HR Companies & HR Consultants in Laguna Niguel, CA

California Labor Solutions is an HR consulting and investigation firm headquartered in Laguna Niguel and serving employers across California. Established in 2009, it works with public-sector bodies and private businesses alike. Its client base has included cities, community colleges, nonprofit groups, a restaurant company and small owner-run businesses. The firm deliberately narrows its scope. It concentrates on a few specialized disciplines and does not handle day-to-day administrative work such as payroll or benefits.

Investigations at the core

The firm is best known for impartial investigations of employee complaints. Typical matters include harassment, discrimination, retaliation, bullying and other misconduct. California law allows only licensed private investigators and attorneys to conduct such investigations for outside clients, and the firm stresses that it holds the required state license.

In its view, using a licensed investigator lowers the risk that findings will be thrown out during a grievance, a civil service appeal or a civil lawsuit. Its approach reflects the three standards set out by the EEOC: a prompt start, an unbiased investigator and a thorough, well-documented inquiry.

Every engagement ends with a written report presenting credibility assessments, findings and recommended follow-up actions. The firm also conducts EEO-related investigations and serves as an expert witness, reviewing HR practices and investigations performed by others.

Services at a glance

• Licensed workplace and EEO investigations backed by detailed written reports
• Expert witness evaluation of HR practices and prior investigations
• Executive search and recruitment support, including job descriptions, candidate sourcing, application screening and reference checks, integrated with a client's applicant tracking system
• Training for supervisors on managing employee performance, plus EEO compliance and diversity sessions for hiring managers and search committees
• Sexual harassment prevention training
• Culture and climate studies that look at the attitudes, values and behaviors shaping a workplace
• Employee relations advice, including performance documentation and improvement plans
• Mediation of workplace disputes

On the compliance side, the firm helps organizations meet the requirements of the Fair Employment and Housing Act and other California labor rules. Its management training is built around state-specific obligations and covers preventing harassment, resolving conflict and handling employee discipline. It also teams up with larger HR providers that need added compliance or investigative strength.

Leadership and approach

Shawn P. Larry, J.D., is the CEO, principal HR consultant and chief investigator. His credentials include:

• A law degree from UOP-McGeorge School of Law
• A sociology degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara
• A California private investigator license
• Certification as a mediator for complex workplace disputes

Larry has served as an EEO compliance investigator and diversity officer, as HR director at several California community colleges, and as chief labor contract negotiator. He has administered grievances in unionized settings and litigated full evidentiary administrative hearings, among them disciplinary appeals and labor contract disputes. The firm cites more than twenty years of experience and hundreds of investigations, for employers ranging from very small businesses to organizations with more than 5,000 employees.

Each client is paired with a dedicated HR advisor, and the firm says it keeps clients updated throughout an engagement. It positions itself as a licensed, more economical alternative to a traditional law firm, offering defensible results without the cost or confrontational reputation that legal counsel can carry. Testimonials from HR staff at a city government, nonprofits and a restaurant commend its quick responses, discretion and clear reports.