Graham & Dunn's Labor and Employment attorneys represent employers in a full range of matters, including:

• Traditional union organizing, union contract and representation issues;
• Employment issues in hiring, pay, work environment, promotion, discipline, layoff or termination;
• Defense against claims of discrimination, harassment, constructive discharge, retaliation and breach of contract;
• Affirmative action compliance;
• Compensation practices, including wage and hour compliance and class action defense;
• Individual employment contract preparation and enforcement, including non-competition covenants;
• Defamation, privacy and drug-testing issues;
• Employee benefits and ERISA; and
• Wrongful discharge lawsuits.

We focus on preventive measures to minimize the likelihood of litigation, such as drafting and administering progressive personnel policies. However, when litigation cannot be avoided, we utilize aggressive, cost-effective approaches to resolve cases favorably.

Our labor and employment attorneys have substantial trial and governmental agency experience. We regularly appear before state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Human Rights Commission, the Labor Department, the State Departments of Labor and Industries and Employment Security, and the National Labor Relations Board.

Our Labor and Employment team utilizes their practical and strategic litigation approach in a wide range of matters, including:

• Negotiating low-cost resolution of employment disputes with employees (including employee class actions) over pay raises, overtime pay, off-the-clock work, exempt versus non-exempt classifications, other "wage and hour" issues, and terminations.
• Conducting in-house training of managers on labor relations and best practices for avoiding sexual harassment, discrimination or retaliation charges.
• Obtaining pre-trial dismissal of lawsuits or charges filed with government agencies claiming unfair labor practices, race and disability discrimination, defamation, sex discrimination and sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, and retaliation.
• Obtaining verdicts for our clients in jury and judge trials alleging discrimination, wrongful discharge, retaliation, breach of employment contracts, wage and hour, and class action disputes.