Labor and Employment Law:
v v v v
A Career Guide v v
Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising H
v v v v v v v
arvard Law School v v
Written by: v
Kyle Edward v v
s
2011 Summer Fellow
v v
Sarah Robinson v
2010 Summer Fellow
v v
BernardvKoteenvOfficevofvP
Edited by: v
ublicvInterestvAdvisingvHar
vardvLawvSchoolvPoundv32 Catherine Pattanayak, Esq.
v v v
9 Assistant Director v
Cambridge,vMAv02139
617-495-3108 Alexa Shabecoff, Esq.
v v
Assistant Dean for Public Service
v v v v
©v2012vbyvthevPresidentvandvFellowsvofvHarvardvCollege
, Table of Contents v v
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................... 3
Chapter 1: Introduction ...................................................................................... 4
v v
Chapter 2: Issue Areas........................................................................................ 8
v v v
Chapter 3: Practice Settings ................................................................................12
v v v
Chapter 4: Work Types .......................................................................................25
v v v
Chapter 5: Planning Your Career ........................................................................29
v v v v
Chapter 6: Extracurriculars .................................................................................45
v v
Chapter 7: Personal Narratives............................................................................48
v v v
Chapter 8: Selected Organizations ......................................................................55
v v v
Chapter 9: Selected Fellowships .........................................................................73
v v v
Chapter 10: Selected Websites ............................................................................81
v v v
2
,Acknowledgements
Thisvguidevwouldvnotvhavevbeenvpossiblevwithoutvthevthoughtfulvinsightsvgatheredvthroughvnearlyv4
0vinterviewsvwithvlaborvandvemploymentvattorneys.vProfoundvthanksvarevduevtovthevfollowingvindi
vidualsvforvsharingvtheirvpersonalvstoriesvandvrichvknowledgevofvthevfield:vRobinvAlexander,vAliso
nvAsarnow,vStevevBerzon,vCathleenvCaron,vRobertvDeGregory,vElizabethvDrake,vEdwardvEitches,
vTerri vGerstein,vChuckvGilligan, vNormvGleichman,vShelleyvGregory, vAaronvHalegua, vPipervHoffm
an,vLauravJuran,vLelavKlein,vSophiavLai,vCyrusvMehri,vReNikavMoore,vClairevPrestel,vJosevRodrig
uez,vJJvRosenbaum,vSashavShapiro,vHaravSherman,vSummervSmith,vDougvStevick,vAshwinivSukth
ankar,vJudithvStarr,vJulievSu,vAnandvSwaminathan,vDanielvVail,vGraysonvWalker,vandvMichellevY
au.
WevarevparticularlyvgratefulvtovPatriciavKakelec,vGregvSchellvandvShannonvLiss-
Riordan,vforvprovidingvpersonalvnarratives,vandvtovClairevPrestelvforvbothvbeingvinterviewedvandvre
viewingvthevlaborvsectionsvofvthevguidevrespectively.
WevalsovdrewvfromvavwonderfulvpanelvpresentedvbyvthevNationalvAssociationvofvLawvPlacement’svP
ublicvServicevSectionvinvOctoberv 2011vcalledv“PuttingvavLawvDegreevtovWorkvforvWorkers:vThevNe
wvLandscapevinvLaborv&vWorkers’vRightsvCareers”vfeaturingvDovievKing,vRicardovOchoavandvLiz
avZamd.
ManyvthanksvtovProfessorvBenvSachsvforvcontributingvhisvexpertisevinvlaborvandvemploymentvlawvi
nveditingvthisvguide.vMuchvgratitudevisvduevtovCatherinevPattanayakvandvKirstenvBerminghamvforvth
eirvcarefulveditingvandvspot-
onvcomments.vFinally,vthanksvtovAlexavShabecoffvforvenvisioningvthisvguidevandvseeingvitvthroughv
tovthevfinishvwithvthoughtfulveditingvandvsupervision.
