Employment Law and Labor Relations

We have the experience and resources to address all legal issues pertaining to employment law and labor relations. From our offices in Boston, Massachusetts, our attorneys have represented both employers and employees ranging from small businesses to major corporations with operations around the nation. Among other things, our employment lawyers regularly:

• Represent clients in matters before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), the EEOC, and various local human rights commissions
• Defend discrimination claims, including race, disability, and age discrimination as well as sexual harassment
• Enforce or challenge employer rights under non- compete and non-solicitation agreements
• Counsel employers concerning their rights and obligations involving termination of employees and reasonable accommodation of employees with disabilities
• Assist with the initial handling of sexual harassment complaints and arrange investigations along with follow-up on such matters
• Represent employers in claims against employees, including matters involving employee embezzlement and matters arising from employer property retained by employees after discharge
• Review and revise employer clients' personnel handbooks
• Draft customized personnel policies

We have handled litigation in state, federal and appellate courts and have represented clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and local administrative boards.

Employment Contracts

We handle employment agreements on a variety of levels. We have drafted everything from executive employment agreements and benefits packages to severance agreements. When a client needs to protect business interests, we can create non-solicitation agreements and non-compete agreements.

Risk Management

In addition to our litigation and transactional work, we advise clients in the development and implementation of programs and practices that reduce of the possibility of employment litigation.

Labor Law

Our firm has a long history of representing major employers throughout Massachusetts in a variety of labor law matters, including: collective bargaining, labor arbitration, labor disputes, labor legislation and regulation, labor relations board proceedings, unfair labor practices, union relations, wage and hour laws, and the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

Choosing an attorney is an important matter. We welcome your inquiries and would be pleased to discuss our qualifications to represent you. Contact us today.

Seminars for Employers

The Perfect Company

You know your business better than anyone else. You know that your company has the most proactive equal opportunity policies in hiring and employee advancement. You know that your policies are strictly adhered to and enforced. Then why should you be worried about employment discrimination judgments? Probably because multi-million dollar jury verdicts are happening with greater frequency.

The Perfect Defense

You have an excellent in-house legal staff supplemented by one of the best law firms in town. How can you possibly lose a discrimination case? Because, as the title of this seminar suggests, bad things can and do happen to good companies. Why? Because in the maze of federal and state employment laws, there are many traps for the unwary.

The GMH Seminar will cover:

• The cardinal rules of hiring and firing.
• The Business Judgment Rule - how can you use this critical employer right effectively.
• The importance of avoiding e-mail blunders. (In discrimination cases, the "e" in e-mail stands for evidence!)
• When is an accommodation under the ADA unreasonable.
• When can you seek medical verification of an employee's claimed disability.
• What are the employer's rights under both the ADA and the FMLA?
• What are the traps under Title VII, Ch. 151B (in Massachusetts), ADEA (OWBPA), FMLA and ADA.
• The all-important checklist for things to do when an employee files a claim of unlawful termination.
• How to insure that the good company looks good at trial!

The Convenience

The GMH Seminar is given in-house - your house. It is a unique opportunity to keep your Human Resources and management staff in sync with the latest developments and its impact on personnel policies and decisions. You set the time - you pick the place - The GMH Seminar will be there at your convenience.

The Format

The GMH Seminar is interactive. Questions are encouraged during the lecture to facilitate discussion of critical points on each subject. You should plan for 2 1/2 to 3 hours depending on the number of questions generated in the program. There is no limit on the number of persons attending. For large audiences, a sound system should be made available.

The Lecturer

David G. Hanrahan is an experienced trial attorney with a specialty in employment law. He is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. Mr. Hanrahan has represented employers of all varieties in discrimination actions and has selectively represented plaintiffs in such actions. Recently, he successfully represented a plaintiff against a major national company and won the single largest age discrimination judgment in Massachusetts history - $3,600,000!

Mr. Hanrahan has developed a seminar to help your Human Resources' staff and management level employees understand their role in protecting your company against employment discrimination verdicts. The seminar presents a practical approach to making employment decisions. Mr. Hanrahan draws heavily upon the lessons learned in the crucible of litigation where an employer's mistakes add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

For Further Information . . .

Please contact:

David G. Hanrahan, Esq.
Gilman, McLaughlin & Hanrahan LLP
101 Merrimac Street
Boston, MA 02114

(617) 227-9999