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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.

EEOC alleges Crothall fails to keep proper records

11/03/2015
Wayne, Pa.-based temporary services firm Crothall Services Group faces an EEOC lawsuit alleging it failed to maintain records necessary to document the effect of its criminal background check policy on minorities.

Pennsylvania concrete company, union settle disability bias claim

11/03/2015
Erie, Pa.-based Erie Strayer Co. and Local 468 of the International Association of Bridge Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers have settled charges they violated the ADA when they required employees to provide detailed medical information in order to use paid sick leave.

Pittsburgh enacts law granting paid sick leave

11/03/2015
Pittsburgh has passed a sweeping ordinance granting paid sick leave to employees of almost every private employer based in the city. The ordinance covers both full- and part-time workers.

Partners paid hourly aren’t exempt for the UC system

11/03/2015

Ordinarily, owners of a business aren’t required to participate in the unemployment compensation system and don’t need to pay unemployment tax. Neither are they eligible for unemployment benefits if they lose their jobs. But that doesn’t mean it’s OK to simply create a partnership, have each “partner” contribute a token amount, and then treat them as employees.

Court loses patience with employee on her sixth attorney

11/03/2015
A discrimination case against Penn State has finally been put on the fast track after 10 years and six attorneys.

Check RIF list to make sure it doesn’t show bias against employees who took FMLA leave

11/03/2015
Add this to your list of factors to check before implementing a reduction in force: Make sure there’s no pattern of terminating those who happened to have taken FMLA leave.

Punctuality matters! For some jobs, being on time is an essential function

11/03/2015
Disabled employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations that allow them to perform the essential functions of the job they want or have. But, what is an essential function?

Pay envelopes a little fatter at Philly direct mail company

11/03/2015
Investigators from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division have foiled a joint employer scheme they claim attempted to cheat temporary workers out of overtime pay.

EEOC says Rotten Ralph’s lived up to its name

11/03/2015
Old City Philadelphia bar Rotten Ralph’s faces charges it discriminated against a Muslim employee when it refused to allow her to wear a khimar or head scarf during Ramadan.

Careful documentation wins discharge cases

11/03/2015

It’s never pleasant to see a long-term employee’s performance decline. But if you intend to discipline a worker who previously was a good or even great performer, be sure to track the decline carefully. You don’t want an age discrimination claim to catch you unaware.