3
, 1
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION
Therevisvsomethingvfundamentalvtovavperson’svidentityvaboutvwork.v“People’svjobsvarevtheirv lives,”v
saysvClairevPrestelv’02,vavstaffvattorneyvforvPublicvJusticevwhovpreviouslyvworkedvforvthevServicev
EmployeesvInternationalvUnionv(SEIU)vandvthevlaborvandvcivilvrightsvfirmvAltshulervBerzon.v“Itvgi
vesvyouvyourvsensevofvwhovyouvarevasvavperson,vyourvsensevthatvyouvarevcontributingvtovsociety.vAny
onevwhovhasvbeenvlaidvoffvorvspentvavperiodvofvtimevinvoluntarilyvunemployedvknowsvhowvbadvthatv
feels.”vWorkvallowsvusvtovpayvthevbills,vbutvisvalsovavfundamentalvoutletvthroughvwhichvwevexpressv
ourselvesvtovthevbroadervcommunity.vWorkvdefinesvourvdailyvschedulevandvalsovshapesvourvfutureva
spirations.
Itvfollowsvthatvworkplacevissues,vwhichvexistvinvallvregionsvandvsectorsvacrossvthevworld,varevoftenv
microcosmsvofvlargervcommunityvproblems.vShelleyvGregoryv’01,vformerlyvSeniorvStaffvAttorney
vatvthevLegalvAidvSocietyvEmploymentvLawvCenter,vnotesvthat,v“Peoplevbringvallvofvtheirvideas,vthei
rvbeliefs,vtheirvperceptions,vandvtheirvwaysvofvmakingvsensevofvthevworldvintovtheirvworkplacevwithv
them.”vShevgoesvonvtovexplainvthat,v“Ourvworkplacesvarevmuchvmorevregulatedvthanvourvhomes.vTh
erevisvavlotvthatvgoesvonvinvthevworkplacevthatvreallyvhasvavseriousveffectvonvpeople’svlives.”vAsvavres
ult,vworkingvinvlaborvandvemploymentvlawvenablesvlawyersvtovmakevavnoticeablevandvwidespreadvd
ifferencevinvsociety.vThisvguidevwillvintroducevyouvtovsomevofvthevopportunitiesvthatvcanvhelpvyouvb
uildvavlasting,vrewardingvcareervinvthisvfield.
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW: AN OVERVIEW
v v v v v
Laborvlawvhasvtraditionallyvencompassedvthevrelationshipsvamongvunions,vemployers,vandvemploy
ees.vLaborvlawsvgrantvemployeesvinvcertainvsectorsvthevrightvtovunionizevandvallowvemployersvandve
mployeesvtovengagevinvcertainvworkplace-
relatedvactivitiesv(forvexample,vstrikesvandvlockouts)vinvordervtovfurthervtheirvdemandsvforvchangesv
invthevemployer-employeevrelationship.
Employmentvlaw,vonvthevothervhand,visvdefinedvmorevbroadlyvasvthevnegotiatedvrelationshipsvbetwe
envemployersvandvemployees.vAlthoughvemploymentvlawyersvdealvwithvmanyvofvthevsamevpartiesva
svlaborvlawyersv(i.e.,vworkersvandvcompanies),vtheyvconventionallyvaddressvissuesvthatv fallvoutsidev
thevframeworkvofvunion-
managementvrelationsvandvcollectivevbargaining.vAsvavresult,vthevextentvtovwhichvstatutesvorvregulat
ionsvpertainvtovunionsvandvunion-
workersvusuallyvdeterminesvwhethervorvnotvtheyvarevregardedvasvcomponentsvofv“laborvlaw”vorv“em
ploymentvlaw.”
Givenvthevdistinguishablevsetvofvissuesvencompassedvinveachvfield,vlaborvlawvandvemploymentvlawvr
emainvdiscretevareasvofvpractice.vHowever,vthesevtwovfieldsvhave,vovervtime,vbecomev increasinglyv
symbiotic.vCareersvinveithervfieldvcanvinvolvevbothvlaborvandvemploymentvlawvquestions.vThisvguid
evwillvgivevyouvavbettervsensevofvthevmajorvdifferencesvbetweenvthevtwovareasvsovthatvyouvarevbetterv
ablevtovdefinevyourvparticularvinterests.
