Romero

Filed 12/15/

CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

ANTHONY ROMERO,

F088325

Plaintiff and Appellant, (Super. Ct. No. BCV-23-103260) v.

COUNTY OF KERN, OPINION

Defendant and Respondent.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Kern County. Bernard C. Barmann, Judge. Brock & Gonzales, D. Aaron Block, Jesse S. Stratos and Andrew S. Pletcher for Plaintiff and Appellant. Kendra L. Graham, Interim County Counsel, and Andrew C. Hamilton, Deputy County Counsel, for Defendant and Respondent. -ooOoo- Plaintiff Anthony Romero appeals a judgment entered following the trial court’s grant of judgment on the pleadings in favor of his former employer, defendant County of Kern. The issue on appeal is whether Romero’s lawsuit against the County alleging his employment was terminated in retaliation for his whistleblower activities is barred by his failure to exhaust administrative remedies. We conclude that Romero was not required to exhaust administrative remedies provided under the County’s internal rules as those rules do not apply to his whistleblower retaliation claims.…