Labor & Employment

The best way to avoid an employment lawsuit is through strong HR practices, well-written policies, and procedure management. Whether you are revising your employee handbook or handling an investigation into wrongdoing, our attorneys are available to provide advice and counsel for the workforce issues you encounter every day. 

Our attorneys can provide your executives, managers, and staff customized onsite or online workplace training in areas including: 

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) compliance 
• Annual legal updates 
• Discipline, performance improvement plans, and discharge 
• Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation  
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs 
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), pay equity, and wage and hour compliance 
• Workplace investigations 
• Safer Seas Act's SASH requirements for the merchant marine
• Workplace violence prevention
• Compliance with laws and OFCCP regulations governing federal contractors, such as the Davis Bacon Act and the Service Contract Act.

Sometimes adverse incidents happen in the workplace despite your best efforts. When an issue or dispute arises, our attorneys will walk beside you through your investigation from beginning to end. Whether the investigation is internal or involves an outside regulator, we are experienced in navigating difficult situations with sophisticated legal insights, practical advice, and compassion.

We also represent businesses in administrative matters, such as:

• EEOC investigations 
• DOL audits
• Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) audits

Lawsuits and damage awards can debilitate most businesses. When litigation is a possibility, you need a practical and experienced legal team. We defend against all types of employment litigation, including wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment and retaliation, wage and hour claims, employee benefit and leave issues, and whistle-blower claims. We have represented employers in complex lawsuits involving:  

• Discrimination  
• Harassment (including sexual harassment) 
• Retaliation and wrongful discharge  
• Wage and hour violations 
• Breach of contract 
• Noncompete agreements 
• Trade secrets 
• Unfair competition

For many years, employers were able to ignore the threat of unionization. That is no longer true. With a strong National Labor Relations Board and many high-profile unionization efforts, no employer can be sure their workers will not organize.  

Whether you are dealing with an existing union or facing new organization efforts, you need an experienced attorney to guide you through negotiations. Woods Rogers attorneys are experienced in traditional labor law and have built strong reputations in Labor/Management Relations representation through leading tough but fair negotiations on behalf of employers. Our attorneys can advise you on the law and on the subtle nuances of labor-relations issues, including: 

• Collective bargaining negotiations 
• Grievances, arbitrations, and mediations 
• NLRB proceedings 
• Strike-related representation 
• Unfair labor practice charges 
• Union avoidance and decertification 

Our counsel starts by making sure you understand federal regulations and how to provide a safe and healthy working environment for employees. Our team provides regulatory interpretation and variance applications. After an OSHA or VOSH visit, we are experienced in contesting and resolving citations.

Our experience includes: 

• Investigating workplace accidents 
• Handling OSHA/VOSH inspections 
• Negotiating and resolving OSHA/VOSH citations 
• Utilizing best practices to improve safety and health performance 
• Handling due diligence of OSHA/VOSH issues in mergers and acquisitions 
• Formulating safety and health programs 
• Conducting safety and health audits 
• Representing clients in whistleblower and retaliation claims 
• Counseling clients to help ensure compliance with OSHA standards