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Employment Practices Helpline
(Available free to program participants that purchase EPLI)
The ABA-sponsored insurance program has teamed up with the national law firm of
Jackson Lewis to provide our customers with a valuable loss control program,
the Employment Practices Helpline.
Make sure you're taking prudent steps to address workplace issues while
minimizing the bank's exposure to employment-related lawsuits. The next time you
have an employment-related question, call our Employment Practices Helpline.
Attorneys from Jackson Lewis are available to:
- guide you through the proper steps with respect to personnel actions
- answer employment-related legal questions
- identify the best approach for
investigating, documenting and resolving workplace issues or
disputes.
And best of all, it's free to all program participants that have purchased Employment Practices Liability (EPL) Insurance.
For more information, call your underwriter.
What is the Employment Practices Helpline?
The Helpline is a program to provide you - at no charge - with quick and easy access to employment and labor attorneys who can answer your questions and guide you through the most effective and prudent process for addressing employment-related issues.
Why should I use the Employment Practices Helpline?
Employment-related litigation is on the increase and threatens every financial institution’s bottom line. Employment Practices Liability Insurance provides protection against financial loss, but only preventive action – sound policies and procedures strictly adhered to – can mitigate the headaches that can accompany even a frivolous lawsuit.
Even in those situations where financial institutions do make an
employment decision for valid reasons, a disgruntled employee may bring suit. The best defense to minimize this threat is to ensure that proper procedures are followed. A
call to the Employment Practices Helpline can provide you with free legal advice on
questions such as these:
- An employee wants to take time under FMLA to care for a sick aunt she lives with; do we need to accommodate her?
- A teller has complained that our president, a leader in the community with an impeccable reputation, has made sexually explicit comments to her after hours. We believe that she has psychological problems and put no credence in her allegations. Can we just ignore it?
- Two employees have developed a relationship over the past few months and we are very excited about their upcoming wedding. Could there be ramifications in our office, and how do we address the situation?
- We are about to terminate an employee for habitual tardiness, after giving warnings in accordance with our discipline policy. Today he came in and said that his doctor claims he is suffering from depression. Are we okay to terminate him, as long as we have adhered to our policy?
- An employee was surfing the internet during his lunch hour (which we allow) and a colleague noticed that he was looking at "inappropriate" websites. How do we address this?
- What types of questions are
impermissible on employment applications or in interviews?
How do I use the Employment Practices Helpline?
There's no pre-registration; the helpline is automatically available to all EPL customers of the program. If you have not yet received the toll-free Helpline number, please call your underwriter at 800-274-5222. Then, all you need to do is call the Helpline and a Jackson Lewis representative will take your information and pass it on to the appropriate attorney who can best address your question. The attorney will return your call within approximately 24 hours.
Is there a limit to the number of calls I can make?
There is no limit on the number of times you can use this service. Again, however, use is limited solely to our EPL customers.
Who is Jackson Lewis?
Jackson Lewis has over 40 years’ experience in employment law and was one of the first law firms to employ the concept of preventive employee relations in the workplace. As such, they are "in touch" with business and can deliver the kind of legal advice and service that ABA-sponsored insurance program participants should expect, and will feel confident using.
Jackson Lewis is the largest law firm in the country devoted exclusively to the representation of management in the areas of labor, employment and benefits law. With over 320 attorneys practicing out of 20 offices coast-to-coast, they are uniquely positioned to offer consistent, readily available and high quality legal service to our insureds. They will provide you with national expertise and local insight.
Through the Employment Practices Helpline, Jackson Lewis will provide you with sound legal advice, combined with practical solutions in the following areas:
- Sexual Harassment
- Race and Religious Bias
- Age Discrimination
- Wage and Hour Law Compliance
- Union Activities
- Unsafe Working Conditions
- Workplace Violence
- Managing Employees with Disabilities
- Family and Medical Leave
- Foreign Employees/Work Permits
- Unlawful Discharge
- Non-Compete Agreements
- Employee Benefits
- Employee Privacy/Drug Testing
For more information about Jackson Lewis, contact Paul Siegel at (516) 364-0404 or access their website at www.jacksonlewis.com.
Are my conversations with Jackson Lewis confidential?
Jackson Lewis will be acting as your attorney, not an attorney for the ABA-sponsored insurance program. Accordingly, an attorney/client privilege will be established protecting all communications between you and Jackson Lewis. If a matter develops into litigation, those conversations will most likely not be discoverable. Likewise, the ABA-sponsored insurance program will not be made privy to the details of the conversations.
If I am sued, am I obligated to use Jackson Lewis?
No, you are not obligated to use Jackson Lewis as defense counsel. If you choose to do so, however, we have negotiated a discount rate for our insureds on defense matters.
Should I call Jackson Lewis to give notice of an EPLI Claim?
No. Any information provided by the financial institution to Jackson Lewis does not constitute notice of a claim to the ABA-sponsored insurance program. Notice must still be given to Progressive.
What other benefits are available under this program?
As an additional benefit to ABA-sponsored insurance program participants, Jackson Lewis will conduct employment practices audits or training seminars for your institution at a discounted rate. These are not free services provided under the Employment Practices Helpline.
What is the cost of the Employment Practices Helpline?
There is no cost! It's Free!
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