This one-hour program will address two trending topics in Florida labor and employment law that stand to increase the risk of employee litigation:
i. Important policy considerations to avoid discrimination claims in the new remote work environment.
ii. The new “Florida Individual Freedom Act,” which went into effect on July 1, 2022, and which expands the definition of “discrimination” under the Florida Civil Rights Act to include certain mandatory employee diversity, equity and inclusion training concepts.
Presenter Bios
Jay Thornton has been litigating complex banking, employment and general commercial litigation matters for nearly 20 years. He has first chair jury and non-jury trial experience in the state and federal courts on behalf of large institutional clients.
Jay focuses on complex banking litigation; including class actions, disputes relating to general retail bank operations, wire and check processing claims, creditor rights, UCC Art. III and IV claims, Fair Credit Billing Act, real estate litigation, mortgage fraud and title insurance disputes, fraudulent transfer act litigation, and commercial loan enforcement, workouts and foreclosures. His complex commercial litigation experience includes contract disputes; deceptive and unfair trade practices claims, right of publicity actions; defamation, civil theft, fraud, civil RICO and all other business torts; IP litigation, eminent domain and inverse condemnation, and the defense of accessibility discrimination claims under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Jay also has significant experience in the prosecution and defense of civil trade secret theft and misappropriation claims, and the enforcement and defense of noncompetition agreements and other restrictive covenants. Jay has handled many preliminary injunction proceedings relating to such matters in the state and federal courts, typically on an expedited basis.
Jay also has first chair jury trial experience representing management in labor and employment disputes. He has deep experience defending employers against race, age, gender, sex, pregnancy, religious, and disability discrimination, harassment/hostile work environment, and retaliation claims brought under Title VII and/or the Florida Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and federal and state "whistle-blower" statutes, and wage and hour claims brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Christina Olivos litigates complex commercial, employment, and product liability matters as an associate in the firm’s Global Commercial Disputes group.
Christina has extensive experience representing financial institutions, investors, and corporations in litigating contract, property, and real estate claims, disputes over commercial and consumer transactions, and alleged violations of state and federal statutes such as the FCCPA, FCRA, FDCPA, FLSA, and TCPA.
In the world of healthcare, Christina maintains an active practice advising medical device manufacturers in product liability litigation. Her experience includes defending manufacturers in mass tort litigation and individual lawsuits involving women’s health, neurological, and cardiac products and providing counsel on a range of issues including preemption, fraud allegations, and punitive damages claims.
Christina also counsels clients through employment issues including development of employee handbooks and effective workplace policies, investigation, discipline, and compliance matters. She represents clients in wage and hour, discrimination, and retaliation disputes in both federal and state court. Christina also advises clients on accessibility issues related to Title III of the ADA.
As a member of Reed Smith’s international litigation and arbitration team, Christina also has experience with a range of international law issues including jurisdiction, forum non conveniens, discovery, and enforcem
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