Mariah Klinefelter devotes her practice to litigation, client counseling, contract negotiations and workforce training. Specifically, Mariah represents employers in all areas of employment law including claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. She also represents employers in traditional labor matters including union organization campaigns, labor contract negotiations, arbitrations and unfair labor practice proceedings.
Prior to entering private practice, she served in the U.S. Steel Corporation's Labor Relations department, where she was responsible for day-to-day negotiations with the incumbent union relating to employee grievances, discipline, and the exercise of management rights. Mariah was also responsible for training management on all aspects of the collective bargaining agreement, as well as state and federal employment laws, to ensure corporate compliance with the collective bargaining agreement and state and federal employment law. Mariah serves as a member of Eckert Seamans' Associates Committee.
Representative Matters
· Camesi et al. v. UPMC, et al., After more than 3,000 current and former employees opted in as plaintiffs in this Fair Labor Standards Act case, the U.S. District Court granted our motion to decertify the collective action, dismissing the claims of all of the opt ins, leaving only four named plaintiffs to continue the lawsuit. (W.D. Pa. December 20, 2011);
· CentiMark v. Jacobsen, After two days of hearings and significant briefing, the court denied CentiMark's Motion for either a Temporary Restraining Order or Preliminary Injunction;
· Counsels employers on day-to-day personnel matters and practices, such as drafting and implementing employment policies and employee handbooks, administering family and medical leave policies, conducting internal investigations and compliance with state and federal minimum wage, overtime and wage payment laws;
· Prepares executive-level employment and severance agreements, including covenants not to compete and confidentiality agreements, as well as prosecutes and defends related litigation in both state and federal courts, in addition to administrative agencies;
· Represents clients in both state and federal class action wage and hour litigation.
Professional Affiliations
Allegheny County Bar Association
American Bar Association
Duquesne Alumni Association
Community Involvement
Neighborhood Legal Services
Employment Counsel to Karamah, Washington, D.C., a human rights organization
Articles/Speeches/Presentations
· "NLRB Update," co-presented with Edward Noonan and Phillip Binotto at Eckert Seamans' Human Resources Forum, November 2011.
· "News You Can Use: A Review of Recent Judicial, Legislative and Regulatory Developments of Significance to Employers," co-presented with Christina Kepplinger at Eckert Seamans' Human Resources Forum, May 2010.
· "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," co-presented with John Myers at Eckert Seamans' Human Resources Forum, December 2009.
· "It Takes Two Wrongs to Make a Right," co-presented with Edward Noonan at Eckert Seamans' Human Resources Forum, June 2009.
· "'Card-Check' Bill - A Red Herring for Labor's True Agenda," Executive's Tax & Management Report, May 2009.
· "Free Choice Act Preparation," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 2009.
· "Employee Free Choice Act - A change employers may not be prepared for," Eckert Seamans' Legal Update, Winter 2009.
· "The Anatomy of a Unionization Attempt," co-presented with William Doepken and Clare Gallagher for the Association of Corporate Council, Western Pennsylvania Chapter, January 2009.
· "The ADA Amendments Act: What Employers Need to Know About Recent Changes to the ADA," co-presented with Allison Feldstein at Eckert Seamans' Human Resources Forum, November 2008.