Overview
The Stone Pigman Employment Group represents major corporations, regional companies, local businesses, and public employers. On behalf of both private and public entities, we have appeared in a broad variety of judicial and arbitral bodies, as well as regulatory and agency tribunals including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, the United States Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, Labor Arbitrators and the Louisiana Civil Service Commission.
Our primary services include (1) the representation and defense of employers in adversarial proceedings relating to Title VII, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, wrongful discipline and related torts; (2) advising clients regarding employment policies, wage and hour matters, hiring, firing, employee discipline and leaves of absence, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and workplace investigations; and (3) drafting, negotiating and advising clients regarding employment agreements, consulting agreements, non-competition agreements, confidentiality agreements, intellectual property rights agreements and employee manuals/handbooks.
We have a record of successful representation in all three service areas. Representative matters include:
- Defense of Railway Company of Claim by EEOC. Defending a railway company against a $5 million claim brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of current and former employees alleging race discrimination and retaliation in violation of Title VII and the Civil Rights Act of 1991.
- Defense of Multiple Nursing Homes in Simultaneous Proceedings. Representing a group of seven nursing homes and related parties in simultaneously-running administrative and judicial proceedings brought by the Department of Labor for alleged violations of the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- Defense of Public Agency. Defending a public employer in lawsuits brought by former employees alleging constitutional violations, Family Medical Leave Act violations, Louisiana Whistleblower Act claims and Louisiana Wage Payment Law claims.
- Defense of Military Equipment Manufacturer. Defending a military equipment manufacturer in a breach of contract suit brought by a former sales executive.
- Defense of Major Shipping Company. Representing a major shipping company in a collective action asserting violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- Defense of Civil Service Claims. Defending a public employer in numerous employee appeals to the Louisiana Civil Service Commission and in state court.
- Defense of EEOC Claims. Advising and defending numerous clients in responding to charges of discrimination brought before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
- Defense of OSHA Claims. Representing a variety of health care companies and a building management company before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
- Defense of ERISA Claims. Defending Employment Retirement Income Security Act claims seeking to recover monies allegedly due under the terms of defined benefit plans.
- Defense of Various Other Types of Employers Against Various Claims. Representing various employers, including an automobile dealer, a health care center, law firms, a sports team and others, in lawsuits alleging constructive discharge or violations of the Family Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Louisiana Whistleblower Statute or the Louisiana Wage Penalty laws.
- Drafting of Incentive Compensation Plan for Public Company. Drafting an employee (and non-employee director) incentive compensation plan for a publicly-held company.
- Drafting and Negotiating Employment Contracts. Drafting and negotiating employment contracts, including executive employment contracts, for employers in various industries, including oil and gas exploration, containerized transportation, continuing care retirement and others.
- Drafting and Negotiating Other Employment-Related Contracts. Drafting and negotiating non-competition, non-solicitation, non-interference, non-disclosure/confidentiality and intellectual property rights provisions in employment, consulting and other agreements for employers in a variety of industries.
- Employment Advice Across Numerous Industries. Routinely advising various employers regarding employment contracts, employment policies, work place investigations and discharge practices and issues.
