Our employment practice is similarly devoted to representing a wide spectrum of employers in both union and non-union environments. We provide counseling and advice as well as training related to employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, occupational safety and health, wage and hour issues and the complete alphabet soup of employment regulations under state and federal law.
These include, under federal law, Title VII (Civil Rights Act) and the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act), NLRA (National Labor Relations Act), OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act), ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act), COBRA, FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) and ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act). Under state law, it encompasses the multitude of employment-related protections found in the Connecticut General Statutes, e.g., sections 46a-60 et seq. (fair employment practices); 31-51q (prohibiting discipline or discharge on account of the employee's exercise of First Amendment Rights); 31-290a (prohibiting discharge based upon exercise of rights or filing a claim under the Workers Compensation Law); 31-128a-f (personnel files); 31-51t et. seq. (drug testing); 31-71c (payment of wages); and 31-76k (payment of fringe benefits).
It also includes advice with respect to the constantly expanding grounds to challenge an employer's acts and decisions under Connecticut common law including express and implied contract theories, promissory estoppel, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, right to privacy, implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, wrongful discharge, defamation (libel and slander), interference with contract, negligent hiring, negligent retention and infliction of emotional distress.
In addressing day to day issues, whether they involve workplace violence, harassment complaints, reasonable accommodation requests, electronic monitoring, leave issues or disciplinary actions, we strive to alleviate the potential for claims being brought and, if a claim cannot be avoided, to make sure the record needed to adequately defend one has been properly developed.
We are also called upon to develop employment handbooks and management policies from scratch as well as to review, revise and update in accordance with legal developments existing policies and procedures. By assisting clients early on in the development and implementation of workplace policies and procedures, we have been able to facilitate efficient and advantageous outcomes while preserving much needed management flexibility and discretion.
