Kristin Jones Pierre

Employment Counseling

Kristin helps employers identify employment obligations, risks and liabilities from hiring practices to termination. Her experience includes advising employers on:

• Hiring practices, including recruitment, non-discrimination, non-competition, pre-employment testing, background checks, offer letters and employment agreements
• Preparing covenants not to compete, confidentiality and trade secret agreements, and advising on their enforceability
• Wage and hour issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state laws, including classification of employees as exempt or non-exempt
• Preparing employee handbooks and other personnel policies and practices
• Developing policies and practices to manage accommodation and leave issues, including advising on employee rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), state laws and local ordinances
• Complex employee discipline and discharge matters, including drafting disciplinary documentation, severance plans, and separation and release agreements
• Best practices for managing voluntary and involuntary workforce reductions and related employee communication, including developing and implementing plans and severance and release agreements, in compliance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Older Workers Benefits Protection Act (OWBPA)
• Conducting audits of employment practices and procedures
• Investigating allegations of harassment and discrimination

Affirmative Action and OFCCP Compliance

Kristin leads the firm’s affirmative action/OFCCP compliance team, which assists employers in designing affirmative action plans and represents government contractors during compliance evaluations and audits conducted by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programming (OFCCP) and state and local agencies. She guides and trains government contractors on affirmative action best practices, including legally compliant recruiting, selection, applicant tracking and performance management.

Employment Litigation

Kristin has served as lead counsel for employment-related litigation in nationwide federal and state courts and administrative agencies, including on claims of race, age and gender discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation, enforcement of non-competes and restrictive covenants, and wage and hour disputes. Her trial and appellate practice provides Kristin with a valuable foundation to counsel clients on how employment decisions may be challenged and defended.