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Pennsylvania

Employment Lawyer Network:
Pennsylvania

Susan K. Lessack (Editor)

Pepper Hamilton LLP
Pennsylvania Employment Law

LessackS@PepperLaw.com
(610) 640-7806

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Susan K. Lessack is a partner in the Berwyn and Philadelphia offices of Pepper Hamilton LLP. She concentrates her practice in employment counseling and employment litigation. Ms. Lessack’s experience includes counseling employers on matters related to compliance with federal and state labor and employment laws, counseling regarding employee discipline and terminations, conducting investigations of employee conduct, including harassment, training employers on their obligations under employment laws and litigation avoidance, and developing employment policies. She defends employers in litigation of employment discrimination claims, wrongful discharge claims, and claims under federal and state employment-related statutes, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Pennsylvania Wage Payment and Collection Law.

Dive into 2012: Get your policies in shape for the new year

01/05/2012
As we enter 2012, it’s a good time to review employment policies and practices in light of the government’s aggressive efforts to enforce employment laws. The National Labor Relations Board, the EEOC, the DOL and its Office of Federal Contract Compli­ance Programs are all cracking down on employers.

Hershey School HIV case highlights ADAAA’s reach

01/05/2012
The Milton Hershey School, founded by chocolate magnate Milton Hershey to help underprivileged children, faces discrimination charges after it refused to admit a 13-year-old boy who is HIV-positive.

NLRB pushes back pro-union poster requirement to April 30

01/05/2012
The National Labor Relations Board has postponed until April 30 the date when employers must display a new pro-union poster. The change came at the request of a Wash­­­­­ing­­ton, D.C., federal court hearing business groups’ legal challenge re­­garding the rule.

Muslim scarf ban costs $50K for Philadelphia security firm

01/05/2012
Philadelphia-based Imperial Security will pay $50,000 to settle EEOC charges it discriminated against a woman and fired her because of her religious attire.

Pittsburgh Panera manager: I was fired for refusing racism

01/05/2012
A former manager at a Pittsburgh-area Panera Bread shop is suing the chain, claiming he was fired in retaliation for refusing to implement his boss’s racist directive.

Vague statements won’t support harassment lawsuit

01/05/2012
Here’s some comfort if you discover a supervisor has made unwise comments to employees: Ambiguous statements probably aren’t enough to form the basis of a hostile work environment claim.

Make sure documentation includes all the details

01/05/2012
Plenty of employers vigorously en­­force their work rules when employees break them. But not every employee deserves exactly the same punishment if there are differences in their conduct. That’s why it’s important to document every detail.

Worker turned down light-duty offer? That gives you an advantage in ADA lawsuit

01/05/2012
Here’s a situation you can use to your advantage if you offer light-duty work to an employee who claims he has become disabled: If he turns down your offer, that could sink any disability discrimination claim he later makes.

Partners in time: Balance FMLA and ADA when employee’s serious illness is a disability

01/05/2012
Employees with a serious health condition are entitled to take intermittent FMLA leave when their conditions flare up. And disabled employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations for their disabilities. That can include time off. Employers must therefore consider granting intermittent FMLA leave among the possible ADA reasonable accommodations when an employee has a serious health condition that is also a disability.

Amtrak HR exec decides she won’t be railroaded

01/05/2012
Amtrak will give an HR executive working at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station a salary boost of almost $16,000 to bring her into parity with what the railroad pays men doing the same job. She will also receive a lump-sum payment of $171,000.