Find Labor and Employment Law Expertise – Wherever You Do Business
The Employment Law Alliance offers the most comprehensive and cost-effective way for multi-state and multi-national companies to ensure legal compliance around the globe. The ELA is a network of over 3,000 attorneys providing employment and labor expertise in more than 90 countries and all 50 U.S. states. We work closely together to ensure that our clients’ legal matters are handled seamlessly wherever they do business. We provide a smarter, more efficient and effective alternative to using a single multi-state or multi-national law firm.
Why should a client use the services of the Employment Law Alliance?
In a decision last week involving a disabled employee of Hydro Québec, the Supreme Court of Canada offered some much needed clarification as to the extent to which disability-related absenteeism must be accommodated and the balance between that duty and an employee’s duty to work.
On July 7th, the Alberta Court of Appeal maintained an important line of Alberta jurisprudence and confirmed a departure from the Ontario approach to arbitrability. In Ontario, all disputes can go to arbitration, and the parties cannot bar a collective agreement dispute from going there. In short, if a collective agr... [ more ]
In a recent decision involving a business agent suing his trade union employer, the Supreme Court of Canada has confirmed that, in some cases, both wrongfully terminated and constructively dismissed employees will be expected to continue working for the dismissing employer to satisfy their duty to mitigate damages. [ more ]
US Supreme Court holds that employers must prove RFOA exception in disparate impact cases
On June 19, 2008, in a 7-1 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that an employer defending a disparate impact claim under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), 29 U.S.C. §621 et seq., bears the burden of persuasion for the “reasonable factors other than age” ... [ more ]
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits an employer from discriminating, with respect to the terms, conditions and privileges of employment, against an employee because of the employee’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. There is no dispute that the statute prohibits employment decisions based on such protected characteristics of the employee who is the subject of an... [ more ]
ELA periodically conducts polls to learn what is on the typical American worker’s mind and to get a better sense of his or her employment-related concerns, interests, and priorities. Click on the link below to read our latest poll results.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 16, 2008) - Americans overwhelmingly want their next President to focus more on improving their standard of living, providing universal healthcare, and stemming the outsourcing of jobs overseas than making it easier for immigrants to live and work in the U.S., according to the latest "America At Work" national opinion survey by the non-partisan... [ more ]
64% say bullied workers should be able to fight back in court
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (March 21, 2007) - The grade school bully may have grown up to become the office oppressor, according to a new nationwide poll by the Employment Law Alliance released today, which found that nearly 45% of American workers say they have experienced workplace abuse.
Stephen J. Hirschfeld, ELA'S CEO and an employment lawyer with the California-ba... [ more ]
ELA CEO Stephen J. Hirschfeld is a recipient of the National Association of College and University Attorneys' (NACUA) Distinguished Service Award, the Association's highest award. He was recognized on Sunday, June 23, 2008 in New York City as part of NACUA's Honor and Awards ceremony. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals who have given extraordinary service both to NACUA and to... [ more ]
Corrs was awarded Best Australian Law Firm 2008 at the prestigious International Legal Alliance Awards on Wednesday, June 25 in Paris, receiving the Golden Law Award for Australia.
The Award recognises the firm’s excellent performance in delivering complex corporate deals and the success of "Corrs 2010" in driving the firm's transformation into one of Australia’s powerhouse law firms.
A numb... [ more ]
The News and Article Library serves as a depository and clearinghouse for legal information produced by ELA members and their firms. It is where you can go to find articles, commentary, and client newsletters that delineate and analyze the latest developments in labor and employment law, including recent court decisions, the impact of new laws and regulations, and updates on labor trends and employment practices.
Altra Industrial Motion Inc. has multiple locations in the U.S., as well as Central America, Europe, and Asia. The Employment Law Alliance has proved to be a great asset in assisting us in dealing with employment issues and matters in such diverse venues as Mexico, Australia, and Spain. We have obtained excellent results using the ELA network for matters ranging from a multi-state review of employment policies to assisting with individual employment issues in a variety of foreign jurisdictions.
In one instance, we were faced with an employment dispute with a former associate in Mexico that had the potential for substantial economic exposure. The matter had been pending for over a year, and we were not confident in the employment advice we had been receiving. I obtained a referral to the ELA counsel in Mexico, who was able to obtain a favorable resolution of the dispute in only a few days. Based on our experiences with the ELA, we would not hesitate to use its many resources for future employment law needs.
