Michael A. Shadiack is a partner in Connell Foley LLP’s Labor and Employment Law Practice Group.  He has devoted his entire career to representing employers and management personnel in the private and public sectors.  Mr. Shadiack is a multi-year recipient of the New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Star recognition. 

Mr. Shadicak provides clients with the following expertise:

·   Preventative Counseling: Mr. Shadiack regularly provides employers with practical, comprehensive, and preventative counseling on personnel and benefit issues to ensure compliance with statutory and common law requirements.  He focuses on helping clients make employment-related decisions intended to avoid or reduce the risks of litigation.  Substantive legal issues under federal and state laws include:

−    Employee hiring, disciplining, and discharging

−    Managing employee medical leaves of absence

−    Reasonable workplace accommodations

−    Strategies to avoid and respond to workplace

    harassment

−    Discrimination and retaliation

−    Employee screening and hiring

−    Performance evaluations

−    Separation agreements and general releases

−    Privacy issues

−    Drug and alcohol testing

−    Employee dishonesty and disloyalty

−    Personnel file management and record  

    keeping requirements

−    Reductions in force, mass layoffs, and plant   

    closings, including compliance with the WARN

    Act

·   Litigation Defense and Dispute Resolution: Mr. Shadiack has served as lead counsel and successfully represented our clients in all aspects of litigation in state and federal courts, before state and federal administrative agencies, and in arbitration involving claims of workplace harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, whistle-blower retaliation, reasonable accommodation, breach of contract, civil rights, non-competition violations, minority shareholder oppression, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, protected concerted activity, and wage and hour.  Mr. Shadiack has also effectively and efficiently resolved lawsuits and administrative charges, consistent with the employer’s strategic objectives.   

·  Employment Law Training: Mr. Shadiack provides practical and cost-effective training on all aspects of employment law, including workplace harassment prevention, managing leaves of absence, hiring and firing best practices and procedures, avoiding retaliation and

discrimination in the workplace, employee discipline, performance evaluation best practices, employment at-will, and formulating practical personnel policies and employee handbooks.  Mr. Shadiack tailors the training session to the employer’s industry and workforce.    

·  Employee Handbooks: Mr. Shadiack prepares comprehensive and practical employee handbooks, which are customized to each employer’s specific business practices and number of employees.  Mr. Shadiack periodically reviews and updates our clients’ employee handbooks to ensure their continued compliance with the ever-changing and complex federal and state employment laws.  Mr. Shadiack drafts/updates each employee handbook to accomplish four main objectives: (1) clear communication with employees; (2) administrative efficiency; (3) best employment practices to avoid or minimize workplace disputes; and (4) proactive measures addressing changes in laws, liability trends, and business climate.  He frequently severs as a featured presenter to human resources and management representatives as well as in-house counsel regarding the importance of employee handbooks and drafting techniques.  

·  Union-Management Relations: Mr. Shadiack represents employers during contract and grievance arbitrations and collective bargaining negotiations, defends unfair labor practice charges, prosecutes employee disciplinary appeal hearings, and advises employers on NLRA and NJPERC compliance to avoid administrative charges.

Client Base

Mr. Shadiack represents a diverse client base, which includes:

−   Privately-owned and operated businesses

−   International, national, and regional 

    corporations

−   Non-profit organizations

−   Institutions of higher education

−   Municipalities

−   Public agencies

−   Multi-employer trade associations

−   Commercial employment practice liability

    insurance firms