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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.

Clarify the essential functions before rejecting accommodation bid

05/01/2006

You can reject a disabled employee’s accommodation request (or refuse to hire a person) if the individual isn’t able to perform the "essential functions" of the job, even with an accommodation. But many ADA failure-to-accommodate lawsuits hinge on which tasks are considered essential …

Loss of supporting documents needn’t sink your defense

05/01/2006

What’s a smart HR professional to do when his or her employer is sued and the records you thought would back up management are gone? You can still save the day by locating different electronic or paper correspondence that supports your decisions …

It’s your duty, not just workers,’ to suggest accommodation ideas

04/01/2006

When a disabled employee requests accommodation to help him or her perform the job’s essential functions, don’t just knock the ball back into the employee’s court by saying, "What do you want us to do?" It’s up to you to actively help look for solutions …

Nonrenewal of Contract After Whistle-Blowing May Be Illegal

03/01/2006

Don’t assume that just because you hire people as independent contractors, you can’t be liable for wrongful termination if you don’t renew their contracts. As a new court ruling shows, if an employee blows the whistle about some potentially illegal activity at your workplace, you could trigger a retaliation lawsuit by failing to renew his or her contract …

Commission must be paid at same time as wages

03/01/2001

Q. We have a written employment contract with a worker that includes her salary, but an additional sheet attached to that outlines the commission structure. If the employee resigns with a month’s notice, what is our obligation to pay approximately $10,500 in earned commissions? —P. D., Pennsylvania