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Mason's practice has included all aspects of labor and employment law and litigation since he joined the firm in 1967. He has represented employers in strikes, union election campaigns defeating union organization efforts or resulting in decertification of unions, contract negotiations, and arbitrations. He regularly appears before the National Labor Relations Board in both representation and unfair labor practice cases. He regularly contests OSHA citations and litigates cases before the OSH Review Commission. Mason has represented employers in federal and state trial and appellate litigation in wrongful discharge, discrimination (including harassment), wage/hour, OSHA, independent contractor, and unemployment cases. He also appears before the Maine Human Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunity Commission in cases involving charges of disability, age, national origin, religious and gender discrimination, sexual harassment, whistleblower protection, and retaliation. He has handled affirmative action audits and has written affirmative action plans. He advises employers on substance abuse and drug testing, wage and hour law, unemployment law, independent contractor law, notice and severance pay law in business sales, plant closings, mass layoffs, and downsizings. He is a frequent speaker on labor and employment topics and developments. Mason was counsel for a paper company in overturning two arbitration decisions in federal court; he successfully argued the cases before the First Circuit Court of Appeals and briefed the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld the discharge of twelve former employees for violations of substance abuse policies. He represented International Paper Company in its strike at Jay, Maine, which resulted in decertification of the union. Mason has represented employers from a variety of industries in OSHA investigations, citations, and litigation. He was the lead lawyer in defending the OSHA case involving the largest penalty - $4.1 million - ever proposed by OSHA against a Maine employer, and has successfully negotiated settlements with OSHA in both New Hampshire and Maine, including cases in which OSHA has dropped willful citations with attendant reductions in penalties. | 