Labor and Employment

Our Labor and Employment Group helps employers create proactive strategies to improve employee relations. We don’t wait for problems to occur. We emphasize preventive measures and human resources planning. The goal for our clients is simple: minimize liability and maximize productivity.

We represent management in connection with:

• Auditing employment practices
• Classification of employees and independent contractors
• Disciplinary matters
• Discrimination and sexual harassment
• Employee handbooks
• Employee testing
• Executive employment agreements
• Federal and state legal compliance
• Hiring and background checks
• Internet and computer use
• Management training
• Managing FMLA, disability and sick leaves
• OSHA investigations
• Performance evaluations
• Non-disclosure and non-compete agreements
• Severance agreements and reductions in force
• Union avoidance
• Wage and hours disputes

We have extensive litigation experience, frequently appearing before fair employment agencies, arbitration panels and federal and state trial and appellate courts. We also represent clients in arbitrations and mediations.

• Advising European companies entering the U.S. market on employment policies and procedures to manage their workforce, including development of hiring policies, EEO and harassment policies, and proper classification of exempt and non-exempt employees and independent contractors, drafting employment agreements, managing employee leaves and advising on termination issues
• New York City Department of Consumer Affairs compliance proceedings under the New York City Paid Sick Leave Law, including the revision of paid sick leave policies and records management practices
• Responding to discrimination charges before city, state and federal fair employment agencies
• Representing employers in state and federal courts in wrongful discharge, discrimination, restrictive covenant and wage and hour disputes