Although the Family Medical Leave Act won’t take effect until January 2023, Oregon businesses should prepare now for the nation’s most comprehensive paid family leave law. Join Littler’s John A. Berg and Heather St. Clair for a discussion on implementation challenges for the state and the law’s impact on employers and employees. They will cover the basics and anticipated administrative rulemaking process and predictions. They will also outline how similar laws have impacted businesses in other jurisdictions and how to use that information to help businesses prepare for the be st and worst parts of the law.
Presented by Littler Attorneys John Berg and Heather St Clair.
John A. Berg litigates employment disputes. For two decades, John has defended discrimination, retaliation and harassment allegations, unfair competition and contract disputes, claims for unpaid wages and commissions, wage and hour class and collective actions, and traditional labor matters.
After learning to litigate from some of Chicago’s most prominent labor and employment practitioners, John moved his practice to Portland, Oregon. Since 2011, John has brought his unique blend of grit and sophistication to bear in the courtrooms of Oregon, Washington, and beyond. Aggressive if necessary, measured where appropriate, and always diligent and prepared, John has amassed an impressive record of success defending employers. He has won summary judgment repeatedly, prevailed in front of juries, obtained full defense awards in arbitration, successfully litigated temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions, and has won on appeal where necessary.
Among his jury trial experiences, John defeated the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in a religious accommodation case in the U. S. District Court, Western District of Michigan. In a recent arbitration, John delivered total vindication to his client in a multi-million dollar contract dispute.
John’s current traditional labor practice focuses on labor arbitrations and unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board, with a background in defending employers in lawsuits concerning unlawful picketing and breach of bargaining agreements.
When John advises and counsels employers, it is often in anticipation of near-certain litigation or combined with the development of facts as litigation proceeds. Typical issues in John’s advice practice include non-competition agreements and other restrictive covenants, trade secret misappropriation, and employee leaves and accommodations. Whatever the issue, his approach tends to be creative, strategic, and carefully tailored to meet the client’s objectives.
Heather St. Clair is passionate about helping business owners, in-house counsel, and HR professionals solve problems that arise in the workplace.
Since joining Littler in January 2019, Heather has focused her practice on cases involving negligent hiring issues, and has also worked on large wage-and-hour class actions. Previously, Heather worked at a boutique litigation firm, handling all aspects of litigation matters for both plaintiffs and defendants, ranging from shareholder and real estate contract disputes to wrongful termination and invasion of privacy claims.
Earlier in her career, Heather also served as a City of Portland Honors Attorney, where she handled advice and litigation to various city bureaus, primarily in the areas of land use, labor and employment and tort law. In that role, she also negotiated and collected dozens of past due City business tax accounts.
Outside of her employment practice, Heather is a six-year combat veteran. She enlisted in the Navy in 2001, and was awarded a Navy Achievement Medal during her service.
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