Stevens & Lee’s labor attorneys represent colleges and universities in matters involving traditional labor relations, including union organizing, strikes, picketing, injunctions, collective bargaining negotiations and arbitrations. We also assist these institutions in addressing a variety of employment-related matters, such as employment discrimination and individual employee rights, affirmative action compliance, wage and hour, occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation, employment contracts, drug testing, covenants not to compete, trade secrets agreements, personnel policies and procedures, faculty rights and responsibilities and immigration compliance, among other labor and employment issues.
We assist colleges and universities in complying with HIPAA, FERPA and GINA regulations governing the privacy, security and confidentiality of individuals’ health and personal information. We conduct annual FERPA policy reviews upon request and have prepared FERPA handbooks for educational institutions.
As litigators, we have extensive experience representing colleges and universities in administrative proceedings, including those before the National Labor Relations Board and state and federal fair employment agencies, investigations and compliance proceedings brought by the U.S. Department of Labor in connection with wage and hour claims and those involving OSHA matters. We have successfully defended institutions of higher education before the EEOC, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and other state and local administrative agencies, and in state and federal trial and appellate courts against claims of wrongful discharge and discrimination on the basis of age, race, sex, disability, national origin, religion and veterans’ status, as well as in matters involving Title IV and Title IX. We are experienced in federal and state affirmative action requirements to which many colleges and universities are subject, including the preparation of annual affirmative action plans. We also have extensive experience drafting, enforcing and defending against claimed breaches of non-compete agreements.
