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Practice Areas Employee leave and accommodation issues (FMLA, ADA) Wage-hour issues (FLSA) Employment, non-competition, and trade secret claims Employment, severance, and non-competition agreements Educational law issues, including issues arising under FERPA ExperienceFMLA/ADA/FLSA Steve has extensive experience advising employers about issues of employee leaves, accommodation of disabilities, and wage-hour rules. He advises employers about their responsibilities under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). He prepared a model policy for compliance with the FMLA. Contracts Steve regularly drafts and negotiates employment agreements, non-competition agreements, and severance agreements. He advises employers about the application and enforcement of such agreements, including those applicable to employees of potential corporate acquisitions or to candidates for employment. Litigation Steve represent employers in a wide range of lawsuits and administrative proceedings involving covenants not to compete, FMLA claims, discrimination claims, sexual harassment claims, wage-hour claims, and other employee issues. He has obtained dismissals or decisions not to proceed from the EEOC, the Minnesota Human Rights Department, and the U.S. Labor Department. He has tried a number of cases through to verdict or judgment and in many other cases has obtained summary judgment. In addition, he has represented clients in reaching advantageous settlements of sexual harassment and discrimination claims through mediation. Representative litigation matters include the following: Pope v. ESA Services, Inc., 406 F.3d 1001 (8th Cir. 2005) (affirming summary judgment to employer as to claims of race discrimination, defamation, retaliation, and whistle blower violations) Rheineck v. Hutchinson Technology, Inc., 261 F.3d 751 (8th Cir. 2001) (affirming summary judgment to employer on sexual harassment and retaliation claims) Hanenburg v. Principal Mutual Life Insurance Co., 118 F.3d 570 (8th Cir. 1997) (affirming summary judgment to employer on claims of pregnancy discrimination and violation of the FMLA) Ochs v. Streater, Inc., 568 N.W.2d 858 (Minn.App.1997) (affirming summary judgment to employer on age discrimination claim) Education B.A., St. Olaf College (1974), Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude J.D., University of Michigan (1977), cum laude, Law Review Professional and Trade Associations ABA Labor and Employment Law Section Defense Research Institute MSBA Labor and Employment Law Section Admitted to Practice (State) Minnesota Admitted to Practice (Federal) U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. | 