The Employment and Labor Law practice group at Moffatt Thomas continues its long-standing service to employers by providing insightful advice on workplace issues. Our team of talented lawyers finds proactive and practical solutions to complex regulatory and other compliance issues and gives advice intended to help employers avoid costly litigation. If litigation does arise, the Moffatt Thomas team ensures an aggressive, competent defense representation in federal and state court, as well as before all administrative agencies. Our lawyers are well recognized by their peers throughout the state of Idaho and beyond.
The lawyers of the Employment and Labor Law practice group regularly advise and represent employers in all areas of employment law, including state and federal employment laws, safety (OSHA), collective bargaining and adjustment of grievances and other traditional labor relations matters, ERISA plan interpretation, unemployment, wage and hour disputes, interpretation and development of employee policies, and benefit issues. Employment and Labor Law practice group lawyers frequently appear before the federal and state courts, as well as before the Idaho Human Rights Commission, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Idaho and United States Departments of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, the Idaho Industrial Commission, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and arbitrators from AAA or the FMCS. Recent developments in our cases and representative activities include:
- Obtaining a dismissal of a lawsuit against a major Idaho manufacturer, brought by the EEOC, alleging violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The trial court’s order of dismissal has been affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
- Representing a large high-technology company in what was one of the largest multi-plaintiff disability discrimination lawsuits in the country.
- Obtaining temporary restraining orders enforcing covenants not to compete for various clients.
- Counseling and representing some of the largest retail, technology, and health care businesses in the state.
Our Employment and Labor Law lawyers collaborate with lawyers throughout the firm to ensure the highest quality of representation. This sharing of knowledge is an invaluable asset to most organizations, which recognize that human resource issues seldom occur in a vacuum. The lawyers of the Employment and Labor Law practice group frequently partner with our business practice, litigation, and workers' compensation lawyers to provide this well-rounded and unique legal perspective.
The firm’s Employment and Labor Law lawyers are pleased to provide, in addition to litigation, the following professional services:
- Comprehensive review of existing employee literature, including employee handbooks or manuals. Alternatively, employers can obtain assistance with drafting and revising a handbook.
- Training for employers and/or management-level employees in any of the following areas: employee personnel files and recordkeeping; unlawful harassment and discrimination; discipline and performance-based systems; ADA and FMLA; and wage and hour compliance.
- Consulting, drafting, or enforcement of restrictive covenants limiting competition and protecting confidential and other trade secret information.
- Drafting or consultation regarding employment contracts and independent contractor and compensation agreements.
- Strategic planning, formulation, and implementation of personnel policies.
Our Employment and Labor Law Practice Group makes presentations to our clients at well-attended Breakfast Briefings twice a year. Some of our recent attendees have commented: “Knowledgeable speakers, timely information”; “Helpful for the smaller company”; “Great materials”; and an “Excellent resource."