Making Work Better: Employment Law & Workplace Challenges

Does your business want to throw a holiday party but you're afraid of potential shenanigans…and the liability that might result from them? In this episode geared toward employers, Marketing Manager and paralegal Matt Tedeschi welcomes Laura Feldman, plaintiff's employment attorney and specialist on workplace sexual assault, to discuss what every employer should do before, during, and after a party to minimize the likelihood of harassment, assault, and other legal claims. Perfect for HR representatives, in-house counsel, and anyone else involved in risk assessment, this episode will help you throw a party that's both fun and professional—and prevents you from getting a call from Laura the next day.

Content notice and trigger warning: This episode discusses sexual assault and other misconduct in the workplace that may be uncomfortable for certain listeners. Our presenters' lighthearted exchange is not meant to detract from the seriousness of this topic. If you need support in discussing sexual assault, you can call RAINN (the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at 800.656.HOPE.

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The Prinz Law Firm

Laura Feldman

Matt Tedeschi

Read Laura's blog post, "How to Steer Clear of Trouble at Your Company Holiday Party"

Managing Partner Kristen Prinz and transactional attorney Katie Rinkus discuss the Corporate Transparency Act, a new federal law requiring all companies to report information related to company ownership. Although the law's intent was to combat the creation of shell companies, Kristen and Katie discuss what this means for your business: who can see your information, when and how to file, and whether there are exemptions under the law. Tune in today to ensure your business is compliant with these new regulations.

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Kristen Prinz

Katie Rinkus

Katie's blog post on the Corporate Transparency Act

This episode focuses on the mental health benefits that workplaces can provide to workers. Kristen Prinz welcomes to the mic Sarah Malavenda, a trained psychotherapist and the Co-Founder & COO of Samata Health, and Angelia Salgado, the firm's Operations Manager who recently earned an M.A. in mental health counseling.

Kristen, Sarah, and Angelia discuss the prevalence of burn-out, the fact that it's become more acceptable to discuss mental health in the workplace, and whether there is a shortage of therapists. Then they dig into the variety of mental health benefits available to companies, including traditional benefits provided by health insurance, legacy EAPs, and premium benefits offered by third party providers, such as Samata Health.

Sarah reveals how a premium benefits program works for employers, especially small businesses, and why it is often a superior option for employees compared with other options. She also explains how Samata Health can make a profit while supporting its individual therapist providers. This is a great episode for HR folks, business owners, individual therapists, and anyone else interested in making work better through improving mental health.

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The Prinz Law Firm

Kristen Prinz

Angelia Salgado

Sarah Malevenda on LinkedIn

Samata Health on LinkedIn

Samata Health website

Prinz Partner Amit Bindra elucidates three recent rulings of the Delaware Chancery Court, one of the nation's foremost non-compete courts. Two of the decisions involved business acquisitions, while a third addressed forfeiture clauses. Notably, the Court refused to enforce non-compete agreements in all three of these cases. Find out why in this episode, as Amit walks us through the Court's reasoning, the potential impact these decisions could have on businesses, and how these holdings are part of a larger trend in non-compete regulation across the country.

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Amit Bindra

Connect with Amit on Twitter

Read Amit's blog post on the Delaware Trilogy

Matt Tedeschi

What would you do if an employee reported that a colleague kissed her without her permission at the company holiday party? Our attorneys say: investigate! From their experience as employment attorneys and workplace investigators, Kristen Prinz and Christina Hynes Mesco outline the nuts and bolts of conducting a workplace investigation in this episode.

Using the true-life example of the involuntary kiss, they address what to do if your employee reports harassment, including the importance of avoiding knee-jerk reactions and setting reported events in their proper context. They also touch upon documentary evidence, including electronic data, and in-person interviews. And since obtaining helpful answers often depends on how questions are phrased, Kristen and Christina offer a few helpful techniques that can be used in any conversation. They also emphasize why a trauma-informed approach is helpful when assessing the credibility of witnesses, before discussing drafting an investigation report and making recommendations to help better the business for all parties involved.

This is a must-listen episode for anyone in HR or in-house counsel, and for anyone else tasked with getting to the bottom of things in the workplace!

