Michael A. Shadiack

Michael Shadiack is the Chair of Connell Foley LLP’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. Representing a broad spectrum of employers and management personnel in the private and public sectors, he provides litigation defense and dispute resolution, as well as preventive compliance counseling and training.

“The ART of advocacy,” Michael’s motto, is a nod to his approachability, responsiveness and trustworthiness in the full range of employment services he provides. His diverse client base includes: privately owned and operated businesses; international, national and regional corporations; nonprofit organizations; higher education institutions; municipalities; public agencies; multi-employer trade associations; and commercial employment practice liability insurance firms.

Michael partners with management personnel to provide guidance and solutions on the many issues and challenges facing employers, including: employee hiring, disciplining, and discharging; wage and hour compliance; management of employee medical leaves of absence and workplace accommodations; implementation of strategies to avoid and respond to workplace harassment and discrimination; whistleblower retaliation; drug and alcohol testing; personnel file management and recordkeeping; reductions in force; performance evaluations; and preparation of separation and release agreements, and noncompetition agreements.

Michael has an outstanding track record of successful outcomes as lead counsel on behalf of employers in all aspects of litigation in state and federal courts, before state and federal administrative agencies and in arbitration and mediation proceedings.

Michael also provides employers with practical, comprehensive and preventive recommendations on substantive personnel and benefit issues to ensure compliance with current statutory and common law requirements. His services are customized to the client’s industry, locale, workforce and business practices. His cost-effective, on-site training programs on all aspects of employment law encompass workplace harassment prevention, managing employee leaves of absence, hiring and firing best practices and procedures, avoiding retaliation and discrimination in the workplace, employee discipline, performance evaluation best practices and social media in the workplace. He is a highly sought-after and featured presenter to human resources and management representatives, as well as in-house counsel, regarding these important human resources topics, and the steps employers can take to avoid or reduce the risks of litigation.

As a significant component of Michael’s preventative counseling, he drafts and updates employee handbooks to accomplish four primary 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. 

Michael also represents employers during contract and grievance arbitrations and collective bargaining negotiations, defends against unfair labor practice charges, prosecutes employee disciplinary appeal hearings, and assists employers with NLRA and New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission compliance to avoid administrative charges.

Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Michael assists clients in the following areas:

Preventative Counseling
Michael 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
• Wage and hour compliance
• Managing employee medical leaves of absence
• Reasonable workplace accommodations
• Strategies to avoid and respond to workplace harassment
• Monitoring employees’ use of social media
• 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 closing, including compliance with the WARN act
• Employment law compliance relative to COVID-19

Litigation Defense and Dispute Resolution
Michael 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, whistleblower 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. Michael has also effectively and efficiently resolved lawsuits and administrative charges, consistent with the employer’s strategic objectives.

Employment Law Training
Michael 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. Michael tailors the training session to the employer’s industry and workforce.

• A sample of Michael's workplace harassment prevention training program is posted on the Employment Blog

Employee Handbooks
Michael prepares comprehensive and practical employee handbooks, which are customized to each employer’s specific business practices and number of employees. Michael periodically reviews and updates our clients’ employee handbooks to ensure their continued compliance with the ever-changing and complex federal and state employment laws. Michael 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 serves 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
Michael 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
Michael 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

Professional and Community Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• New Jersey State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
• Morris County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
• USLAW Network, Employment practice group
• Extended Member Advisor, USLAW Network Labor and Employment Practice Group

Michael is an active leader in his community, serving on various boards, committees and volunteer organizations:

• Founding Chairperson and Member, Human Resources and Talent Committee, Morris County Chamber of Commerce

• Barrister, Sidney Reitman Employment Law American Inn of Court 
• Elected member, Morris County Committee 
• Chairman, Roxbury Township Economic Development Committee
• Vice Chairperson, Roxbury Township Planning Board
• Volunteer Member, Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey
• Member, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
• Member, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
• Member, Morris County Economic Development Corporation
• Coach, Roxbury Baseball Association
• Contributor, Labor and Employment Blog

Trainer: Workplace Harassment Prevention training on behalf of numerous employers, including:                                                          

• Allamuchy Township

• Ambriola Company, Inc.

• Associated General Contractors of New Jersey
• Bay Head Yacht Club
• Bechtel Corporation
• Berkowsky and Associates, Inc
• CME Associates
• Confidence Management Systems, Inc.
• Contact Lens & Vision
• County College of Morris

• Douglas Electrical Components, Inc.

• Epoch Everlasting Playthings

• Essex Plaza Management Associates

• Eva's Village
• Ferreira Construction
• Fluorotherm Polymers, Inc.
• FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties
• Food Trends
• Generant Co., Inc.
• Humanscale
• Hermann Services, Inc.
• Hudson Milestones
• Indian Trail Club
• KPI Bridge Oil
• Kreisler Industrial Corp.
• Kuehne Company

• Laufer, Dalena, Cadicina, Jensen & Bradley, LLC

• Liberty National Golf Club
• Lopatcong Township

• MAC Products

• Mul-T-Lock USA

• Naik Consulting Group, P.C.
• New Jersey Business & Industry Association
• New Jersey Club Managers Association
• New Jersey Laboratories, Inc.
• New Jersey Property-Liability Guaranty Association
• New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority
• New Meadowlands Stadium Company

• North Jersey Truck Center

• Ocean County Utilities Authority
• Paramount Cosmetics
• Partnership for Maternal & Child Health of Northern New Jersey
• Paterson Habitat for Humanity 
• PEF Services LLC
• Perma Pure LLC

• Pressler, Flet & Warsaw, LLP

• Railroad Construction Company

• Rand Dental Associates PA
• Restaurant Marketing Associates

• Riviera Produce

• Rock Spring Country Club

• Russo Development, LLC

• Russo Property Management, LLC

• Saint Peter's University

• SBC Benefit Consultants

• Seawin Global
• Skylands Center
• Start 2 Finish Restoration & Building Services
• Suburban Consulting Engineers
• Sure Kleen Restoration Services
• The Arc of Warren County
• Tri-County Orthopedics
• UMH Properties, Inc.
• Universal Nutrition

• Wakefern Food Corp.  

• Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders
• W.B. Law Coffee
• Wesketch Architecture

A sample of Michael's workplace harassment prevention training program is posted on the Employment Blog

NJBIZ Leaders in Law (2022)

Best Lawyers in America (2016-2025)

• Employment Law - Management
• Labor and Employment - Litigation 

AV Peer Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

New Jersey Law Journal, New Leaders of the Bar (2013)

New Jersey Super Lawyers (2009, 2011-2024)

“Who’s Who Among American Law Students" (1998)

_{Please see Honor and Award Methodology. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.}