Lauren Becker Email & Phone Number

New York, United States

Fort Lauderdale, Fl, Us

Fort Lauderdale, Fl, Us

• Guide employers of various industries on employment topics by identifying and assessing risks and opportunities related to performance management, terminations and separations, employee relations, internal investigations, leaves of absence, reasonable accommodations, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour compliance (including exemptions, equal pay, frequency of pay, appropriate deductions, etc.), and compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws. • Draft and review employment documents, including severance agreements, settlement agreements, arbitration agreements, employment agreements, job offers, non-competition agreements, and non-disclosure agreements.• Author and maintain employee handbooks.• Investigate and evaluate internal allegations of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. • Conduct client trainings on compliance and development topics, including sexual harassment, discrimination, managing remote work forces, conducting internal investigations, and effective communication.• Manage and evaluate outside counsel of pending employment matters, including pre-litigation demands, charges filed with federal, state, and local administrative agencies, and matters in state and federal courts.• Author client alerts and advise on compliance with developing federal, state and local employment laws.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Advise employers of various industries on employment issues, including employee handbooks and personnel policies, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment and anti-retaliation policies and practices, internal investigations and administrative charge preliminary investigations, employee discipline and termination, furloughs and lay-offs, unemployment insurance, accommodations, inter-office relationships, FMLA and other leave entitlements, employee privacy, minor employees, background and credit checks, reducing health and safety liability, workers’ compensation, union issues, telecommuting, independent contractor and misclassification issues, call-in pay and predictive scheduling, as well as compliance with newly enacted and developing legislation. Maintained hotline for Fortune 100 EPLI carrier by providing real-time guidance on employment issues to EPLI holders located in all 50 U.S. states. Represent employers in single plaintiff matters before administrative tribunals and state and federal courts pursuant to claims of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination based on protections under federal, state, and local laws. Represent employers in complex class and collective actions brought pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act and state and local wage and hour laws, including gathering client declarations to support motion to compel class arbitration and drafting motion argument regarding same. Investigate, evaluate, and respond to allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation under Title VII, the ADA, ADEA, NYHRL, NYCHRL, CEPA and NJLAD. Draft position statements, mediation statements, pleadings, discovery requests, discovery responses, declarations, substantive motions and settlement agreements.

Philadelphia, Pa, Us

Supported the defense of wage and hour class action lawsuits brought in state and federal courts by analyzing key discovery documents and authoring litigation holds, joint representation agreements, answers, discovery responses, mediation statements, ex parte settlement letter, and settlement agreements. Conducted research and authored memoranda regarding direct tipping, rate of pay notices, Federal WARN Act and various state corollaries, withdrawal liability of control groups, breadth of identifiable information sought by plaintiffs regarding potential opt-ins, reminder notices to potential opt-in plaintiffs of opportunity to opt-in, exemptions to primary duties test, evasion of discovery under FRCP 37(a), and client’s individual liability under the FLSA and NYLL. Authored client alert regarding New York City’s salary history ban and participated in two-day deposition skills workshop comprised of morning lecture and afternoon practice depositions critiqued by partner evaluators.

Philadelphia, Pa, Us

Supported the defense of wage and hour class action lawsuits brought in federal court by calculating potential damages and preparing objections to a federal magistrate judge’s report and recommendation of class certification. Supported the defense of charges of employment discrimination filed with city, state and federal administrative agencies by drafting the position statement and assisting in the investigation. Conducted research and authored memoranda discussing whether a website is a place of public accommodation for purposes of sustaining a denial of access class action under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the viability of certain defenses. Authored client alert regarding the New York City Displaced Building Service Workers Protection Act and developed a model tip reporting sheet for hospitality clients attempting to comply with New York City’s Hospitality Wage Order. Observed the mediation of a pregnancy discrimination claim, labor and employment trainings administered to managers in the hospitality industry and Korean financial institutions in New York City, and a fairness hearing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Assisted low-income workers obtain unemployment insurance benefits by investigating the facts and law, preparing a written submission, and representing the worker at a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, which included direct examination, cross-examination of the employer, and delivering closing argument. Enabled client to maintain charge of disability discrimination and wrongful termination filed with city, state and federal administrative agencies by interviewing and counseling client, conducting an investigation, and authoring a response to the position statement.

Us

Supported seven administrative law judges by researching and drafting memoranda regarding labor law issues, including nature of employment agreements containing class action waivers and mandatory arbitration stipulations, lawfulness of specific comments communicating employer’s unwillingness to hire union members, lawfulness of mandatory confidentiality policies maintained by employers during internal investigations into suspected wrongdoing, application of front-pay, joint employer status of franchisees, bifurcation of hearing regarding merits and reinstatement of economic strikers. Observed hearings and status conferences and analyzed pertinent issues with administrative law judges, including credibility of witnesses.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Supported the defense of single-plaintiff and class action labor and employment lawsuits brought in federal and state courts by drafting discovery requests and responses, preparing deposition materials, and conducting large-scale document productions and reviews. Supported clients in the defense of charges of discrimination filed with city, state and federal administrative agencies by conducting investigations into the allegations of misconduct, interviewing witnesses, and drafting position statements and responses to requests for information. Authored and edited case summaries for the 2012, 2013 and 2014 editions of the Annual Workplace Class Action Litigation Report. Authored and revised blind pitch letters and responses to requests for proposals resulting in the acquisition of 32 new clients, and streamlined the blind pitch process, significantly increasing the amount of blind pitches sent per year.

Increased community awareness of campaign through volunteer and voter recruitment, demographic research, development of strategic community partnerships, as well as organization, execution, and management of events and social media marketing.

Authored correspondence regarding issues impacting constituents on behalf of Senator. Attended Advocacy Court at the Circuit Court of Cook County, and developed community awareness of local events, issues, and resources. Supported The Neighborhood First, a non-profit organization focused on combating gang-related violence through community building in violent neighborhoods, by creating marketing and public relations materials, recruiting local business sponsors, and organizing and managing events. Created online resource for constituents regarding public works and services in the district.

Authored and edited marketing materials and researched social media outlets. Managed scheduling and balanced accounts.

Us

Created and maintained media lists and conducted market, publicity, and social media research to measure breadth and impact of press coverage and marketing efforts.

Cleveland, Oh - Ohio, Us

Conducted industry research and drafted press releases, media releases, and client’s internal newsletters. Crafted public relations plan and materials for non-profit client.

Juris Doctor

B.A., Public Relations And Advertising, International Studies, Pre-Law

Education record