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Thomas C. Garretson
Tom counsels employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including internal misconduct investigations, disciplinary action, labor relations, collective bargaining, and federal and state employment discrimination matters under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Illinois Human Rights Act, Title VII, and other federal and state anti-discrimination and wage laws. Tom represents employers in a variety of venues, including federal/state courts, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, and federal/state labor boards.
Prior to joining Robbins Schwartz, Tom worked in Labor Relations for the Cook County Health System. During law school, Tom interned with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Enforcement Unit.
Education
- J.D., Chicago-Kent College of Law
- B.A., with honors, Michigan State University
Admitted to Practice
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- Supreme Court of Illinois
Organizations
- Chicago Bar Association
Recent Publications
- “Seventh Circuit Certifies Question to Illinois Supreme Court Regarding When BIPA Claim Accrues” Employment and Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2021)
- “Get off my Property: SCOTUS Limits Union Access to Employer Premises,” Employment and Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2021)
- “Recent Department of Labor Opinion Letters: Pay for Training and Travel,” Employment and Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2021)
- “Seventh Circuit: Jury, Not Judges, Must Decide Coach’s Sex Discrimination Claim,” Employment and Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2020)
- “Unions Strike Back Through Amendments to Illinois Public Labor Acts,” Employment and Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2020)
- “Heading Into the New Year with New Employment Laws,” Employment and Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (January 2019)
Recent Presentations
- Never a Dull Moment – Case Studies and Tales from HR, IASPA Annual Conference (January 2022)
- Updates from the Department of Human Rights, IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference (January 2022)
- The Nuts and Bolts of Employee Leave Rights Under the FMLA, ADA, and Illinois Law, IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference (January 2022)
- Mid-Term and Successor Bargaining Trends Post-COVID-19, IASA Legal Workshop (December 2021)
- Employee Misconduct Investigations and Discipline During a Pandemic, IASPA Annual Conference (January 2021)
- Is it ADA, FMLA, or Other Leave? Navigating the Murky Waters of Employee Leave Benefits, IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference (January 2020)
- Updates from the DOL: New Developments for FMLA, FLSA, and IWPCA, IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference (January 2020)