Labor & Employment

Practical Solutions — Achieved Quickly and Efficiently 
The Labor & Employment Law Group at Quarles & Brady LLP represents management in all areas of labor and employment law, whether the situation calls for quick action or long-term strategic approaches to labor and employment issues. Clients rely upon us for our expertise, our judgment and our prompt response to the full range of workplace issues they encounter.

Relationships that Matter
Technology, society and the law are evolving at an ever-increasing pace, with a corresponding effect on the modern workforce. However, for successful businesses one thing remains the same: the central importance of the employer-employee relationship. Our attorneys help businesses succeed by understanding the value of these relationships at every level. Whether providing guidance in regard to individual employee evaluations or negotiating a major union contract, we understand the significance of an environment in which people work together toward common goals.

This philosophy is embodied in our own approach to client relationships. In the Chambers USA Guide, which ranked our Wisconsin and Arizona labor and employment practices as among the top in each state, clients used phrases such as “highly responsive,” “incredibly accessible,” and “high integrity” to describe our attorneys, and the guide noted our “depth and broad coverage.” We apply these same high standards to our representation of clients nationwide.

National Scope, Local Insight
The Labor & Employment Law Group is composed of nearly 50 attorneys practicing from offices in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Wisconsin. We are admitted to the bars of 13 states, including California and Minnesota — states at the leading edge of labor and employment law. This blend of national representation and local insight enables us to help employers of every size, from every industry and across the country, to better understand federal, state and local requirements, and how they apply to their unique circumstances.

Broad Experience, In-Depth Knowledge
Our group has the experience to handle nearly every workplace and regulatory issue confronted by modern employers. As individuals, we have the in-depth knowledge in specific areas of labor and employment law to ensure that our clients are receiving the highest level of legal services. Our attorneys regularly publish authoritative articles in legal and industry journals, hold leadership positions in bar associations around the country and serve on numerous legislative development and drafting committees.

We have established relationships with state and federal agencies; while we aggressively defend our clients’ interests, we also understand the importance of working cooperatively with legislators, administrators and other rule makers.

Proactive Approach
Across the board, we believe it is better to address workplace issues before they become workplace problems. This is true for both small and large employers; smaller businesses may not have the in-house resources to handle complex regulations, while large companies must often comply with state and federal laws from which their smaller counterparts are exempt. In either case, unresolved problems can lead to costly litigation and administrative action that can have significant, negative, long-term effects.

Efficient Service, Excellent Resources
We are committed to providing value to our clients by offering high-quality services in a cost-effective manner. Client matters are staffed appropriately; it isn’t the number of attorneys on the case that matters, it’s having the right attorneys. We also enjoy one of the largest private law libraries in the United States and make a practice of pooling our work product in electronic databases accessible to all of our attorneys. When client matters cross over traditional legal disciplines, we can draw on the resources and knowledge of the Firm’s full complement of more than 425 attorneys practicing in nearly every aspect of business law.

A Full-Service Approach
We provide a complete range of labor and employment legal services, regularly offering counsel in areas such as:

• Affirmative action requirements, including development of action plans at all levels and responses to Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”), state and local compliance audits.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) compliance.
• Collective bargaining negotiations, both public and private sector, and grievance arbitrations under those agreements.
• Employment agreements, including noncompete, trade secret and confidentiality agreements and litigation.
• Employment discrimination litigation in federal, state and municipal courts, and investigations into allegations of discrimination and harassment based on age, sex, race and other considerations.
• ERISA, retirement and employee benefits counseling and litigation, in conjunction with Quarles & Brady’s Employee Benefits Law Group.
• Executive and employee compensation matters.
• Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) compliance.
• Immigration law and matters related to the global workforce, in conjunction with Quarles & Brady’s Immigration Law Group.
• Labor and employment law audits, including analyses of hiring and termination practices, employment applications, employee handbooks and policy and procedure manuals.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) compliance and related workplace safety matters.
• Recordkeeping requirements and confidentiality issues.
• Reorganization, restructuring and reductions in force counseling, including the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (“WARN”) Act compliance.
• Training programs for managers and supervisors, in areas such as harassment, employee evaluations and discipline.
• Union avoidance and representation before the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”), including union election campaigns, decertification proceedings and unfair labor practice complaints.
• Veterans, reservist and national guard matters.
• Wage and salary administration, including representation and counsel regarding Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) and state wage-hour compliance.
• Workers compensation and unemployment compensation matters.
• Wrongful discharge, breach of employment contract and other employee termination-related litigation.

The Labor & Employment Law Group at Quarles & Brady understands that the employer-employee relationship is a key driver of business success. We work with clients to ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations within the context of strategic business objectives.

Whether providing proactive employment law audits or helping resolve issues through alternative dispute resolution or litigation, we are committed to offering our clients the highest levels of legal service.

For more information on how our Labor & Employment Group can help you resolve your workplace issues, please contact Jon E. Pettibone at (602) 230-5572 / or your local Quarles & Brady attorney.