Harold R. Jones

Harold R. Jones is a principal in the San Francisco, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. For more than 15 years, Harold has worked with employers to solve employee-related problems.

Harold has represented local and national employers in a broad array of industries including financial services, hospitality, healthcare, bio-technology, staffing, manufacturing, retail, transportation and technology. Harold’s practice includes the defense of employers in the full range of civil actions before California courts, and state and federal administrative agencies. He works closely with his clients to develop cost effective strategies for investigating, defending and resolving legal actions. In addition, he has significant experience in representing employers against claims of gender, race, and disability discrimination; wrongful termination; breach of contract; defamation; invasion of privacy and many other employment-related matters under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and other related federal and state statutes.

Harold has an active advice and counsel practice assisting employers on day-to-day California employment issues. He works with his clients to understand their business needs and provides strategic advice to avoid litigation. He regularly advises employers in the areas of background investigations, interactive processes, reasonable accommodation issues, wage and hour compliance, employee discipline, terminations, employee handbooks, drug testing, and severance negotiations.

Harold is an experienced workplace investigator. Relying upon his 10 years’ experience conducting initial crime scene investigations and background investigations of police officer applicants as an Oakland police officer, Harold designs and conducts internal workplace investigations arising out of employee complaints of harassment, bullying, discrimination, retaliation and other inappropriate actions. He works with his clients to design an appropriate investigation based upon the allegations, his client’s resources and needs.

Harold is a former legal extern to the Honorable James Ware of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Recent Experience

• Obtained summary judgment of claims of disability discrimination, age discrimination and wrongful termination by a health care worker
• Obtained summary judgment of claims of defamation, blacklisting and interference with contract alleged by client’s former employee
• Obtained multiple dismissals of administrative charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the California Civil Rights Department 
• Secured very favorable resolution of multiple claims of under California Fair Employment and Housing Act and California Labor Code
• Conducted internal workplace investigations of harassment allegations by transit authority employees
• Managed large internal investigation of substance abuse treatment center requested by county authority

Honors and Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America©, “Employment Law – Management” (2023-present)