Employment Law

Our employment law practice focuses on being proactive and addressing difficult situations before they turn into serious and expensive problems. At Beck Reed Riden LLP, our employment attorneys rely on their decades of experience to anticipate potential problems and provide responsive, knowledgeable, and creative guidance on even the thorniest of employment issues.

Beck Reed Riden LLP represents employers of all sizes – from small family-owned businesses and non-profit organizations to Fortune 500 companies – in a wide array of employment matters. We also represent executives and professionals with respect to employment contracts and termination, severance, and restrictive covenant matters.

We appreciate that employment law requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach. The issues involved are often highly fact-specific, complex, and sensitive. Beck Reed Riden LLP’s attorneys understand these issues and work with clients to achieve their unique goals and objectives. Our position as a boutique firm assures that our response to employment issues will be flexible, cost effective, and client centered.

Litigation

We litigate discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour, breach of contract, and related claims. Our attorneys have successfully litigated cases in state and federal courts, before arbitrators, and before administrative agencies across the country.

Advice and Training

We counsel clients on issues involving federal and state employment laws that affect the employment relationship on a daily basis, including the following federal laws and their state law equivalents:

• Fair Labor Standards Act
• Title VII
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act
• Americans With Disabilities Act
• Family and Medical Leave Act

We regularly advise employers on a variety of employment issues, including:

• hiring
• employment contracts
• compensation arrangements and commission plans
• exempt employee and independent contractor classifications
• leaves of absence
• paid sick time
• employee misconduct
• discipline
• terminations
• reductions-in-force
• workplace policies and procedures

We have reviewed and drafted countless employee handbooks, workplace policies, and employment, severance, and noncompetition agreements. We also provide training for clients on topics including unlawful discrimination and workplace harassment, retaliation, leaves of absence, and wage and hour compliance issues.

Workplace Investigations

It is often advisable to use outside counsel to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into issues or allegations of potential employee misconduct. Our attorneys have extensive experience conducting such investigations, which are completed promptly, with an eye toward both thoroughness and efficiency. In addition to conducting such investigations ourselves, we also provide advice to clients conducting internal investigations, including strategies to limit potential liability in the event of litigation.

Unfair Competition

Our attorneys regularly advise clients on unfair competition issues, including the use and enforceability of noncompetition, nonsolicitation, and nondisclosure agreements. We have successfully litigated cases on behalf of employers to enforce such agreements and, conversely, on behalf of hiring employers or employees to defend against them.

Workforce Restructuring

A reduction-in-force, large or small, is a significant event for an employer. Especially during periods of global economic insecurity, it is imperative for an organization to have a workforce scaled to its needs. We are here to help you. Our attorneys have decades of experience counseling clients through the employment-related ramifications of major economic events.

Beck Reed Riden LLP’s workforce restructuring practice has extensive experience in almost every industry, working with clients ranging from small family-owned businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Our attorneys can help you structure your reduction-in-force (RIF) strategy, message your RIF to your workforce, ensure compliance with state and federal laws, and limit your legal exposure.

Our restructuring services include:

• Strategizing and implementing furloughs, RIFs, and other workforce reorganizations.
• RIF planning and implementation including developing strategy and selection criteria for decision-makers.
• Ensuring compliance with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, and other applicable state and federal laws, including by preparing necessary disclosure materials.
• Preparing severance agreements that meet federal and state requirements to ensure enforceable legal releases.
• Reviewing employment agreements (including restrictive covenant agreements) prior to reorganization or RIF to determine the employer’s rights and obligations.
• Helping to protect employers against potential employment-related claims throughout the reorganization process.

Executive Advocacy/Employee Mobility

We represent executives and professionals in reviewing, evaluating and negotiating employment contracts, compensation arrangements, separation agreements, and restrictive covenants, including noncompetition and nonsolicitation restrictions. Our extensive experience representing employers on these matters, including drafting countless employment agreements, policies and other key documents, gives us great insight what can be achieved on behalf of our executive/professional clients.

Our team combines attorneys with complementary expertise and practical experience. Our attorneys have extensive experience and they confirm their commitment to the practice of employment law by partnering with legal education and business organizations outside the courtroom.

Nicole Daly is an experienced employment attorney. In addition to her general employment experience, Nicole regularly counsels clients about restrictive covenants and litigates noncompete and trade secrets disputes.

Robert M. Shea has advised and counseled employers, executives, professionals and entrepreneurs on labor and employment law matters for more than thirty years. His practice includes counseling clients on discipline and discharge, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wage-hour, pay equity, traditional labor, and restrictive covenant matters.

Heather Krauss focuses her practice on all aspects of noncompete, trade secret misappropriation, and employment litigation. Heather represents clients before federal and state courts and administrative agencies, and counsels clients on various matters such as noncompete agreements, family and medical leaves of absence, avoidance of employment discrimination and unfair labor practice charges, employee disciplinary matters, wage and hour law compliance, and reductions in force.

Our Employment team is supported by Russell Beck, who is among the leading authorities in the United States on trade secrets law and the use and enforcement of noncompete agreements and other restrictive covenants, Stephen Riden, who has years of experience representing clients involved in noncompete and trade secret disputes, Jillian Carson, and Puneet Dhaliwal, who each regularly counsels clients about restrictive covenants and litigates noncompete and trade secrets disputes, and Paula Astl, who has extensive experience in restrictive covenants and trade secrets disputes.

Beck Reed Riden LLP has the passion, commitment, and experience necessary to guide our clients through their legal challenges. We’re ready to help.