Good employer-employee relations are essential to the success of any business. Our nationally recognized Labor & Employment Relations group helps clients throughout the country make employment-related decisions and plan for the future.
Michael Best offers a comprehensive range of services in labor, employment, and employee benefits law. Chambers USA notes that our “market-leading” group has “a deep bench of experienced practitioners,” who clients say are “at the top of the game.”
We take pride in understanding your organization and its needs—whether it is publicly held or nonprofit, private or public sector; and whether your workforces are large or small, white- or blue-collar, unionized or union-free.
Our Approach
We counsel clients at the earliest stages of employment-related decision-making, and we help clients develop and maintain workable employment policies, practices, and procedures that comply with evolving legal requirements. Our customized training programs can help you foster compliance, management skills, and positive employee relations.
Clients turn to us for timely solutions, proactive advice, and goal-oriented advocacy with respect to all of their employee relations needs, whether in the courtroom, during strategic planning, or at the bargaining table. We are dedicated to helping employers anticipate and plan for change, manage risk, resolve conflict, and protect their interests.
For clients with international operations, our affiliation with the Employment Law Alliance can help provide seamless, cost-effective services in more than 120 countries including the U.S. and Canada. And for those interested in policymaking, our participation in employment law–focused committees established by the U.S Chamber of Commerce can give you a stronger voice with the federal government.
Service Areas
Affirmative Action Compliance
Providing government contractors with a unique combination of legal and consulting services to guide them through the complex and seemingly ever-changing world of federal, state, and local affirmative action regulations and agency practices.
MORE
Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
Counsel on all types of health and welfare benefit plans, qualified retirement plans, employee stock ownership plans, and executive compensation arrangements; and defense of related litigation and government agency audits and investigations.
MORE
Employment Litigation
Representing employers in single-plaintiff and class action litigation, administrative agency proceedings, and alternative dispute resolution involving employment-related issues such as discrimination or harassment, retaliation, wage and hour, workplace safety, family leave, disability accommodation, unfair competition and trade secrets, employee benefits, and executive compensation.
MORE
Employment Policies, Practices, and Audits
Ongoing advice on employee handbooks, procedures and documentation for hiring and employee management, and other employment policies and practices; compliance audits and training; and the unique needs of government contractors, including affirmative action plans.
MORE
Immigration
Assistance with employee mobility, hiring, and immigration matters such as visa processing, permanent residence applications, Form I-9 and E-Verify, visas and employment authorizations for U.S.-based employees working abroad, international and U.S. tax advice, and harmonizing employment practices across international borders.
MORE
Labor-Management Relations
Serving as counsel to employers in union campaigns, elections, collective bargaining, strikes, NLRB and state agency proceedings, and grievances and arbitrations, as well as advising on employee relations and maintaining a union-free workplace.
MORE
Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets
Helping clients protect trade secrets and intellectual property, develop and enforce restrictive covenants, guard against solicitation of employees, and implement proactive policies and procedures that can prevent the loss of assets; and representing clients in unfair competition and trade secret litigation.
MORE
Wage and Hour Compliance and Defense
Advice on compliance with state and federal wage and hour laws, including audits of exempt/non-exempt positions, independent contractor classifications, and pay policies and practices; and defense of wage and hour litigation and DOL investigations.
MORE
Workplace Safety and Health
Counsel on establishing occupational safety and health policies and procedures, reporting and recordkeeping obligations, maintaining compliance, and handling employee violations of safety/health policies; and representing clients in inspections by OSHA and MSHA, citation and post-citation proceedings, and related court challenges.
MORE