The L&E attorneys at C&S have experience in protecting and defending clients from liability under the myriad of federal and state employment and civil rights laws, including

• Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims
• Federal under Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and Fair Housing Act,
• Pay discrimination under federal and state law
• Interference and retaliation under The Family Medical Leave Act
• Overtime and minimum wage claims under The Fair Labor Standards Act, individual and collective class action
• Inspections, investigations, and complaints under the Occupational Safety and Health Act
• Retaliatory Discharge claims under states workers’ compensation acts
• Employment torts such as assault & battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and fraud

Whether an administrative proceeding or a lawsuit, we immediately launch an aggressive client-interactive defense strategy specific to the client and the matter at hand. We analyze the issues, available defenses, and potential liability early to enable our clients to make full- informed decisions regarding the best strategy to defend and dispose of the asserted claims. We immediately advise our clients of new developments in a matter and, together with the client, make necessary adjustments to our plan to respond to new developments. With our approach, the plaintiff does not control the course of proceedings or the arguments that may ultimately be presented to a court or jury – we do. We stay in constant communication during the entire course of any administrative hearing or litigation so the client is a full participant and the well-advised decision-maker in the process.

The best way for employers to avoid charges, lawsuits, and liabilities is to seek and implement legal advice and management training in advance – before an employment action is taken. Our L&E attorneys regularly educate management and supervisors about the rights and obligations of employers and employees, the risks that arise from employment decisions, and the strategies that help lessen these risks.

Working closely with the Business Services team, our L&E attorneys render sound advice on requests from clients dealing with contractual issues. We provide counseling on issues presented by mergers, acquisitions, and downsizing. We are frequently asked to negotiate and modify benefit packages and structure transactions, as well as create and review severance packages and non-compete agreements.

The defense of employers in workers’ compensation matters is an essential service Christian & Small provides to clients.

We routinely provide consultation and pre-litigation support on behalf of insurers, self-insurers, corporate clients, and third-party administrators regarding claims of questionable liability. We defend lawsuits of disputed liability as well as handle uncontested settlements, negotiate lump sum payments and subrogation rights. In addition, we routinely handle claims of bad faith, outrage, and other tort claims stemming from disputed claims for workers’ compensation benefits.