Thevlaborvandvemploymentvlawvfieldsvarevconstantlyvevolving.vSincevworkplacesvoftenvchangevfast
ervthanvthevlawsvthatvgovernvthem,vattorneysvmustvregularlyvrethinkvhowvthesevfieldsvshould
4
v v v v
A Career Guide v v
Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising H
v v v v v v v
arvard Law School v v
Written by: v
Kyle Edward v v
s
2011 Summer Fellow
v v
Sarah Robinson v
2010 Summer Fellow
v v
BernardvKoteenvOfficevofvP
Edited by: v
ublicvInterestvAdvisingvHar
vardvLawvSchoolvPoundv32 Catherine Pattanayak, Esq.
v v v
9 Assistant Director v
Cambridge,vMAv02139
617-495-3108 Alexa Shabecoff, Esq.
v v
Assistant Dean for Public Service
v v v v
©v2012vbyvthevPresidentvandvFellowsvofvHarvardvCollege
, Table of Contents v v
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................... 3
Chapter 1: Introduction ...................................................................................... 4
v v
Chapter 2: Issue Areas........................................................................................ 8
v v v
Chapter 3: Practice Settings ................................................................................12
v v v
Chapter 4: Work Types .......................................................................................25
v v v
Chapter 5: Planning Your Career ........................................................................29
v v v v
Chapter 6: Extracurriculars .................................................................................45
v v
Chapter 7: Personal Narratives............................................................................48
v v v
Chapter 8: Selected Organizations ......................................................................55
v v v
Chapter 9: Selected Fellowships .........................................................................73
v v v
Chapter 10: Selected Websites ............................................................................81
v v v
2
,Acknowledgements
Thisvguidevwouldvnotvhavevbeenvpossiblevwithoutvthevthoughtfulvinsightsvgatheredvthroughvnearlyv4
0vinterviewsvwithvlaborvandvemploymentvattorneys.vProfoundvthanksvarevduevtovthevfollowingvindi
vidualsvforvsharingvtheirvpersonalvstoriesvandvrichvknowledgevofvthevfield:vRobinvAlexander,vAliso
nvAsarnow,vStevevBerzon,vCathleenvCaron,vRobertvDeGregory,vElizabethvDrake,vEdwardvEitches,
vTerri vGerstein,vChuckvGilligan, vNormvGleichman,vShelleyvGregory, vAaronvHalegua, vPipervHoffm
an,vLauravJuran,vLelavKlein,vSophiavLai,vCyrusvMehri,vReNikavMoore,vClairevPrestel,vJosevRodrig
uez,vJJvRosenbaum,vSashavShapiro,vHaravSherman,vSummervSmith,vDougvStevick,vAshwinivSukth
ankar,vJudithvStarr,vJulievSu,vAnandvSwaminathan,vDanielvVail,vGraysonvWalker,vandvMichellevY
au.
WevarevparticularlyvgratefulvtovPatriciavKakelec,vGregvSchellvandvShannonvLiss-
Riordan,vforvprovidingvpersonalvnarratives,vandvtovClairevPrestelvforvbothvbeingvinterviewedvandvre
viewingvthevlaborvsectionsvofvthevguidevrespectively.
WevalsovdrewvfromvavwonderfulvpanelvpresentedvbyvthevNationalvAssociationvofvLawvPlacement’svP
ublicvServicevSectionvinvOctoberv 2011vcalledv“PuttingvavLawvDegreevtovWorkvforvWorkers:vThevNe
wvLandscapevinvLaborv&vWorkers’vRightsvCareers”vfeaturingvDovievKing,vRicardovOchoavandvLiz
avZamd.
ManyvthanksvtovProfessorvBenvSachsvforvcontributingvhisvexpertisevinvlaborvandvemploymentvlawvi
nveditingvthisvguide.vMuchvgratitudevisvduevtovCatherinevPattanayakvandvKirstenvBerminghamvforvth
eirvcarefulveditingvandvspot-
onvcomments.vFinally,vthanksvtovAlexavShabecoffvforvenvisioningvthisvguidevandvseeingvitvthroughv
tovthevfinishvwithvthoughtfulveditingvandvsupervision.
