Practice Strengths

Employment Counseling and Compliance

Navigating the intricacies of the ever-changing federal and state laws and regulations that impact the workplace can be difficult, and non-compliance carries the risk of costly employment litigation and government penalties. At Baker Hostetler, we work proactively with our clients to help them establish effective practices and policies and understand how the numerous statutes, regulations, codes and ordinances that govern the workplace affect their business.

Our skilled lawyers partner with clients to provide creative solutions that address their day-to-day workplace issues. Our lawyers have experience both as in-house counsel and with a number of regulatory agencies, providing us with critical insight into offering our clients effective human resources solutions that help reduce their risk.

We counsel clients on the full scope of workplace issues including:

  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
  • The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  • Title VII
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Unemployment Compensation
  • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
  • Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
  • Immigration
  • Reductions in Force (RIF)
  • Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)
  • Affirmative Action and OFCCP Compliance

Our attorneys know which federal, state and local laws apply to businesses nationwide. We conduct on-site compliance reviews, provide management training and work with companies to develop compliance programs. We also provide legal counsel and representation to clients found to be noncompliant. We represent clients before governmental agencies and boards and work out programs to bring them into compliance.

Our employment counsel helps clients reduce the risk of costly litigation.

Recognition

  • Eleven employment partners listed are in The Best Lawyers in America.
  • Our employment and labor practice is ranked among the leading practices in Ohio and Florida  (Chambers USA, 2009).
  • Chambers USA 2009 lists a total of seven Florida and Ohio employment partners as leaders in the field.
  • Employment lawyers have received special regional recognition in Florida Trend's “Legal Elite" publication.
  • Some of the individual recognition our lawyers have attained include selection as one of America's leading black lawyers by Black Enterprise magazine, receiving the District of Columbia Bar's “Legends in the Law” award, the Republican National Lawyers Association's “Republican Lawyer of the Year” award, and inclusion as a Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.
About Our Employment Team
Ranked among the Top Employment Law Firms by Workforce Management Magazine in 2007, Baker Hostetler counsels many of the nation's leading companies on all aspects of employment law. With more than 100 lawyers coast-to-coast, Baker Hostetler's Employment and Labor Group represents numerous FORTUNE 500 companies, and for many of these companies, we serve as their national employment and labor counsel. Our comprehensive employment practice is comparable in size and depth to the largest employment law boutiques, but we offer the broader resources of a leading, full-service firm.

Solution
An HR Audit can dramatically improve not only your human resources function, but also your bottom line. For example, we assisted one of our FORTUNE 500 clients in reducing its annual cost of handling employment and labor matters by nearly 65 percent by improving their efficiency and reducing their risk of costly litigation.   Read More

