Labor & Employment Law

  

  

The U.S. Department of Labor administers and enforces more than 180 federal laws. These mandates and the regulations that implement them cover many workplace activities for approximately 10 million employers and 125 million employees. Ensuring compliance is a daunting task for many employers. With decades of experience, in a variety of industries, BMD's labor and employment attorneys appreciate our clients' needs for a common-sense approach and offer our commitment to being a real partner in helping them navigate the problematic legal and regulatory environment of the constantly changing workplace. The BMD team understands workplace relationships. Our approach is to develop a solid understanding of our clients' employment issues and policies. Our team combines responsiveness and skill to provide creative planning and aggressive advocacy that meet the needs of each client. Our labor and employment team comprises a diverse and collaborative group of highly skilled attorneys who efficiently help our clients address short, medium and long-term goals. We work closely with our clients to prevent liability and litigation by providing practical, preventative counseling on labor and employment issues. When litigation does arise, we assist our clients with a vigorous, thorough defense, aimed at achieving a positive, cost-effective result.

Advising and Counseling

Advising employers in day-to-day personnel practices and employee relations, including:

• Discrimination and harassment issues
• Union matters
• Layoffs and facility closures
• Disability and religious accommodation issues
• Interpreting and applying employment policies and legal requirements for specific personnel decisions
• Conducting and supervising internal investigations
• Counseling on appropriate actions to minimize the risk of liability
• Coordinating workers' compensation issues with state and federal disability laws
• Negotiating and preparing employee handbooks
• Employment contracts and separation
• Non-disclosure
• Trade secret
• Non-solicitation
• Non-compete agreements
  

Employment Litigation

Defending employers in wrongful discharge, harassment, discrimination, contract, tort and other employment-related claims, in federal and state trial and appellate courts. We also represent clients in actions regarding the enforcement and enforceability of non-disclosure, trade secret, non-solicitation and non-compete agreements.

Labor-Management Relations

Representing employers in unfair labor practice proceedings and representation hearings. We also work with employers on union issues, the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, contract administration, and arbitration.

Employment Discrimination

Working with our clients to develop policies and practices to prevent employment discrimination and harassment and to strengthen our clients' defenses to employment discrimination and harassment claims.

Workers' Compensation

Representing state-funded and self-insured employers in connection with claims, hearings and appeals regarding injuries and occupational diseases which are alleged to have occurred in the course and scope of employment.

Wage and Hour Matters

Providing day-to-day advice, policy reviews and other services related to wage and hour issues. We also defend claims arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act and other federal and state wage and hour laws and regulations.

Unemployment Benefits

Representing employers in planning personnel actions to minimize unemployment taxes and assessments and in defending claims for benefits in administrative proceedings and court appeals.

OSHA

Counseling employers about preventive practices and contesting safety citations and penalties, and representing businesses in administrative and judicial proceedings.