Cooper & Walinski, LPA has a sizeable practice in the areas of employment and labor law. The firm counsels employers of all types and sizes not only in resolving disputes arising out of the employment relationship but also in maintaining compliance with current laws.

Attorneys in the Employment  & Labor Law Group have extensive experience in:

• Trials and appeals in state and federal courts involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful discharge, restrictive covenants, employee benefit claims, collective bargaining, and other employment and labor disputes.
• Defense of claims filed with state and federal administrative agencies; e.g., EEOC, OSHA, OFCCP, OCRC, BWC.
• Review and drafting of employment manuals and policies, hiring procedures, job descriptions, restrictive covenants, and employment contracts.
• Compliance with all state and federal employment laws and regulations, including Title VII, ADA, ADEA, PDA, EPA, OSHA, FLSA, Drug-Free Workplace, FMLA, OWBPA, and USERRA.
• Consultation regarding hiring, discipline, promotion, termination, workers’ compensation, and union organizing.
• Public- and private-sector collective bargaining, arbitration, and contract enforcement.
• Design and implementation of qualified retirement plans and compensation plans, including government reporting.
• Employee benefits compliance and litigation, including compliance with ERISA, HIPAA, and COBRA.
• Mediations, arbitrations, and other methods of alternative dispute resolution.
• Affirmative Action, including drafting of AAPs, compliance, and audits.
• Training and Seminars for employers, supervisors and managers on the complete range of employment issues.

Two Cooper & Walinski attorneys –  Janis Foley and Margaret Lockhart – are certified as Labor and Employment Law Specialists by the Ohio State Bar Association.

Members of Cooper & Walinski’s Labor and Employment group are active in state and local employment law organizations, including the Ohio Management Lawyers Association, Ohio State Bar Association Labor Section Board of Governors, Ohio Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Toledo Bar Association Labor and Employment Section.  Janis E. Susalla Foley also serves as a mediator for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  Cooper & Walinski is an associate member of the Ohio Health Care Association.