Employment & Labor Law
- "Leading Lawyer", Illinois
- "Super Lawyer", Illinois
- Martindale-Hubble "AV" Peer Review Rated
- Fellow, College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
- With Holmstrom & Kennedy since 1983
Employment and Labor
Employers today must comply with a daunting array of employment and labor laws. Beyond compliance, effective employment policies and practices are key to the success of any business. Members of Holmstrom & Kennedy’s Employment & Labor Law Group are privileged to represent both private and public sector employers. In the private sector, we represent employers in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, construction, health care, professional firms and other service businesses. In the public sector, we represent municipalities and other local governmental agencies such as libraries and civil service commissions. With each client, our mission is to find solutions to its unique workplace challenges.
Compensation and Benefits
Our employment attorneys assist with plan design in connection with health and other ERISA welfare benefit plans. We assist large and small employers in the design and implementation of salary and incentive compensation plans, and other non-ERISA fringe benefit programs. We also defend employers and benefit plans in connection with benefit, wage, ERISA and COBRA claims.
Employee Handbooks and Policies
Holmstrom & Kennedy’s employment attorneys draft and review handbooks as well as policies on EEO/harassment requirements, drug testing, FMLA, leaves of absence, other benefits and other personnel matters. Our goal is to help clients achieve legal compliance and manage their workforce efficiently.
FLSA, Overtime and White Collar Exemptions
Our employment attorneys conduct FLSA audits to help employers determine which employees are truly exempt from overtime requirements. We have successfully defended wage, overtime and white-collar exemption claims before administrative agencies and in state and federal courts, including class-action litigation.
Unfair Competition
Holmstrom & Kennedy provides comprehensive guidance to help our clients protect against unfair competition. Our employment attorneys prepare confidentiality, ownership of works, non-competition, non-solicitation and other agreements, and counsel clients about practices and procedures to safeguard their trade secrets and intellectual property. We have successfully prosecuted many cases against employees who engage in unfair competition, and help clients restore their competitive advantage.
Workplace Problems
Our employment attorneys help clients address issues with the FMLA, USERRA and other leaves of absence, the ADA and disability accommodation, performance problems and difficult terminations. We investigate harassment and other employee complaints. We also help clients plan for reductions in force.
Other Attorneys in this Practice Group
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| ALEXANDER J. MEZNY "Leading Lawyer", Illinois With H&K since 1992 |
JOSEPH F. ARIAS With H&K since 2006 |
ELIZABETH A. DRANGER With H&K since 2008 |
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| JOCELYN L. KOCH With H&K since 2010 |
