Labor & Employment
Employment
Our Labor and Employment attorneys counsel and represent public and private companies, public sector entities and nonprofit organizations across the entire spectrum of labor, employment and human resource issues.
The attorneys at Roetzel handle litigation for all types of labor and employment claims in federal and state courts.
We work cooperatively with in-house counsel, executive-level managers, public officials, risk management professionals and human resource departments in handling all employment-related issues, including federal and state labor and employment law compliance, preparation and implementation of personnel policies and employment agreements, employee hiring, employee discipline, leaves of absence and accommodation issues, affirmative action, discrimination claims, workers' compensation, benefit administration and health and safety regulations. Our attorneys are highly qualified in administrative proceedings, with extensive experience representing local, national and international clients before federal and state agencies.
We handle litigation for all types of labor and employment claims in federal and state courts, including matters arising under federal and state labor law and claims arising under the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act and numerous other state and federal laws governing the workplace.
Roetzel offers a broad range of immigration services. Our attorneys serve the specialized needs of employers seeking immigration law-based solutions by providing advisory services, counsel, and employer compliance guidance.
Many of our attorneys are board certified in trial advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. We also have many Ohio State Bar Association board certified specialists in the areas of workers' compensation and labor and employment law.
Our Experience
- Represented a political subdivision and received a verdict in favor of the client in a race discrimination/race harassment case that received national publicity
- Successfully represented an employer in federal court with respect to claims of reverse discrimination and wrongful discharge
- Developed and implemented numerous drug testing programs
- Developed several employee handbooks, personnel policies and affirmative action plans
- Represent numerous companies in connection with workplace injuries and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) citations
- Advised a large (2,000+) private employer regarding a reduction in workforce
- Provide ongoing legal counsel in a broad scope of labor and employment matters to a regional transit authority for more than 20 years
- Obtained a jury verdict in federal court in favor of a national retail chain as to an employee claiming sexual and handicap discrimination
- Defended numerous employers against discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment, retaliation and wrongful discharge claims
- Served as lead counsel for a statewide association of managed care organizations in the Amicus brief filed with the Ohio Supreme Court in response to organized labor's constitutional challenge to the Bureau's health partnership program
- Successfully defended numerous allowances and compensation claims, as well as wrongful discharge, retaliation and intentional tort claims
- Successfully negotiated with unions during the term of collective bargaining agreements to modify health insurance plans
- Negotiated numerous collective bargaining agreements and handled a significant number of grievances, arbitrations and unfair labor practice proceedings
- Advised public school districts in a full range of legal matters including contract negotiation, charter school laws, public purchasing, competitive bidding, real property, Ohio School Facilities Commission matters, employee benefits, district purchasing, personnel, special education, EEO, civil rights, tuition and residency
- Handled issues related to public employees in the education industry, such as public records act matters, issues related to Revised Code Chapter 2744, and civil service issues
- Provided in-depth counseling and training to hotel and restaurant establishments on a wide variety of employment and labor topics
- Represented newspapers in a broad range of employment matters, including defense of discrimination and wrongful discharge cases, assisting in wage and hour claims, and handling matters before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and other administrative agencies
What We Do
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
- Employee hiring, compensation and discipline
- Leaves of absence and accommodation
- Employee handbooks and employment agreements
- Employee screening and testing
- Government contractor requirements
- Layoffs and reductions in workforce
- Occupational safety and health issues
- Civil Service
LITIGATION
- Administrative actions
- All types of harassment
- Alternative dispute resolution
- Civil Rights law
- Employment discrimination
- Employment tort litigation
- Non-compete and confidentiality agreements
- Section 1983
- Trade secret litigation
- Unemployment compensation claims
- Wage and hour issues
- Wrongful termination
UNION MATTERS
- Contract negotiations
- Fact-finding, mediation and conciliation
- Grievance and arbitration proceedings
- Management representation during union organizing
- Unfair labor practice proceedings
- Reductions in force
- Litigation
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
- Adjudication committee hearings
- Appeal and mandamus actions
- Audits, classifications, and premium disputes
- Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) audits and protests
- Industrial Commission hearings on a statewide basis
- Intentional tort and retaliation claims
- Subrogation and third party claims
- Violation of Specific Safety Requirement (VSSR)