3
, 1
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION
Therevisvsomethingvfundamentalvtovavperson’svidentityvaboutvwork.v“People’svjobsvarevtheirv lives,”v
saysvClairevPrestelv’02,vavstaffvattorneyvforvPublicvJusticevwhovpreviouslyvworkedvforvthevServicev
EmployeesvInternationalvUnionv(SEIU)vandvthevlaborvandvcivilvrightsvfirmvAltshulervBerzon.v“Itvgi
vesvyouvyourvsensevofvwhovyouvarevasvavperson,vyourvsensevthatvyouvarevcontributingvtovsociety.vAny
onevwhovhasvbeenvlaidvoffvorvspentvavperiodvofvtimevinvoluntarilyvunemployedvknowsvhowvbadvthatv
feels.”vWorkvallowsvusvtovpayvthevbills,vbutvisvalsovavfundamentalvoutletvthroughvwhichvwevexpressv
ourselvesvtovthevbroadervcommunity.vWorkvdefinesvourvdailyvschedulevandvalsovshapesvourvfutureva
spirations.
Itvfollowsvthatvworkplacevissues,vwhichvexistvinvallvregionsvandvsectorsvacrossvthevworld,varevoftenv
microcosmsvofvlargervcommunityvproblems.vShelleyvGregoryv’01,vformerlyvSeniorvStaffvAttorney
vatvthevLegalvAidvSocietyvEmploymentvLawvCenter,vnotesvthat,v“Peoplevbringvallvofvtheirvideas,vthei
rvbeliefs,vtheirvperceptions,vandvtheirvwaysvofvmakingvsensevofvthevworldvintovtheirvworkplacevwithv
them.”vShevgoesvonvtovexplainvthat,v“Ourvworkplacesvarevmuchvmorevregulatedvthanvourvhomes.vTh
erevisvavlotvthatvgoesvonvinvthevworkplacevthatvreallyvhasvavseriousveffectvonvpeople’svlives.”vAsvavres
ult,vworkingvinvlaborvandvemploymentvlawvenablesvlawyersvtovmakevavnoticeablevandvwidespreadvd
ifferencevinvsociety.vThisvguidevwillvintroducevyouvtovsomevofvthevopportunitiesvthatvcanvhelpvyouvb
uildvavlasting,vrewardingvcareervinvthisvfield.
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW: AN OVERVIEW
v v v v v
Laborvlawvhasvtraditionallyvencompassedvthevrelationshipsvamongvunions,vemployers,vandvemploy
ees.vLaborvlawsvgrantvemployeesvinvcertainvsectorsvthevrightvtovunionizevandvallowvemployersvandve
mployeesvtovengagevinvcertainvworkplace-
relatedvactivitiesv(forvexample,vstrikesvandvlockouts)vinvordervtovfurthervtheirvdemandsvforvchangesv
invthevemployer-employeevrelationship.
Employmentvlaw,vonvthevothervhand,visvdefinedvmorevbroadlyvasvthevnegotiatedvrelationshipsvbetwe
envemployersvandvemployees.vAlthoughvemploymentvlawyersvdealvwithvmanyvofvthevsamevpartiesva
svlaborvlawyersv(i.e.,vworkersvandvcompanies),vtheyvconventionallyvaddressvissuesvthatv fallvoutsidev
thevframeworkvofvunion-
managementvrelationsvandvcollectivevbargaining.vAsvavresult,vthevextentvtovwhichvstatutesvorvregulat
ionsvpertainvtovunionsvandvunion-
workersvusuallyvdeterminesvwhethervorvnotvtheyvarevregardedvasvcomponentsvofv“laborvlaw”vorv“em
ploymentvlaw.”
Givenvthevdistinguishablevsetvofvissuesvencompassedvinveachvfield,vlaborvlawvandvemploymentvlawvr
emainvdiscretevareasvofvpractice.vHowever,vthesevtwovfieldsvhave,vovervtime,vbecomev increasinglyv
symbiotic.vCareersvinveithervfieldvcanvinvolvevbothvlaborvandvemploymentvlawvquestions.vThisvguid
evwillvgivevyouvavbettervsensevofvthevmajorvdifferencesvbetweenvthevtwovareasvsovthatvyouvarevbetterv
ablevtovdefinevyourvparticularvinterests.
Thevlaborvandvemploymentvlawvfieldsvarevconstantlyvevolving.vSincevworkplacesvoftenvchangevfast
ervthanvthevlawsvthatvgovernvthem,vattorneysvmustvregularlyvrethinkvhowvthesevfieldsvshould
4