Employment—Employment Counseling and Compliance Lawyers
Joyce Ackerbaum Cox Partner
Orlando 407.649.4077
Michelle B. Anselmo Partner
Cleveland 216.861.6168
Marc A. Antonetti Partner
Washington, DC 202.861.1788
M.J. Asensio Partner
Columbus 614.462.2622
Elliot S. Azoff Partner
Cleveland 216.861.7446
Johnine P. Barnes Partner
Washington, DC 202.861.1633
Mary Price Birk Partner
Denver 303.764.4041
Gilbert P. Brosky Associate
Cleveland 216.861.7547
Hurlie H. Collier Partner
Houston 713.646.1332
Joseph C. Devine Partner
Columbus 614.462.2682
R. Christopher Doyle Partner
Columbus 614.462.4721
Tracey L. Ellerson Partner
Orlando 407.649.4054
Charles J. French III Partner
Cleveland 216.861.7428
Ellen J. Garling Counsel
Columbus 614.462.4708
David A. Grant Partner
Washington, DC 202.861.1638
Daniel J. Guttman Partner
Columbus 614.462.4740
Robin E. Harvey Partner
Cincinnati 513.929.3409
David G. Holcombe Partner
Cincinnati 513.929.3402
Tonya A. Jacobs Partner
Houston 713.646.1358
Dawn Kennedy Associate
Los Angeles 310.979.8457
Caroline M. Landt Staff Attorney
Orlando 407.649.4689
Todd H. Lebowitz Partner
Cleveland 216.861.7899
Ronald G. Linville Partner
Columbus 614.462.2647
Richard S. Mandelson Partner
Denver 303.764.4022
Joseph L. Manson III Partner
Washington, DC 202.861.1543
M. Scott McIntyre Partner
Cincinnati 513.852.2622
Marilyn G. Moran Associate
Orlando 407.649.4697
Patrick M. Muldowney Partner
Orlando 407.649.4002
Betty Southard Murphy Partner
Washington, DC 202.861.1586
Rosemary O'Shea Partner
Orlando 407.649.4006
Michelle D. Pector Partner
Houston 713.646.1326
Lisa H. Pennington Partner
Houston 713.646.1303
Patricia A. Poole Partner
Cleveland 216.861.7661
David A. Posner Partner
Cleveland 216.861.6113
William R. Post Partner
Columbus 614.462.2683
James W. Seegers Staff Attorney
Orlando 407.649.4023
Paula F. Seger Partner
Cleveland 216.861.7416
Thomas M. Seger Partner
Cleveland 216.861.7413
Douglas R. Sergent Associate
Cleveland 216.861.7353
Kevin W. Shaughnessy Partner
Orlando 407.649.4014
Rachel M. Smith Associate
Houston 713.646.1386
Lisa R. Stark Associate
Columbus 614.462.4776
Jason E. Starling Associate
Columbus 614.462.2669
Rexford H. Stephens Partner
Orlando 407.649.4075
Stephen C. Sutton Partner
Cleveland 216.861.6165
Drew B. Tipton Partner
Houston 713.646.1348
David A. Whitcomb Partner
Columbus 614.462.4728
Martin T. Wymer Partner
Cleveland 216.861.6021
Date Employment—Employment Counseling and Compliance News
3/11/2010 2010 "Super Lawyers" Announced
3/11/2010 2010 "Rising Stars" Announced
2/9/2010 Shaughnessy Addresses ABA New Partner Program
2/3/2010 Muldowney Speaks at UF Sports Law Symposium
1/29/2010 Poole to Address Webinar on OSHA Enforcement
1/26/2010 Three Baker Hostetler Lawyers Nominated to BTI Client Service All-Stars 2010
10/5/2009 Moran Installed as President of Orlando Chapter of Federal Bar Association
10/1/2009 Muldowney Participates in Florida A&M Panel on Workplace Harassment
8/10/2009 "Best Lawyers in America" Recognizes 94 Baker Hostetler Attorneys
8/4/2009 Stephens Addresses IOMA webinar: "Social Media in the Workplace"
7/23/2009 Birk Honored with National Award for Article
7/8/2009 Barnes Seated on DC Employee Relations Board
6/12/2009 Chambers USA Names 36 "Leading Business Lawyers"
4/27/2009 Murphy Honored with ABA Outstanding Service Award
4/22/2009 Cardinal Bankshares Prevails in Landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Case
3/17/2009 Seegers Discusses EFCA at Florida HR Conference
3/10/2009 Grant Addresses Lilly Ledbetter Act
2/27/2009 Muldowney Addresses UF Sports & Entertainment Law Society
2/17/2009 Muldowney Discusses Employment Law Issues Surrounding Current Economic Crisis