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The Prinz Law Firm

Kristen Prinz

Christina Hynes Mesco

Read Christina's blog on conducting effective investigations

Allegations from former dancers that Lizzo created a hostile work environment and engaged in sexual harassment and even false imprisonment have rocked the singer and body positivity icon's image, leaving many of her fans stunned. Employment attorney Christina Hynes Mesco and paralegal Allison Wolcott clarify the situation and explain what it can reveal to us about our own workplaces. Allison provides insight into the allegations by drawing on her years as a professionally trained dancer, revealing the sometimes brutal treatment dancers receive. Christina defines what constitutes harassment and a hostile work environment and what both employees and employers can do in response. Christina and Allison provide a legally-informed and very human account of how the workplace can get messy, reminding us that everyone—even our icons—is subject to employment laws and expected to form healthy workplaces.

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Read Christina and Allison's blog post on the Lizzo lawsuit

The Prinz Law Firm

Christina Hynes Mesco

Allison Wolcott

Prinz attorney Poonam Lakhani and Laura Lefkow-Hynes discuss all things unlimited PTO in this episode! Reflecting on the trend in corporate America to increasingly offer unlimited PTO, Poonam and Laura address both the benefits and pitfalls of an unlimited PTO policy. Businesses must think through and balance various considerations before drafting a policy to ensure its clarity and applicability. But once a policy exists, it may lead to unintended consequences, such as claims of discrimination or favoritism in how the policy is implemented. Poonam and Laura offer best practices for employers on how to develop a policy that best suits both its business needs and workplace culture. They also identify what employees should look for when joining a new workplace that offers unlimited PTO.

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The Prinz Law Firm

Poonam Lakhani

Poonam's blog post on PTO

Laura Lefkow-Hynes

Kristen Prinz welcomes Alexandra Eidenberg, president and founder of The Insurance People, an award-winning insurance agency specializing in employee benefits, individual health insurance, and Medicare. Kristen and Alexandra discuss the variety of ways that health insurance can be related to one's employment, touching upon employer plans, individual plans, Illinois coverage continuation, and COBRA. They also address what to keep in mind when your employment is coming to an end and what to look for when determining which insurance option is best for you. If you've ever had questions about health insurance, how it's tied to employment, and what to do when it's not, this is the episode for you!

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The Prinz Law Firm

Kristen Prinz

Alexandra Eidenberg

Alexandra has been a licensed agent for 18 years, an agency owner for 13 years, and is locally and nationally recognized for her leadership, both as an insurance agent and a community leader. She is deeply passionate about her community and helping people.

The Insurance People

In 2022, The Insurance People was named the #1 US Small Group Agency by Mutual of Omaha, the #2 Illinois Agency by UnitedHealthcare, the Small Group Business Partner of the Year by Delta Dental of Illinois, and was awarded Elite Plus Status by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Insurance People is known and loved for its exemplary customer service.

The Insurance People on Facebook

The Insurance People on Instagram

The Insurance People on LinkedIn

Prinz Partner Amit Bindra unpacks everything you've ever wanted to know about non-competes: what a non-competition agreement is, where employees are likely to see them, and how long they typically last. Amit also addresses how non-competes are related to other restrictive provisions, such as non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements, and the typical timeline of a non-compete lawsuit. He highlights what employers and employees should be aware of--both when employment begins and ends--to best protect their respective interests.

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Amit Bindra

Connect with Amit on Twitter

Blog of The Prinz Law Firm (choose "non-compete" from the drop-down menu)

Matt Tedeschi

You might have heard in the news of workplace investigations underway at any number of companies that have been struck with controversy. Kristen Prinz and Christina Hynes Mesco are both employment attorneys and experienced workplace investigators. In this episode, they delve into what exactly a workplace investigation is, what sort of matters might be investigated in the workplace, and how you should determine whether to bring in an external investigator or keep an inquiry in house. Finally, they highlight the various ways that workplace investigations make work better. This is a must-listen episode for anyone in HR or in-house counsel, and for anyone else tasked with getting to the bottom of things in the workplace!

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The Prinz Law Firm

Kristen Prinz

Christina Hynes Mesco

Read Christina's blog on conducting workplace investigations