Labor and Employment

Counseling, Planning and Training Services

Employment claims and litigation are an ever-increasing part of doing business, and because of this fact, one of the most valuable services that our labor and employment law counselors provide is assisting employers in minimizing employment problems and the risk of lawsuits and claims before they arise through sound planning, counseling and training. We help employers create effective and defensible policies, such as those concerning workplace safety and health, positive employee relations, family and medical leave, absenteeism, drug testing and wage and hour.

We also understand that one of the best measures of prevention is to make sure that those responsible for the day-to-day contact with employees receive appropriate training in lawful and effective employment practices. Our labor and employment professionals provide our clients’ managers and supervisors with interactive and cost-effective training on key employment issues, such as:

•  Workplace Harassment
•  Positive Employee Relations
•  Defensible Discipline
•  Managing the FMLA, ADA and Workers Compensation

We also offer a variety of other preventive legal services for our clients, including wage and hour compliance audits, preparation of essential employment documents (such as applications, handbooks and personnel policies), positive employee relations and labor relations and vulnerability audits.

Jim Casey, a partner in the firm, is a contributing author to the Employment and Labor Law Handbook for Indiana Lawyers (2014 Edition) published by the Indiana State Bar Association, Labor and Benefits Law Section.

Employment Discrimination and Wrongful Termination

Our firm’s litigation and employment law professionals have many years of experience in handling complex employment discrimination and wrongful discharge claims. We defend our clients in litigation in the state and federal courts and before various federal, state and local civil rights agencies. Our Employment Litigation Group is devoted to defending clients in jury trials against allegations of wrongful discharge and civil rights, FMLA, ADEA and ADA violations.

Union Organizational Campaigns, ULP and other Labor Disputes

Our labor counselors collectively have practiced in the area of traditional labor law for well over 96 years. They have extensive knowledge and training in assisting employers in defending unfair labor practices charges before the NLRB. Our professionals have represented employers before the National Labor Relations Board and in Federal Court in connection with union representation elections, collective bargaining agreements and illegal strikes. We have also successfully represented clients against strikers and their unions in connection with the host of labor concerns that are unique to the construction and utility industries, such as secondary boycotts, project labor agreements and picketing with unlawful objectives.

Immigration and International Labor Matters

Given the geographically diverse nature of our clientele, we have helped many employers located in Indiana and elsewhere assimilate into the global economy through our immigration practice. Our employment law professionals have handled numerous immigration matters for our clients and have been successful in enabling many persons to enter, remain and work in the United States to the benefit of the employing organization.

Workers’ Compensation

As part of our policy to work with our clients as part of their human resources team, our labor and employment attorneys have helped assist numerous employers in developing procedures and practices to minimize the number and severity of workers’ compensation claims and the cost of insurance. Our experienced workers’ compensation practitioners also represent insured and self-insured employers with claims pending against them before the Worker’s Compensation Board and in state court.

Unemployment Compensation

Our firm’s employment law professionals have vast experience in providing its clients with a better understanding of how Indiana and other states’ unemployment insurance programs work. Wm. Michael Schiff, a partner in the firm, is the author of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s Unemployment Compensation Handbook, a comprehensive reference tool now in its 6th Edition, that discusses the procedures used in unemployment hearings and appeals, suggestions for representing the employer’s interests in such hearings and a description of the various forms and filing requirements established by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.