About

Leaning on more than 20 years of knowledge and experience in reading a table, I try to seek out common ground to reach my client’s objectives. The majority of my practice focuses on consulting and representing entities – including several large healthcare providers, manufactures and several well-known mass transit systems – in traditional labor relations and general personnel matters. In doing so, my goal is to help my clients avoid unnecessary employer-employee challenges by identifying issues before problems arise, skillfully negotiating resolutions, or vigorously defending actions to the extent a dispute can’t be avoided.A recognized thought leader in the field of traditional labor – particularly in areas unique to the healthcare, transit and manufacturing sectors, such as criminal background mandates, licensure requirements, Drug Free Workplace requirements, FTA Drug and Alcohol Program, commercial driver’s licenses, and Section 13(C) requirements – I also regularly counsel and represents a number of municipal entities, including boards, authorities, courts, cities, school districts and townships.My wide-ranging administrative practice enables me to advise and assist clients nationally on virtually all aspects of labor and employment law, including collective bargaining, grievance arbitrations, unfair labor practice proceedings, wage and hour matters, unemployment, employee handbook and personnel policies, teacher tenure act proceedings, and hearings.My practice involves providing advice and counsel on matters governed by the National Labor Relations Act, the ADA, FMLA, FLSA and OSHA issues, as well as many other employment-related statutes.While serving in his capacity as labor and employment counsel, I regularly act as chief spokesperson for the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, including initial and renewal contracts; prepares and presents cases in fact-finding arbitrations; negotiates changes to healthcare plans, including adding employee contributions, modifying plan benefits and selecting third-party administrators; litigates unfair labor practice charges and representation matters before the Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB); prepares personnel policy manuals and employee handbooks; investigates and prepares position statements and answers to interrogatories on charges of discrimination and harassment; and handles unemployment matters involving employer rates and benefit eligibility.I have regularly served as the keynote speaker for the Health Care Association of Michigan's annual convention, and frequently present on a variety of labor and employment topics, including providing in-house training for several other professional organizations. 

Practices Areas

Employment and labor

Language

English

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