Overview
The litigation of employment law matters has been on the rise. New types of claims relating to pay equity, diversity, harassment, and discrimination were the expected result of widespread legislation that expanded the scope of employment laws and extended them to more protected classes.
Disputes stemming from company restructuring and layoffs, as employers try to reduce costs in a tight economic climate, will also likely increase.
Our experienced Employment Litigation group defends employers of all sizes and sectors against those claims and disputes and advises employers on how to prevent them. Our employment defense attorneys have successfully litigated cases involving virtually every aspect of the employment relationship, and represented clients before judges, juries, arbitrators, and administrative agencies throughout the United States. And as the volume of COVID-19-related litigation continues to grow, we’re handling all manner of claims concerning returning to work, workplace accommodations and safety, and employee benefits.
Focusing on What Matters
Our employment defense lawyers' approach to litigation is entirely practical, based on the needs and resources of the employers we represent. Our clients count on us to separate what matters from what’s superfluous, and to defend their interests while working within their financial and operational constraints. We help them assess the real-world business consequences of litigation, and plan accordingly.
Interpreting New Legislation
In employment law, the legislative landscape is constantly shifting, and failure to comply with each new rule can attract the attention of the plaintiffs’ bar, too often leading to ruinous class actions. Especially for employers with nationwide footprints, the rules from state to state are imprecise and difficult to interpret. We help employers navigate the gray areas, and when litigation occurs, we defend them in all jurisdictions.
Willingness to Go to Trial
Our reputation in the courtroom precedes us. While employment lawsuits do not often go to trial, there is nonetheless a clear advantage to having a law firm prepared to do so. Plaintiffs’ groups nationwide know us well, and they afford us the sort of deference that encourages settlements and prevents trials.
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Focus Areas
Services
- ADA and Public Accommodations
- Class Actions
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Counseling
- Employment, Labor & Workforce Management
- Executive Compensation
- Financial Services Litigation
- Health Care Litigation
- Labor Management Relations
- Litigation & Business Disputes
- Pandemic Workforce Issues
- Pay Equity
- Remote and Hybrid Work
- Trade Secrets & Employee Mobility
- Wage and Hour
- Whistleblowing and Compliance
- Workplace Investigations
Industries
Experience
- Defended a major retailer in a case involving allegations of racial discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliatory discharge, in which the plaintiff asked for the statute of limitations to be “equitably tolled,” i.e., extended because of a delay beyond his control. Our Employment Litigation attorneys obtained dismissal on the grounds that the plaintiff did not take prompt action after the delay ended.
- Convinced a federal judge to deny the plaintiff’s motion for class certification on claims that a staffing company did not timely pay final wages to more than 1,000 terminated employees in California.
- Ended a disability discrimination suit against a major retail client brought by a former employee who claimed that after undergoing back surgery, our client ignored needed work restrictions against heavy lifting or carrying and assigned him tasks that included lifting heavy objects. Our lawyers successfully filed to dismiss for failure to state a plausible claim for relief.
- Successfully arbitrated an employment action seeking $5 million in liquidated damages and an additional $25 million in actual damages against an individual who was sued by the prospective employer for not joining that firm, in a claimed breach of contract. We argued the employer’s liquidated damages clause was an unlawful restrictive covenant that proved the employer had no provable actual damages. In a complete victory for our client, no damages were awarded.
- Represented a communications client in a nationwide collective action in which installation technicians alleged off-the-clock work. Though plaintiffs initially sought a multimillion-dollar settlement, our lawyers convinced the federal court to decertify, which compelled the two remaining plaintiffs to settle for a small fraction of their initial demands.
- Defeated a lawsuit brought against a national pharmaceutical company alleging retaliatory discharge for protected whistleblowing. Our attorneys persuasively demonstrated that the employee was discharged for reasons unrelated to the complaint and the employee voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice.
- Defeated reverse discrimination claims against a financial services firm. The day after our attorneys took the plaintiff’s deposition, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed his case and received nothing.
- Defeated discrimination and retaliation claims filed by a former server in the New York State Division of Human Rights against a restaurant operator client. Our client wished to go to trial to be completely vindicated. After a four-day hearing and a lengthy post-trial briefing, the administrative law judge ruled completely in our client’s favor.
- Defended an industry-leading real estate owner and management firm against sexual harassment and emotional distress claims. We helped our client avoid a jury trial by enforcing an arbitration agreement and then won dismissal in arbitration through cross-examination showing that the plaintiff was not credible and had altered key diary entries logging alleged incidents of harassment and reports to the employer.
- Obtained a temporary restraining order in state court and leveraged firm contacts to pursue criminal sanctions through the U.S. Attorney's Office against a former independent contractor of a global telecommunications company. The contractor, who was separated from the company, engaged in a campaign of sending harassing, threatening, and disparaging emails and text messages to the company. Once we initiated litigation, the contractor ceased his harassing conduct, personal safety was restored, and business relationships remained unharmed.
Contacts
- Member of the Firm
- Board of Directors / Member of the Firm
- Member of the Firm
Media
Events
Upcoming Events
Past Events
Insights
Insights
- BlogsVideo: SCOTUS Limits Availability of Injunctions in NLRB Unfair Labor Practice Cases - Employment Law This Week2 minute read
- Media CoverageJennifer Barna Quoted in “Robust EEOC Amicus Program Tackles AI, High Court Rulings”4 minute read
- BlogsVideo: Key SCOTUS Decisions This Term for Employers - Employment Law This Week3 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Quoted in “5th Circuit Decision Hints at Salary Debates to Come”3 minute read
- Media Coverage
J.T. Wilson Discusses on CBS News Chicago: “Illinois Legislation Would Limit Damages Companies Must Pay for Biometric ...
