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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.

Sudden severance switch raises bias red flags

07/05/2013
Here’s something to consider if you suspect an employee you want to terminate might sue for some form of discrimination. Offering a severance payment conditioned on waiving the right to sue could backfire if that’s not what you usually do.

Beware firing disabled yet active worker

07/05/2013

You just found out that an em­­ployee who’s out on medical leave—with severe restrictions on his activities—recently participated in a running event. What should you do? Think twice before you say, “Fire him!” That could cause lengthy and needless litigation.

When firing, consider all the circumstances–but prepare for lawsuit

07/05/2013

Fired employees who file lawsuits alleging they were singled out for discipline because of some form of discrimination usually follow a basic legal strategy. They try to find a former co-worker outside their protected class who was punished less severely for similar conduct. Your best defense against those lawsuits is to make sure you carefully document all discipline.

Worried promotion might fail? Take a chance anyway

07/03/2013
Some employees rise to a challenge; others don’t. If you are worried that an employee you want to promote might not succeed but want to give her a chance, go ahead. As long as you give her ample training, it won’t appear to be a setup.

If exempt employee fields calls or emails on a sick day, is it still a sick day?

05/28/2013
Q. If a salaried manager is contacted via phone or email while out on a sick day and she responds, would that constitute work performed? Would that still be considered a sick day?

Should we track exempts’ sick time?

05/28/2013
Q. Our company gives eight hours of sick leave per month to nonexempt employees. We’ve been told that, under the FLSA, exempt employees are to be paid whenever they are sick. So our exempt employees have virtually an unlimited sick-leave balance. Is this a correct way to interpret the FLSA? Should we have some type of sick-leave accrual and tracking for our exempts?

Get ahead of legislation: 8 steps to building a strong anti-bullying policy

05/28/2013
When we think of bullying, we usually think of kids at school, not adults in the workplace. But, according to a 2010 survey, 35% of American workers have been bullied at work. Unfortunately for those employees, there are currently no federal or state laws that specifically prohibit bullying in the workplace. That may soon change.

State Supreme Court to rule on mandatory judicial retirements

05/28/2013
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments in two lawsuits challenging a state law requiring judges to retire at age 70. A 1989 decision, Gondelman v. Com­­mon­­wealth, upheld the practice as constitutional, but several judges are asking the court to look at the issue anew.

Lawsuit may hinge on whether Harrisburg U. is public or private

05/28/2013
The financially troubled Harrisburg University of Science and Tech­­nol­­ogy has asked a federal judge to dismiss a retaliation lawsuit filed by a former professor. She claims she was fired over criticism she and her husband leveled against university officials.

Good faith? Judge blasts EEOC conciliation process

05/28/2013
A federal judge in Western Penn­­syl­­vania has chastised the EEOC for not attempting to conciliate discrimination charges in good faith. The criticism stems from a bias complaint the EEOC investigated against a group of six Ruby Tuesday restaurants.