Nicole represents employers in litigation and administrative proceedings of a variety of employment matters, including discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour and protected leave claims under federal and state employment laws, such as Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Ohio Civil Rights Act. Nicole also counsels employers on day-to-day human resource matters to ensure compliance with complex issues arising from federal and state employment laws.
Nicole’s litigation experience includes representation of employers in both federal and state court regarding workplace discrimination, retaliation, protected leave violations, breach of contract, and wage and hour collective action. She also represents employers in a wide variety of administrative matters, including workplace discrimination claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, unemployment hearings before the Ohio Unemployment Compensation Review Commission, and workplace injuries before the Industrial Commission. Nicole has extensive experience in the area of wage and hour matters, assisting employers in auditing practices and defending and resolving disputes stemming from the FLSA and state law requirements through private action or governmental investigations.
Nicole regularly works with employers to develop effective strategies for implementing difficult employment business decisions related to reductions-in-force, disciplinary matters, and employee separations. She is experienced in conducting workplace harassment investigations and drafting employment policies, handbooks, employment agreements, affirmative action plans, non-competition/non-solicitation agreements, and severance agreements. Nicole regularly conducts seminars and training for managers and staff on workplace compliance issues.