AVOIDING EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION, Presented by Laura Merritt
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND OFCCP ENFORCEMENT ISSUES, Presented by Ann Abrams Price, Esq.
IMPLICATIONS OF THE LILLY LEDBETTER ACT, Presented by Shafeeqa Watkins Giarratani
Ms. Laura Merritt, senior associate in Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s employment law litigation practice, will cover statutes and case law affecting the at-will presumption, as well as practical tips for employers. Areas of discussion will include helpful policies and procedures beyond the basics; the importance of manager and employee training including the impact on availability of affirmative defenses related to harassment claims, controlling contingent workforce and joint employer liability, internal compliance audits, hiring, counseling and termination best practices including at-will limitations; and avoiding litigation with competitors and former employers over hiring practices.
Laura Merritt is a senior associate with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s. Laura advises technology and growth company clients in all areas of labor and employment law, including federal and state antidiscrimination statutes, executive compensation, severance agreements, collective bargaining, employment agreements, employment policies and procedures, employee investigations, workers’ compensation retaliation, immigration, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, National Labor Relations Act, WARN Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Equal Pay Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, and Older Workers’ Benefits Protection Act.
Laura’s practice also focuses on labor and employment law litigation in state and federal courts, including discrimination, whistle blower cases, wrongful discharge cases, wage and hour cases, breach of employment contracts, covenants not to compete, workers’ compensation retaliation, sexual harassment, disability discrimination, Family and Medical Leave Act, Taft-Hartley Act, WARN Act, and employment torts. She advises and helps clients develop strategies for responding to administrative claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other agencies and represents employers at administrative hearings and on site investigations.
Laura is experienced in the representation of companies in labor union matters, including collective bargaining, unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board, bargaining unit certification proceedings, union elections, grievance procedures, and arbitration’s. She advises clients and trains managers regarding lawful union avoidance strategies, collective bargaining, and election campaign techniques. In addition, Laura conducts manager and employee training regarding Human Resources best practices and labor and employment law compliance, including lawful hiring and recruiting techniques, religious accommodation, disability law compliance, lawful and effective discipline and documentation practices, harassment prevention and investigation, and investigations of employee misconduct.
Education and Professional Background:
J.D., University of Texas School of Law, 1994
B.A. and B.S., English and Journalism, University of Texas, 1990, 1991.
Ms. Ann Abrams, Price, Esq., with Boulette & Golden LLP, will lead the discussion about Affirmative Action and OFCCP Enforcement Issues. This session will include sources of AA obligations, coverage, written AA plans, including, when required, components, establishment or functional and Internet applicant rule. The 16 steps to Construction Contractors and new procedures relating to audits due to the stimulus package and compensation data will be included. The session will wrap up with an overview of E-Verify, New Executive orders issued by President Obama, Veterans reporting issues, and the recent major developments st the OFCCP.
Ms. Price advises and represents employers regarding all facets of employment law. She has more than 17 years of experience and is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Ms. Price helps clients with concerns about employment discrimination and wrongful discharge claims, employment torts, sexual harassment, OSHA investigations and litigation, ADA, reductions in force and the WARN Act, affirmative action, OFCCP audits, FLSA, I-9 Form compliance, FMLA, unemployment compensation and wage claims, employment contracts, unfair labor practices and union elections and avoidance, non-disclosure and non-competition agreements and litigation.
Ms. Price also represents employers in immigration matters and securing work authorization. Ms. Price’s practice covers preventive counseling, manager training, compliance audits, drafting contracts and policies, government investigations and administrative proceedings, mediation, and litigation.
Activities and Affiliations: Board Certified Specialist: Labor and Employment Law,
Member: State Bar of Texas; American Bar Association, Austin Bar Association and its Litigation and Labor and Employment Law Sections
Education and Professional Background:
Northwestern University, B.A. in Economics, 1986
Northwestern University School of Law, J.D. with Honors, 1991
Ms. Shafeeqa Watkins Giarratani, Associate with Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, will present the implications of the Lilly Ledbetter Act. Beginning with the legal history and legislative history of the Act, Ms. Giarratani will discuss the key implications of the Lilly Ledbetter Act and will offer a wide array of practical solutions to manage the implications of the Act, including timely and efficient recordkeeping suggestions.
Shafeeqa Giarratani, an Austin native, practices at Fulbright & Jaworski LLP’s labor and employment, appellate and litigation groups. She represents employers in federal and state court and before administrative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Texas Workforce Commission. She handles litigation matters at both the trial and appellate level and in alternative dispute resolution. Shafeeqa has represented management in civil rights, wrongful discharge, Family and Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, employment tort, defamation, breach of contract, tortious interference and other employment-related charges and litigation. She also regularly advises clients on affirmative action and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program (OFCCP) compliance issues, from developing affirmative action plans to representing companies during the audit process. Shafeeqa also performs supervisory training seminars, prepares and reviews personnel handbooks and policies, and advises clients regarding employee retention and termination. Additionally, her appellate work includes patent, construction, and employment matters. She has experience preparing appellate briefs for Texas appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of Texas and to federal courts such as the Federal Circuit. Shafeeqa has given numerous speeches and presentations to employers and is active in the Austin community as the Parliamentarian of the Links, Inc. service organization. Shafeeqa graduated, with honors, from Harvard College and Harvard Law School.
Filed under: AHRMA Programs & Events
