Employment Relations and Litigation
We approach employment relations proactively, helping clients to set up and maintain effective employment relations programs designed to minimize the risk of litigation in areas of:
- Designing, documenting, and implementing workplace policies
- Drafting employee handbooks
- HIPAA Compliance
- Plant closing and WARN Act counseling
- Employment contract negotiation and preparation
- Termination counseling
- Harassment and discrimination training
- Workplace violence prevention
- Internal investigations
- Wage and Hour, unemployment, and workers' compensation counseling
- Employee benefit and executive compensation plans
Even the best employment counseling cannot prevent all disputes from occurring, however. We practice and counsel before EEOC and state and local human rights departments in areas of discrimination based upon race, sex, age, disability, and non-compliance with family and medical leave laws.
We have successfully defended state law contract claims related to employee handbooks and claims for wrongful termination, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress alleged to have arisen out of employment termination.
We can represent you in claims regarding:
- Age, Sex, Religious, Race, and National Origin Discrimination
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Family and Medical Leave Act
- Sexual Harassment
- Wage and Hour Disputes
- Workplace Violence
- Unemployment Compensation
- Workers' Compensation
- Wrongful Termination
- Retaliatory Discharge
- Illinois Human Rights Act
- Cook County Human Rights Ordinance
- Chicago Human Rights Ordinance
- Non-Compete Agreements and Restraints
- Tortious Interference
- Defamation
- Malicious Prosecution
REPRESENTATIVE CASES
- Lindsey v. Pate Foods, LLC. On termination for cause, Lindsey sued claiming age and disability discrimination and seeking back pay, front pay and punitive damages. Summary judgment was granted in favor of our employer client.
- Williams v. Roman, Inc. We assisted our employer client in planning and executing a Reduction in Force (RIF). Williams sued on being terminated as part of the RIF, alleging that his termination was a result of age discrimination. The United States District Court entered summary judgment for Roman and against Williams, finding that Roman's business reasons for the termination were not pretext for age discrimination, as alleged by Williams.
Read our articles and view our webinars on topics such as the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, mass lay-offs, and managing risks in employment terminations. Please contact us for more information.
