Item 3. Legal Proceedings
ITEM 3.
Legal Proceedings
T he
Company and its Chief Executive Officer are parties to civil complaints filed in the Superior Court for the State of California,
County of Orange by a former employee, Robert Rankin, who resigned as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, and
Treasurer on March 30, 2020. Originally filed as two separate complaints, Rankin v. Hancock Jaffe Laboratories, Inc. et al., Case
No. 30-2020-01146555-CU-WR-CJC and Rankin v. Hancock Jaffe Laboratories, Inc. et al., Case No. 30-2020-01157857, they have now been
consolidated and will be tried concurrently.
The complaints assert causes of action alleging constructive discharge
in violation of public policy, failure to timely pay Mr. Rankin’s accrued and unused vacation and three months’ severance
under his July 16, 2018 employment agreement, retaliation under Labor Code Section 1102.5, unfair competition, defamation, and sex-based
discrimination, and seeks damages for back pay, lost and unpaid wages, emotional and mental distress, consequential damages, punitive
damages, compensatory damages and attorney’s fees and costs.
The Company denies all claims in these matters, is vigorously defending
same, and has asserted counterclaims against Mr. Rankin contending that he breached his fiduciary duty and employment agreement with the
Company and the Company incurred damages as a result. The Company continues to believe it has meritorious defenses to these matters, which
are currently set for trial on May 13, 2024.
ITEM
4.
Mine and Safety Disclosure
Not
applicable.
27
PART
II
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