Jones
Walker's Labor & Employment attorneys offer clients one of the
largest, most diverse, and experienced labor and employment law practices
in the region. We counsel an array of companies in a wide range of industries,
both locally and throughout the United States, in all aspects of labor and
employment law. We strive to help clients find solutions to labor and
employment law matters using practical, common-sense approaches. We believe our
ability to combine our depth in labor and employment law with Jones
Walker's broad base of experience in other practice areas to address unique
workplace and industry situations gives our clients a distinct advantage not
available from small boutique law firms.
In
recognition of the group's overall excellence, Jones Walker is the
exclusive Louisiana member of the Employers Counsel Network (ECN), a
national coalition of 52 leading labor and employment law firms in each
state of the United States, the District of Columbia, and Canada.
Jones
Walker's Labor & Employment Practice also has been recognized for
excellence in Chambers USA – America's Leading Lawyers for
Business since 2003. In its inaugural edition, Chambers USA
identified Jones Walker as "one of the most prestigious firms in the
field." Its 2009 publication ranked Jones Walker as one of the top Labor
& Employment Practices in Louisiana, and listed more Jones
Walker attorneys than attorneys from any other Louisiana
firm. American Lawyer Media recently named the firm a "Go-To Law Firm
for the Top 500 Companies" in the area of Labor & Employment Law.
Employment
Litigation
Our group of
experienced and successful trial attorneys handles every type of
employment litigation, including class actions, in state and federal courts
throughout the United States. Our experience extends to defending claims
involving race, sex, age, and disability discrimination and sexual harassment;
employee benefits issues; wage and hour law; wrongful discharge; breach of
contract; and employment torts such as defamation, interference with contract
rights, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. We also handle
complex litigation involving non-disclosure and non-competition agreements and
employee theft of confidential information and trade secrets. BTI Consulting
Group named Jones Walker as a standout in Employment Litigation in 2014. Our
labor and employment attorneys also are adept at handling arbitrations and
mediations of workplace disputes under private arbitration and mediation
agreements.
Administrative
Practice
We regularly
represent employers before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB); the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA); the Wage and Hour Division of the United States Department
of Labor; the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP); and
various other federal, state, and local government agencies.
Labor-Management
Relations
We represent
employers in all aspects of traditional labor-management relations throughout
the United States, including the defense of unfair labor practice charges,
labor arbitrations, union contract negotiations and other collective bargaining
issues, and all other matters arising under the National Labor Relations Act
and the Railway Labor Act. We are experienced in dealing successfully with
strikes, lockouts, picketing, and union violence to help our clients continue
operating efficiently during labor strife. We also have experience in dealing
with a variety of international labor law issues.
Employee
Benefits
We frequently
work with our Employee Benefits, ERISA & Executive Compensation practice on
issues as varied as COBRA and the design of severance plans; the interplay
between the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act,
group health insurance, including HIPAA, retirement plans, and other employee
benefits; the design and drafting of executive employment contracts; and
employee benefits litigation.
Immigration
We counsel
employers on all aspects of the federal immigration laws, including, but not
limited to, the various types of employment visas available, visa fraud, I-9
compliance, and national origin discrimination issues. We also assist employers
in obtaining permanent employment visas as well as in procuring and/or
extending a wide variety of temporary employment visas such as the H-1B visa
for professionals, the L-1 visa for employees of U.S. companies abroad, and the
B-1 visa for business visitors.
Counseling,
Compliance & Training Programs
Our client service
includes proactive counseling, compliance, and training programs. We counsel
employers daily to troubleshoot and resolve problems in all employment hot
spots to help our clients minimize the risks inherent in nearly all employment
decisions. Through our audit programs, we offer a comprehensive review of
employment policies, practices, and documents to ensure compliance with federal
and state labor law. We design affirmative action programs, separation
agreements, and comprehensive employee handbooks and personnel policies and
procedures. Our supervisor and employee training programs help employers reduce
the risks of lawsuits and other workplace problems.