2/16/2009 Antonetti & Manson Members of Senior Board of Editors for BNA Publication
1/9/2009 Baker Hostetler Announces New Associates
12/8/2008 Baker Hostetler Named a “Go-To Law Firm” For 2009
12/1/2008 Denver Office Expands
10/24/2008 Guttman Addresses Public Employer Labor Relations Association
04/30/2008 Holcombe Assumes Leadership of Cincinnati Office
Date Employment—Employment Counseling and Compliance Articles
12/15/2009 EHS Today: OSHA 2009 Site-Specific Targeting Plan: What Your Company Needs To Know
8/18/2009 ABA Labor and Employment Law Newsletter: Firefighter Plaintiffs Prevail in Landmark Supreme Court Case
8/18/2009 ABA Labor and Employment Law Newsletter: Court Rejects Mixed-Motives Theory for Age Discrimination
8/17/2009 Bloomberg Law Reports - Labor & Employment: Divided Supreme Court Rejects Mixed Motives Framework for ADEA Claims
8/12/2009 CFHRA HR Update: Strategic Electronic Information Policies Can Minimize Legal Exposure
7/24/2009 Law360: Upholding OSHA's Multi-Employer Citation Policy
6/22/2009 Bloomberg Law Reports - Labor and Employment: OSHA Likely to Continue to Cite under Multi-Employer Policy
5/18/2009 BNA Product Safety & Liability Reporter: Phthalates Regulation for Toys and Child Care Products
4/17/2009 SHRM Online: Why You Need a Policy If Your Employees Are Twittering
4/10/2009 Mealey's Litigation Report: Employment Law: Ledbetter Act Expands Statutes of Limitation, Exposes Employers to Liability for Decisions Made Many Years Earlier
3/20/2009 Houston Business Journal: What Upcoming Legislation is Causing Employers Stress?
3/20/2009 Houston Business Journal: "Recalling Strange but True Tales of Reduction in Force"
3/17/2009 SHRM Online: Strategic Electronic Information Policies Can Minimize Legal Exposure
12/18/2008 Municipal Lawyer: The Court's Employment Law Rulings and a Look Ahead
11/21/2008 Business First Columbus: Could Business See Compromise Over Employee Free Choice Act?
10/30/2008 Municipal Lawyer: Avoiding Workplace Free Speech Claims in the Upcoming Election
10/30/2008 Public Safety Labor News: Disability Act Amendments to Take Effect January 1, 2009
4/1/2008 SHRM Legal Report: RIFs: Use Statistical Analysis To Avoid Disparate Impact Based on Age
Date Employment—Employment Counseling and Compliance Executive Alert/Newsletters
12/31/2009 Changes in California Employment Law for 2010
12/10/2009 Health Law Update—December 10, 2009
11/10/2009 IRS to Audit 6,000 Companies to Enforce Employment Tax Compliance
10/1/2009 OSHA Implements 2009 Site-Specific Targeting Plan
9/8/2009 Final Rule Mandating Use of E-Verify Employment Eligibility Verification System by Federal Contractors Effective September 8, 2009
8/12/2009 Ohio Appeals Decision Highlights the Necessity of a Carefully Drafted Drug-Free Workplace Policy
7/16/2009 Obama Administration Implements New Aggressive Immigration Enforcement
6/30/2009 Supreme Court Issues Ruling in “Reverse” Discrimination Case
6/22/2009 Supreme Court Rejects Mixed-Motives Framework for ADEA Claims
6/9/2009 Colorado Raises Penalties for Misclassification of Employees
6/8/2009 Age Discrimination Claims Under Ohio Law May Be Barred By Internal Grievance Process
6/2/2009 Congress Considers Mandating Paid Leave for Employees
5/19/2009 Planning in Light of the Obama Administration’s Legislative and Enforcement Initiatives—UPDATE
4/21/2009 House Introduces Bill to Protect Workers from Dust Explosions and Fires
4/15/2009 Collective-Bargaining Agreement May Require Employees to Arbitrate Age Discrimination Claims, Supreme Court Rules
4/6/2009 Employer Payment for Personal Protective Equipment
3/18/2009 Recovery Act Includes Broad New Whistleblower Provisions
