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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.

Stray comments alone don’t prove bias

03/11/2016
A few stray comments in the workplace aren’t enough to taint every employment action. The comments have to be somehow tied to the employment action.

Conduct careful investigation after public employees’ leak of damaging information

03/08/2016
Public employers have a special Constitutional responsibility that private-sector employers don’t have.

Unlimited vacation: How to implement the popular benefit

03/02/2016
Unlimited vacation has become a popular benefits trend. The idea is simple: Employees take as much vacation as they want so long as they get their work done.

What to do when one of your employees is arrested

02/29/2016
It’s a question more employers worry they will find themselves asking: “What should I do if one of my employees gets arrested?”

Harrisburg mayor’s bookstore stiffed employees on overtime

02/29/2016
The Midtown Scholar bookstore in Harrisburg has paid just over $1,800 to 15 employees to settle charges the store miscalculated their overtime payments.

No sign language interpreter means ADA suit against UPS

02/29/2016
A deaf UPS employee at Philadelphia International Airport has sued the company, alleging it violated the ADA when it refused to provide a sign language interpreter for pre-shift meetings.

Not all government employees’ free speech is protected

02/29/2016
Public employees have limited First Amendment rights to speak out on matters of public importance. But when that speech is actually part of the employee’s job, it’s not considered “speaking out” in the Constitutional sense. It doesn’t come with job protection.

Consider settling early to save on attorneys’ fees

02/29/2016
Letting a discrimination case work through the EEOC or the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission before settling generally means big legal costs for employers.

Don’t hold previous disability suit against employee who later applies for new job

02/29/2016
You can’t refuse to hire someone just because they previously sued you for disability discrimination. Saying so up-front just about guarantees that you will be sued.

ADA lawsuits take an ominous turn: Court rules EEOC can file group claims

02/29/2016
The ADA protects disabled applicants and employees from discrimination based on disability and requires employers to reasonably accommodate known disabilities.