Employment Litigation
When a workplace dispute escalates, we help employers get the problem resolved. Whether settling out of court or through successful representation at trial or on appeal, our attorneys are experienced with defending employment claims before all levels of federal and state courts or agencies.
Our experience includes working on the following kinds of issues:
- Harassment and discrimination
- Retaliation and whistleblowing claims
- Wage and hour claims, including class actions
- Disability discrimination and accommodation
- Family and medical leave claims
- Wrongful termination and related tort and contract claims
- Employment contracts
- Pension and employee benefits
- Misappropriation of trade secrets and enforcement of non-competition agreements
Attorneys
Paralegals
Tonkon Torp Secures Complete Victory – and Wins Attorneys’ Fees – in Employment Litigation Matter for Sunshine Retirement Living
In a very rare decision by a federal court, Tonkon Torp partner Haley Morrison won attorneys’ fees for the defense in a case alleging state and federal discrimination and retaliation claims. Morrison, along with local counsel from Troutman Pepper’s Atlanta office, defended Sunshine Retirement Living in the case brought by a former employee, before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
Fashion House Dooney & Bourke Wins with Tonkon Torp
Tonkon Torp trial attorneys Scott Seidman and Colin Geiger were victorious in defending Dooney & Bourke, Inc., in a wage claims trial in the U. S. District Court in Portland. Find details and more featured cases here.
7.29.2021
Time to Check in on Oregon’s Workplace Fairness Act
It has been just over two years since Governor Brown signed the Oregon Workplace Fairness Act (OWFA) into law on June 11, 2019.
6.21.2021
Top Five Bills Impacting Oregon Employers
Five significant employment-related bills have been signed into law so far this legislative session. Some of these bills were a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the bills will have a substantial impact on how employees are treated by…
5.18.2021
Those Mask Rules Just Keep Changing
Well, we just issued a Tip yesterday telling you that despite the CDC and Governor Brown saying no masks are required in public places for vaccinated people, Oregon OSHA still requires you to have them at work. Not so fast, says the Oregon Health…
5.17.2021
Oregon Employers: Masks Still Required at Places of Employment
By now, most of you are aware of the guidance issued by the CDC, which has rescinded the mask requirement for fully vaccinated individuals in public settings, both outdoors and indoors, with limited exceptions.
4.12.2021
Update on Proposed Oregon Legislation – What Employers Need to Know
For this second installment in our legislative update series we have a status report on the employment-related bills discussed in our previous alert, as well as a survey of the bills that have since been introduced related to the employment arena.
4.6.2021
What Employers Need to Know About the American Rescue Plan Act
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which became law on March 11, 2021, extends the incentive to employers to provide paid time away from work for COVID-related reasons.
1.26.2021
What the 2021 Oregon Legislature Has in Store for Employment Law
The Oregon Legislature has now begun to meet for the 2021 Regular Session. We want to make you aware of a number of interesting bills which could impact the employment arena.
1.20.2021
A Far-Flung Workforce is the Post-COVID New Normal
In less than a year, Covid-19 changed nearly everything across the globe. And one of its major impacts was the definition of workplace. In March, the coronavirus pandemic sent U.S. employers scrambling to keep their businesses afloat and their…
1.19.2021
An Employer's Dilemma: To Mandate (or Not) the COVID-19 Vaccine?
During a year in need of some brightness, December brought some great news: after emergency Food and Drug Administration approvals, first Pfizer and then Moderna shipped COVID-19 vaccines to locations throughout the United States, kicking off a mass…
12.30.2020
EEOC Issues Guidance on Employer-Mandated Vaccines
The first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Oregon and in states across the nation. In Oregon, Governor Brown has prioritized front-line health care workers and nursing home residents for receiving the first round of vaccines, but it is a…
6.9.2021
Annual Labor & Employment Event
Constantly shifting legal guidelines, economic uncertainty, professional challenges, and personal stress have made for a tough last 15+ months for employers. Tonkon Torp lawyers are here to help.
11.10.2020
How to Implement OR-OSHA's COVID-19 Rule
Join our Labor & Employment group on November 10 at 10:00 AM as we discuss OR-OSHA's Temporary COVID-19 Rule. OR-OSHA intends to adopt the Rule this week and, when adopted, many of its provisions will take effect 10 days after adoption. The Rule will…
7.30.2020
Coffee Break Series: Preparing to Reopen
Tonkon Torp's Coffee Break educational series for employers continues with a new batch of webinars. Each discussion will include a Q&A session with attendees. Join us for this informative series and be prepared for the next stage of our new normal.
5.28.2020
Labor and Employment: Coffee Break Series
Tonkon Torp has launched a Coffee Break educational series for employers and we hope you can join us. The series will focus on the challenges employers will face as they reopen their business.
4.10.2020
Webinar - FAQs for Employers in the COVID-19 Reality
On Friday, April 10, at 12:00 PM, Blerina Kotori and Clay Creps of Tonkon Torp’s Labor & Employment Practice Group will address Frequently Asked Questions in a webinar moderated by business attorney Sherrill Corbett.
7.9.2021
Parna Mehrbani Presents the Case for a Diverse Workforce
Partner Parna Mehrbani was the closing speaker at Tonkon Torp’s Annual Labor & Employment Event, held virtually on June 9. Parna focused her talk on recommendations for what employers can do to encourage inclusiveness and retain employees of color.
7.8.2021
Clay Creps Provides Oregon Employment Law Legislative Update
At Tonkon Torp’s Annual Labor & Employment Event, partner Clay Creps provided a legislative update on employment-related laws moving through the current Oregon legislative session.
7.7.2021
Kristin Bremer Moore Looks at Labor Law Under Biden
At Tonkon Torp’s June 9 Annual Labor & Employment Event, partner Kristin Bremer Moore shared insight into anticipated changes to labor law and the National Labor Relations Act (the Act) that will be pursued by the Biden administration.
7.6.2021
Chris Morehead Guides Employers through Oregon’s Workplace Fairness Act
Tonkon Torp attorney Chris Morehead led a session on the Oregon Workplace Fairness Act (OWFA) during the annual Labor & Employment Event, held virtually on June 9. During his session, Chris unpacked key elements of the OWFA, which was passed to…
7.2.2021
Haley Morrison Looks at the New Reality of Telecommuting
At the June 9 Labor & Employment Event, Tonkon Torp partner Haley Morrison led a discussion on working from home.
7.1.2021
Erin Roycroft Unpacks Vaccine Policy Considerations
During Tonkon Torp’s 2021 Annual Labor & Employment Event, held virtually on June 9, attorney Erin Roycroft led a discussion on vaccination policies in the workplace.
6.30.2021
Megan Reuther Provides an Update on OSHA’s COVID-19 Regulations
Tonkon Torp’s 2021 Annual Labor & Employment Event, held virtually on June 9, featured a presentation by attorney Megan Reuther, who provided an update on OSHA regulations relating to COVID-19.
6.28.2021
Blerina Kotori Revisits Reopening Strategies
During Tonkon Torp’s 2021 Annual Labor & Employment Event, held virtually on June 9, partner Blerina Kotori kicked off the event with a discussion on reopening strategies and considerations. As Oregon nears the milestone of statewide opening, Blerina…
3.17.2021
Roycroft Appointed to OSB Constitutional Law Section Executive Committee
Attorney Erin Roycroft was appointed to the OSB Constitutional Law Section Executive Committee in February 2021.
2.16.2021
Clay Creps Looks at COVID Employment Considerations for Law Firm Alliance
On February 10, Tonkon Torp partner Clay Creps was a featured panelist for an event hosted by the Law Firm Alliance, an international network of mid-sized law firms.