2/19/2009 Health Law Update—February 19, 2009
2/17/2009 New I-9 Form Effective April 3, 2009
2/2/2009 New E-Verify Requirement Postponed Again Until at Least May 21, 2009
1/28/2009 Ledbetter Act Expands Statutes of Limitation, Exposes Employers to Liability for Decisions Made Many Years Earlier
1/27/2009 Supreme Court Extends Title VII Anti-Retaliation Protection to Witnesses in an Employer’s Internal Discrimination Investigation
1/20/2009 Planning for Obama Administration Legislative and Enforcement Initiatives
1/15/2009 New FMLA Regulations: Key Changes and Clarifications for Administering Your FMLA Policies and Procedures
1/12/2009 New E-Verify Requirement Delayed Until February 20, 2009
1/6/2009 Changes in California Employment Law for 2009
12/15/2008 Final Rule Mandates the Use of the E-Verify Employment Eligibility Verification System for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors
11/19/2008 Occupational and Mine Safety Enforcement Under the New Administration
11/13/2008 California Labor Code Applies to Work Performed in California by Non-Residents, Says Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
11/11/2008 Final Code § 409A Documentation Compliance Deadline for Deferred Compensation Plans and Arrangements Fast Approaching
10/6/2008 300 Log Reporting Guidance from OSHA: Working From Home Following Treatment for an Occupational Injury
09/19/2008 Disability Act Amendments to Take Effect January 1, 2009
09/05/2008 Two Recent California District Courts Rule that Employers are Not Required to Police Employees in Order to Ensure that they Take Meal and Rest Breaks
09/04/2008 Mandatory Sick Leave to be Removed from November Ballot
08/21/2008 Status of the Ohio Healthy Families Act and What You Need to Know About the Possible Compromise and Ballot Initiative
08/11/2008 California Supreme Court Rejects Narrow-Restraint Exception to Noncompetition Agreements and Prohibits Contractual Releases of Nonwaivable Statutory Protections
08/11/2008 New York Enacts Statute Prohibiting Noncompetes in the Media Industries
08/06/2008 Department of Labor's Proposed "Cleanup" Rules
07/30/2008 Preliminary Injunction Ruling Partly Upholds Florida's Guns-at-Work Law
07/23/2008 California Court of Appeal Reverses Class Action Certification Order and Clarifies Employer's Obligations Regarding Meal and Rest Breaks, Time-Shaving and Off-the-Clock Work
06/30/2008 Reminder to Update Company Policies: Hands-Free Cell Phones and Driving
05/30/2008 Supreme Court Rules that Section 1981 Encompasses Retaliation Claims
05/27/2008 New Law Prohibits Genetic Discrimination
Date Employment—Employment Counseling and Compliance Quotes
1/26/2010 Law360: In-House Counsel Name Favorite Employment Lawyers
1/26/2010 Law360: Corporate Counsel All-Star List
11/16/2009 Modern Healthcare: Laboring to Unite
11/2/2009 American Medical News: Review What Expanded ADA Means for Your Practice
9/14/2009 Nation's Restaurant News: "Social" Justice: Restaurants Fight "Brandjacking" Threat
8/28/2009 Law360: Zurich Told It Must Cover Relocation In Oil Spill Case
8/11/2009 Cincy magazine: Guarding Your Assets
8/6/2009 Workforce Management: Senate Confirms Sonia Sotomayor as First Hispanic on High Court
7/27/2009 American Medical News: Update Employee Policies to Include Guidelines for Social Networking
7/24/2009 Law360: Q&A With Ron Linville
7/23/2009 ReachMD (XM Radio): Social Networking Policies for Medical Practices
7/20/2009 Law360: Nixing Card-Check Could Shift, Not Quell, EFCA Debate
7/19/2009 Business Insurance: Getting Burned: Employees' Social Networking Raises Employers' Liability Risk
6/30/2009 WFLA Fox Radio: Supreme Court's Reverse Discrimination Ruling