3 minute read - BlogsVideo: Non-Disparagement Settlements in New Jersey, DOL's AI Guidelines, OSHA Regions Shift - Employment Law This Week2 minute read
- BlogsColorado SB 24-205: Addressing AI Risk with Sweeping Consumer Protection Law15 minute read
- Media CoverageJeff Ruzal Quoted in “Employer's Intent Key to Wage Theft Prosecution”2 minute read
- Media CoveragePete Steinmeyer Quoted in “What Employers Need to Know About the FTC Noncompete Ban”2 minute read
- PublicationsIs the Digital Accessibility Storm Almost Over?2 minute read
- BlogsVideo: Avoiding Legal Illusions - Crafting Effective Arbitration Agreements - Employment Law This Week2 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Quoted in “Fifth Circuit Panel Questions Labor Agency Limits on Tip Credit”2 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Quoted in “Restaurateurs Say DOL Drew Tipped Work 'Line' Unfairly”3 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Quoted in “More Than 4 Million More Workers Will Start Getting Paid Overtime Under Controversial New Rule” ...3 minute read
- Media CoverageAdam Forman Quoted in “EEOC Stance in Bellwether AI Suit Raises Stakes for Vendors”3 minute read
- BlogsFair Credit Reporting Act Preempts State Law Defamation Claim Over Background Check3 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Discusses the Advantages of Government Experience in “Ex-DOL Officials Become Go-To Attys in Wage Rule ...3 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Quoted in “Use of Injunctions Against Agency Rules Raises Eyebrows”3 minute read
- Blogs
“They Said What?! I’ll Sue!” – Litigating Defamatory Claims – Speaking of Litigation Video Podcast
25 minute read - Media Coverage
Epstein Becker Green Attorneys Elected to Law360’s 2024 Editorial Advisory Boards
3 minute read - Media CoverageJeff Ruzal Quoted in “2nd Circ. Remand Gives Lesson for Closing Wage Claims”3 minute read
- Media CoverageHaley Morrison Featured in “Wake Up Call: Laterals, Moves, In-House”1 minute read
- BlogsVideo: Federal Agencies Pushing Boundaries Met with Backlash, Impacts of SCOTUS Chevron Deference - Employment Law This ...3 minute read
- Media CoverageEpstein Becker Green Adds Haley Morrison as Employment Partner1 minute read
- Firm AnnouncementsEpstein Becker Green Continues West Coast Expansion by Adding Employment Attorney Haley Morrison in Portland3 minute read
- Media CoveragePeter Steinmeyer Quoted in “Tully Rinckey's Atty Contracts Offer Warning to Other Firms”2 minute read
- Media CoverageKim Carter Quoted in “Don’t Read Too Much into Texas Schools’ Win in Hair Bias Suit”4 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Quoted in “Ambiguity Is Key to Triggering Agency Deference”3 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Quoted in “11th Circ. Offers Rare Look at Definition of Live-In Nanny”3 minute read
- Firm Announcements
Five Epstein Becker Green Attorneys Named to the 2024 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
3 minute read - PublicationsTrade Secrets Litigation—2024 Update2 minute read
- PublicationsPreparing for Non-Compete Litigation—2024 Update2 minute read
- Media CoverageJeff Ruzal Quoted in “1 Way to Wrap Up Wage-Hour Suits Without Court Review”3 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Quoted in “Businesses Seek Speedy Legal Fight Over New DOL Gig Worker Rule”3 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Quoted in “DOL Tip Rule Nonsensical, Restaurant Groups Tell 5th Circ.”3 minute read
- PublicationsNoncompete Report Misinterpreted Critique of FTC Proposal4 minute read
- PublicationsNew York State Follows New York City in Enacting Freelance Worker Protections9 minute read
- BlogsVideo: Projections and Perspectives: Navigating Labor and Employment in 2024 - Employment Law This Week2 minute read
- Firm Announcements
Five Epstein Becker Green Attorneys Named to the 2024 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
2 minute read - PublicationsNew Year, New Changes for California Employers in 202422 minute read
- PublicationsNew York Further Restricts Agreements Involving Claims of Discrimination, Harassment, or Retaliation8 minute read
- Media CoverageKimberly Carter Featured in “People on the Move”1 minute read
- Media CoveragePaul DeCamp Quoted in “Judges Order Arrests in Rare Labor Agency ‘Punch’ Over Defiance”2 minute read
- Media Coverage
Featured in Los Angeles Sentinel: Attorney Kimberly Carter Joins Epstein Becker Green Law Firm
1 minute read - Media Coverage
Featured in Law360: Employment Attorney Kim Carter Joins Epstein Becker Green
2 minute read - Media CoverageKim Carter Featured in “Wake Up Call: Laterals, Moves, In-House”1 minute read
- Media CoverageKim Carter Featured in “Epstein Becker Green Adds Employment Attorney as Member in LA”1 minute read
- Firm AnnouncementsEpstein Becker Green Bolsters West Coast Presence with Employment Attorney Kimberly Carter3 minute read
- Firm AnnouncementsEpstein Becker Green Announces 2024 Promotions6 minute read
- Firm Announcements
Epstein Becker Green’s Pete Steinmeyer Honored in Crain’s 2023 Notable Leaders in Employment & Labor Law
1 minute read