Transportation |Trucking
For more than 25 years, our attorneys have assisted trucking companies with a wide range of employment issues. Many trucking companies have turned to us for legal advice related to labor and employment issues. Our attorneys are well versed in the trucking
industry and understand both employment and safety related issues and regulations issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
DeWitt’s attorneys have a unique understanding of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) administered and enforced by OSHA, which addresses issues related to whistle blowing and retaliation. We have frequently prepared position
statements responding to STAA charges and helped trucking companies to defend at hearings before Department of Labor administrative law judges. We understand how to evaluate the strength of cases at the beginning and how to best position the company
for a reasonable resolution—whether via settlement or a judicial decision.
Professional Service Firms
Our law firm has an exceptional reputation in representing professional services firms in industries as diverse as medical, dental, legal, veterinary, engineering, architectural and accounting. While these industries are distinct in many ways, the employment
issues arising in professional office environments are often similar. One important area in which our attorneys have significant experience with professional service firms involves disputes between shareholders/equity owners.
We work closely with our business attorneys in preparing corporate documents and contracts to help ensure that employment and partnership issues can be resolved in a non-litigation manner. However, if litigation develops, we have extensive experience
in handling such lawsuits, arbitrations, and/or mediations.
Franchises
Due to the often-transient nature of the franchise workforce, franchise owners typically face unique employment law challenges. Our labor and employment attorneys have assisted franchise owners in all aspects of human resources and employment law. Among
other things, we have helped franchises to develop strong employee handbooks, determine proper wage payment methods, create sound employment applications, arrive at compliant background screening procedures, and make day-to-day decisions
on discipline and terminations. Our attorneys have also helped franchises respond to legal threats and complaints from former and current employees. We are sensitive to the challenges associated with running a franchise, and we know how to help franchises
address employment issues in a pragmatic way.
Manufacturing
DeWitt attorneys have substantial experience assisting large and small manufacturing companies with employment matters. Our team has advised manufacturing clients on a wide range of compliance issues, including:
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) interpretation of Lock Out/Tag Out procedures and their application to manufacturing processes
- The safe handling of hazardous substances in the manufacturing process
- Issues related to worker’s compensation including alleged employer discrimination based on worker’s compensation injuries and violations of safety provisions
- The development of policies related to workplace management systems and occupational safety
- The implementation of workplace safety policies and procedures concerning machine guarding issues during tool changes and adjustments
Our employment law team also has national experience representing employers when matters evolve into litigation. DeWitt attorneys have successfully defended manufacturing clients in litigation in state and federal courts throughout the nation as well
as in proceedings before OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
Financial Services
DeWitt attorneys are well versed in employment matters affecting the financial services industry. Our employment relations team has represented banks and financial services clients in a wide array of litigation proceedings both in court and
before the Financial Industry Regulation Authority (FINRA). With this experience, our team has gained a unique understanding of industry-specific issues which allows us to provide our clients with advice that is individually tailored to each
situation. A sampling of the claims that DeWitt attorneys have defended against for financial services clients includes, but is not limited to, wrongful termination, discrimination, and breach of contract.
Staffing
DeWitt attorneys have extensive experience working with companies that provide staffing services, including one of the largest staffing companies in the United States. Our experience includes, but is not limited to, drafting agreements for the provision
of staffing services, counseling staffing company clients regarding a variety of employment-related issues, providing advice regarding the business relationship between staffing companies and their clients, developing sound restrictive covenants,
and defending legal actions initiated against staffing companies in front of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, (EEOC), the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD), the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR), state and federal
courts, and in other federal and state courts and administrative agencies located in more than twenty-five different states.