Valerie J. Bluth is a member of the Labor & Employment practice group. Ms. Bluth’s labor and employment practice is wide-ranging, as she guides businesses on employment-related issues from employee onboarding through post-termination disputes.
In that regard, Ms. Bluth regularly advises clients regarding employment discrimination and harassment, wage and hour compliance, employment policies and practices, unemployment insurance and Workers’ Compensation claims, internal investigations, reasonable accommodations, leave of absence management, terminations and disciplinary actions, labor-management relations, grievance processing, collective bargaining agreement interpretation and application, alternative dispute resolution and a variety of other workplace issues, including for clients with operations in multiple states and in connection with corporate transactions. Ms. Bluth also routinely drafts employment, restrictive covenant and non-disclosure agreements as well as employment policies and employee handbooks, and develops and presents training programs for managers and staff regarding various principles of workplace law.
Additionally, an experienced litigator, Ms. Bluth defends employers against all types of employment claims asserted in federal and state courts, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings. She also represents clients in traditional labor matters, including labor arbitrations and National Labor Relations Board proceedings.
Ms. Bluth has represented and advised both small businesses and large corporations, in both unionized and non-unionized settings, in the hospitality, security, financial services, startup, real estate, analytics, advertising, publishing, automotive, retail, information technology, performing and visual arts, construction, luxury brand, cosmetics, journalism, and healthcare industries, among others, as well as in the nonprofit, education and municipal sectors.
Above all, Ms. Bluth works tirelessly to ensure clients are in compliance with an ever-changing landscape of federal, state and local employment laws, especially with respect to pay practices and employment policies, and to devise practical solutions for any employment problems that might arise.
Ms. Bluth is also a regular speaker on employment-related topics at hospitality industry webinars and has served as a panelist for employment-related CLE classes.
Ms. Bluth received her Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and her Juris Doctor degree from Fordham Law School. Ms. Bluth is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, as well as the United States District Courts for the Southern District of New York, Eastern District of New York, and District of New Jersey.