Employment Law & Personnel Matters

A significant percentage of the firm’s work with school districts relates to personnel.   The firm regularly provides advice and assistance to the administration and governing boards on a myriad of personnel matters relating to teachers, other certificated employees and classified personnel.  For example, the firm:

• Develops and/or revises policies and administrative regulations relating to employees, including related exhibits and forms.
• Develops and/or revises contracts of employment.
• Provides advice and assistance regarding meet and confer negotiations and employee grievances.
• Prepares preliminary notices of inadequacy of classroom performance and other non-renewal or dismissal documents.
• Represents school district administration in all phases of discipline and dismissal proceedings.
• Provides advice regarding early retirement issues.
• Represents school districts in evaluating and handling of employee claims under the Americans With Disabilities Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, COBRA and other Federal laws.
• Represents school districts in investigating, evaluating, advising, defending, and litigating claims by employees alleging unlawful discrimination; Prepares responses to employee complaints alleging discrimination and represented school districts in  EEOC and State Civil Rights Division proceedings.
• Represents school district in negotiating settlements or litigating employment disputes.
• Develops comprehensive inventory of topics which should be included in certificated and classified employee handbooks, including text to be included in handbooks.
• Develops a process to encourage classified employees to obtain certification so they may become teachers in the district.
• Develops applications, background investigation procedures and forms to identify, discourage and eliminate unqualified or unacceptable classified or certified applicants.
• Provides advice and assistance to school districts undergoing major reorganization.