misrepresentedtoPlaintiffWitherspoonthathewouldbeapartoftheteamthatwas transitioningtoApple.Furthermore,DefendantsColorandNguyenretaliatedagainst PlaintiffWitherspoonbyofferinghimanominalthreemonthsofseverancethatdidnot comportwiththeeffortshehadputintoColor,whereasotheremployeeswith considerablylesshistorywithColorreceivedsignificantlylargerseverancepackages,or jobsatApple. 93. Uponinformationandbelief,PlaintiffWitherspoonallegesthatDefendants
Witherspoontoapersistentpatternofintimidationandharassment,includingbutnot limitedtoverbalabuse,misrepresentations,andretaliatoryconduct. 19
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97.
ColorandNguyensconduct,includingbutnotlimitedtotheactsof
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102.
SincetheBoardstyledtheGundersonDettmersupervisedinvestigationas
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AsaresultofDefendantColorandNguyenswrongfulconductasalleged
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benefits,accordingtoproof; 2. ForgeneraldamagesforPlaintiffshumiliation,mentalanguish,and
unlawfulandrequiringDefendantstoceaseanddesistfromunfairbusinesspracticesand unlawfulactivitiesinviolationofCaliforniaBusinessandProfessionsCodesection17200 25
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