6/15/2009 BNA's Human Resources Report: Twitter Is Latest Electronic Tool to Pose Challenges and Opportunities for Employers
6/9/2009 Law360: Flight Attendants Revive Contract Row With Mesa Air
6/4/2009 Employee Benefit News: EFCA Debate Roils Between Employer, Union Groups
6/1/2009 Law360: Flight Attendant Spat Not Fit For Federal Court: 9th Circuit
4/30/2009 Houston Chronicle: Flu Scare Causing Company Quandries
4/24/2009 Law360: High Court Won't Hear 1st SOX Whistleblower's Case
4/17/2009 Houston Business Journal: Legislative Changes Add Up to More Work for Labor Attorneys
4/17/2009 Houston Business Journal: Firms Take Financial Sting Out of Litigation
4/3/2009 Business Courier of Cincinnati: With More Layoffs, Furloughs Comes More Room for Error
4/1/2009 ABA Journal: FMLA Gets a Facelift
3/31/2009 St. Petersburg Times: Four-Day Work Week on the Table
3/30/2009 Modern Healthcare: Labor Takes a Hit
3/29/2009 Washington Post: Union Bill's Declining Chances Give Rise to Alternatives
3/15/2009 Naples Daily News: Naples Considering Furloughs for its Employees
2/26/2009 Columbus CEO magazine: Wages, Hours & Lawsuits
2/23/2009 Texas Lawyer: The Bank Job
2/12/2009 Workforce Management: Mass Staff Cuts Don’t Slam the Brakes on New Hires
2/11/2009 Bloomberg News: Unions Win Fast Under Obama, Target Financial, Organizing Rules
2/3/2009 California Executive: Fair Pay Act Puts Employers on Notice for Past Discrimination
1/15/2009 Corporate Secretary: Walking into a Live Minefield
1/9/2009 Reuters: Divided Hollywood Actors Union Nears Boiling Point
1/7/2009 Dear Sisters, Dear Daughters: Strategies for Success from Multicultural Women Attorneys
1/5/2009 NPR: New Disability Law in Effect This Year
12/19/2008 Orlando Business Journal: 2009 Changes to FMLA Include Blessings, Curses
12/18/2008 Reuters: Best Buy Employee Package May Help in Recession
12/12/2008 Busines First Columbus: Risk of Employment Litigation Comes to a Crescendo
12/04/2008 Human Resource Executive: Layoffs Should Include Security
12/01/2008 Washington Post: Labor Dept. Accused of Straying From Enforcement
11/21/2008 Nursing Executive Watch: Elections Usher in Union-Friendly Political Climate, as ‘Card Check' Bill Looms on the Horizon
11/14/2008 Law360: Labor Dept. Updates Family Leave Law
11/11/2008 Forbes.com: What Unions Really Want: A Stimulus Bill
11/05/2008 Reuters: Business Girds for Push by Unions on Obama Win
11/03/2008 Bloomberg Radio's "On the Money": The Future of Organized Labor
10/31/2008 Orlando Business Journal: Tough Economy Prompts More Laid-Off Workers to Sue Former Employers
10/27/2008 KGO/ABC Network Radio: The Changing Face of Labor Unions
10/17/2008 National Underwriter: Attorneys Split On Impact From Ohio High Court Asbestos Ruling
09/13/2008 Rocky Mountain News: Labor Law Experts Say Assembly Line Complicates Swift Situation
04/03/2008 Bloomberg Radio's "The Final Word": Citigroup to Pay $33M to Settle Lawsuit

For more information about our Employment Counseling Practice:
National Leader

Ronald G. Linville

614.462.2647

Chicago
Ronald S. Okada 312.416.6210
Cincinnati

David G. Holcombe   

513.929.3402    
Cleveland
Gregory V. Mersol 216.861.7935   

Columbus

Ellen J. Garling

614.462.4708
Costa Mesa

George T. Mooradian

714.966.8806
Denver

Richard S. Mandelson

303.764.4022
Houston

Hurlie H. Collier

713.646.1332

Los Angeles

Margaret Rosenthal

310.442.8893

New York

Tracy Cole

212.589.4210
Orlando

Kevin W. Shaughnessy

407.649.4014
Washington, DC

David A. Grant

202.861.1638

Contact

National Contact
Ronald G. Linville
614.462.2647


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