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Thomas C. Garretson
Partner, Chicago Office
ph: 312.332.7760
Practice Areas: Employee Benefits, Labor & Employment, Municipal Law
Thomas C. Garretson
Tom advises and counsels employers in the public and private sectors in all areas of labor and employment law, including workplace investigations, disciplinary action, leaves and accommodation requests, contract disputes, wage and hour issues, and general human resources compliance. Tom has significant experience working closely with management in traditional labor matters, including union organizing, collective bargaining and contract negotiations, grievances, and unfair labor practices. Tom also defends employers in state/federal court and before administrative agencies involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and breach of contract.
Prior to joining Robbins Schwartz, Tom worked as a labor relations attorney 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
- “Best Practices for Responding to Harassment and Discrimination Complaints,” IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference, January 2023
- “Navigating Payroll Laws – Wages and Recordkeeping Requirements,” IASBO Bookkeepers Conference, March 2023
- “Nuts & Bolts of Arbitration,” Chicago-Kent Public Sector Labor Law Conference, December 2022
- “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
- Mandatory Paid Leave for Employees Coming to Illinois in 2024, Employment & Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2023)
- Illinois Supreme Court – Federal Labor Law Preempts BIPA Claims Brought by Union Employees, Employment & Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2023)
- Illinois Imposes New Pay Transparency Requirements on Employers, Employment & Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2023)
- Illinois Department of Labor Adopts New Expense Reimbursement Rules for Employers, Employment & Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2023)
- Seventh Circuit: Illinois Whistleblower Act Does Not Protect Those Asserting Violation of Another State’s Laws, Employment & Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2022)
- Amendments to ODRISA Impose New Requirements on Illinois Employers, Employment & Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2022)
- First District Appellate Court Concludes Personnel Record Review Act Does Not Require Employers To Provide Copies of Records to Employee’s Legal Representative, Employment & Labor Law Flashpoints, IICLE (2022)
- 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)