Labor and Employment Law Program

This two-part webinar program will provide participants with an overview of two federal statutes: the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how these two statutes intersect in the workplace.

The introductory program will address important issues of relevance to unions, particularly with processing grievances, and will provide practical advice that will enable unions to better advocate on behalf of their members. Time will be reserved to answer questions regarding leave and disciplinary grievances.

Topics Include:

The Family Medical Leave Act

• When disciplinary actions related to leave encroach on statutory rights
• Recent trends in FMLA cases
• Effective strategies for obtaining resolution in the grievance process in medical leave cases
• Collective bargaining and FMLA rights
• Fitness for duty examinations and reinstatement issues
• Overview of qualifications and limitations

The Americans with Disabilities Act

• Substantive rights, affirmative obligations, and potential liability
• Reasonable accommodations and contract seniority provisions
• Discrimination based on disability and the duty of fair representation
• Recent trends of relevance to unions

Instructor

Professor Angela B. Cornell, Esq., teaches labor law and directs the Labor Law Clinic at Cornell Law School and is an Extension Associate at ILR, Labor and Employment Law Program. Prior to joining the faculty, she represented unions and employees in labor and employment matters and served as a Labor Commissioner in New Mexico. She has represented employees in Family and Medical Leave Act and Americans with Disabilities Act cases in federal court.