Employers face the daily challenge of complying with a growing number of state specific and complex regulations governing every aspect of their businesses – from medical leaves and workplace privacy, to drug and alcohol testing and equal employment opportunity requirements, and most recently with navigating the unprecedented waters of COVID-19 requirements. Akerman’s national Labor and Employment Practice Group provides comprehensive, up-to-date guidance on the full spectrum of best practices and compliance issues.
Clients routinely turn to us for reliable counsel regarding their obligations and employee rights under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, and other leave laws, as well as state worker’s compensation laws. We draft and revise employee handbooks and policies, recognizing that these may be an employer’s first line of defense against employee complaints and in the event it must defend itself in litigation.
Our team provides customized training to employer management teams and their staff, and we partner with clients to ensure that workplaces meet Occupational Safety and Health Administrative (OSHA) health and safety requirements. In addition, we provide drug and alcohol policies that meet federal (including Department of Transportation), state, and local requirements. Clients look to us for guidance and resolution of trade secret and restrictive covenant disputes. Our lawyers routinely defend claims under the public accommodation provisions of Title III of the ADA, and provide assistance with onsite inspections, website audits, and navigating ADA Accessibility Guidelines when modifications are required. We also help employers develop effective monitoring and confidentiality policies, as well as procedures for securely maintaining confidential information and preserving privacy rights.