Tim McGowan Vice President of Human Resources Altra Industrial Motion, Inc. Quincy, MA
As the General Counsel for a company with 6,500 employees operating across the U.S. and in eight countries, it is critical that I have top quality lawyers on the ground where we do business. The ELA is an indispensable resource. It has taken the guesswork out of finding the best employment counsel wherever we have a problem.
Jill Bond Vice President & General Counsel Rich Products Buffalo, NY
Our affiliated companies have used the Employment Law Alliance in connection with numerous acquisitions, and have always been extremely pleased with our ability to obtain the highest quality legal advice on due diligence issues from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. We have found the Employment Law Alliance firms to be not only first rate with respect to their legal advice but also responsive and timely in assisting us with federal and state law issues critical to our due diligence efforts. We consider the Employment Law Alliance to be an important part of our team.
Paul Dines Chairman Roberts-Gordon LLC Buffalo, NY and London, UK
Sanmina-SCI has facilities strategically located in key regions throughout the world. Our customers expect that we will provide them with the highest quality and most sophisticated services in the marketplace. We have that same expectation for the lawyers with whom we do business. With operations in 17 countries, we need to be certain that we have a team of lawyers working together to address our employment law needs worldwide. The ELA has delivered exactly what it promised-- seamless and consistent high quality services delivered in each locale around the globe. It has quickly become a key asset for our human resources department.
Phil Alarid
Vice President, Human Resources
Sanmina-SCI
San Jose, California
We own, manage, and franchise hotels throughout the U.S. and in more than 90 countries. With more than 145,000 employees worldwide, ensuring that we comply with the complex web of local labor and employment laws in every one of these jurisdictions is a daunting task. The Employment Law Alliance has served as an important resource for us and we have benefited greatly from its expertise and long reach. When a legal dispute or issue has arisen in some far-flung place, Employment Law Alliance lawyers have always provided responsive, practical, and cost-effective assistance.
Keith Grossman Senior Vice-President, Deputy General Counsel Starwood Hotels And Resorts Worldwide Inc. White Plains, NY
As an employment lawyer based in San Francisco, I work closely with high tech clients with operations around the globe. Last year, one of my clients needed to implement a workforce reduction in a dozen countries simultaneously. And they gave me 48 hours to accomplish this. I don't know how I could have pulled this off without the resources of the ELA. I don't know of any single law firm that could have made this happen. My client received all of the help they needed in a timely fashion and on a cost effective basis.
Stephen J. Hirschfeld Partner Curiale Dellaverson Hirschfeld & Kraemer, LLP San Francisco, California
Ingram Micro is the world's largest technology distributor, providing sales, marketing, and logistics services for the IT industry around the globe. With over 13,000 employees working throughout the U.S. and in 35 international countries, we need employment lawyers who we can count on to ensure global legal compliance. Our experience with many multi-state and multi-national law firms is that their employment law services are not always a high priority for them, and many do not have experts in many of their offices. The ELA has assembled an excellent team of highly skilled employment lawyers, wherever and whenever I need them, and they have proven to be an invaluable resource to our company.
Mark Okey Director and Senior Corporate Counsel Ingram Micro Santa Ana, California
Our company, Konami Gaming, Inc., is growing rapidly in a very diverse and highly regulated industry. We are aggressively entering new markets outside the domestic U.S., including Canada and South America. I have had the recent opportunity to utilize the services provided by the ELA. The legal advice was both responsive and professional. Most of all, the entire process was seamless since our Nevada attorney coordinated the services and legal advice requested. I look forward to working with the ELA in the future, as it serves as a great resource to the legal community.
Jennifer Martinez Senior Director, Human Resources Konami Gaming, Inc. Las Vegas, NV
Until recently, I was unaware of the ELA's existence. We have subsidiaries and affiliates throughout the United States, as well as in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. When a recent legal issue arose in Texas, our long-time Nevada counsel, who is a member of the ELA, suggested that this matter be handled by his ELA colleague in Dallas. We are very pleased with the quality and timeliness of services provided by that firm, and we are excited to now have the ELA as an important asset to help us address employment law issues worldwide.
Charles Molina President Nikkiso Cryo, Inc. Las Vegas, NV
Wilmington Trust has used the ELA to locate firms in California, Washington State, Georgia, and Europe. Our experience with the ELA lawyers with whom we have worked has always been one of complete satisfaction and prompt, practical advice.
Michael A. DiGregoria Senior Vice President and General Counsel WilmingtonTrust Corporation Wilmington, DE
