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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

Click for Full Bio

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.

Union campaigns can’t invade employees’ privacy

10/01/2006

Unions, trying to regain the luster they lost over several decades, have embarked on aggressive organizational campaigns. But that doesn’t mean you have to put up with their disruptive, harassing attempts to contact and organize your employees …

Court Reversal Preserves ‘Ministerial Exception’

10/01/2006

If you’re a religious organization, don’t be intimidated by employees invoking anti-discrimination laws as a way to protest your legitimate religious mission. When it comes to how you manage religious staff, government must keep its hands off …

Brace for surge in applicants; 23,000 coming off welfare

10/01/2006

Pennsylvania employers can expect to see more applicants at their doorsteps starting this month. The level of welfare recipients isn’t falling fast enough for the federal government, so the state must find jobs for thousands …

You may soon need a lawyer at unemployment comp hearings

10/01/2006

It’s enough to give employers a case of whiplash. First, Pennsylvania courts said corporate employers couldn’t hire nonlawyers to help them at unemployment compensations hearings. Then the legislature reversed course, passing a law that OK’d nonlawyer representation. That should have been the end of the issue, but not yet …

Pennsylvania Ranks Second in Attracting Out-of-State Students

10/01/2006

Employers in Pennsylvania have reason to celebrate: A well-educated work force is growing in your state. A new survey ranks the state second in the nation in attracting out-of-state students to its colleges and universities …

York County may create HR agency to handle discrimination claims

10/01/2006

Employers in York County may soon have to deal with a new anti-discrimination agency that would investigate complaints and run programs to eliminate discrimination …

Brush up on ADA compliance; state EEOC offers free training

10/01/2006

Think your managers and supervisors could use a refresher course on complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act? Contact EEOC Pennsylvania, which offers free seminars at its regional offices …

Gear up for minimum wage hike: Notify workers, check budget

10/01/2006

Make sure you’re ready for the state’s minimum wage increase, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2007, and will affect about 430,000 Pennsylvania workers …

Design your bonus program with the FMLA in mind

10/01/2006

Pennsylvania employers can look to a recent 3rd Circuit Court decision to keep their bonus plans in compliance with the FMLA. The case is the first of its kind in the country and provides employers with guidance beyond that found in the FMLA’s regulations. The decision is now law in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and the Virgin Islands …

Executive exemption requires true hiring/firing authority

10/01/2006

Before you classify supervisors as exempt executive employees, make sure you’ve given them enough authority to make that classification stick. That means delegating true hiring/firing power with the clear understanding that your organization will typically follow the supervisors’ recommendations …