The Labor and Employment department represents various private and public employers of all sizes involved in virtually all industries, including utility, banking, health care, private and public education, and municipal. We assist employers in every phase of the employment and independent contractor relationship, from hiring through retention to voluntary retirement or involuntary severance. We help to develop and implement personnel policies and practices, including compliance with smoking regulations, polygraph laws, and drug testing rules; prepare and review policies to ensure compliance with the requirements of  the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and all the various "alphabet soup" statutes that affect employers; and advise clients on layoff and disability laws. We also advise on employee handbooks and affirmative action plans.

The Labor and Employment department assists clients in collective bargaining activities and with discrimination and other employment claims. We negotiate and draft collective bargaining agreements as well as individual employment contracts and severance arrangements. We provide advice on the administration of contracts, grievances and disciplinary proceedings.

The firm represents private sector and governmental clients before federal, state and local courts, arbitration panels and agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB); the New York State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB); the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); the New York State Division of Human Rights; and various county and city human rights agencies.