Kathleen M. Connelly

Kathleen Connelly, a partner in the firm's Labor & Employment practice group, concentrates her practice in Employment Law. She has more than 30 years of experience representing employers and individual members of management in both the private and public sectors.

Kathleen regularly provides employers with practical and cost-effective preventative counseling on a wide array of employment matters. Her preventative counseling focuses on assisting clients to make legally-compliant employment decisions that advance management objectives and avoid or reduce litigation risks.

Her substantive legal advice under state and federal employment laws includes employee hiring, discharge and discipline; managing employee leaves of absence; avoiding and responding to unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation in the workplace; reasonable workplace accommodations for disabled employees; reasonable accommodations for religious beliefs; drug and alcohol testing; employee monitoring and privacy rights in the workplace; employee benefits; protected whistle-blower activities by employees; reductions in force and plant closings; severance packages and general releases; individual employment agreements; wage and hour compliance; personnel file management and record keeping requirements; and other related matters.

Kathleen has successfully represented employers and members of management in all aspects of proceedings in state and federal courts, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and administrative agencies involving claims of unlawful harassment and discrimination; wrongful discharge; breach of contract; whistleblower retaliation; failure to provide reasonable accommodation; civil rights violations; violation of non-compete agreements; violation of leave rights; wage and hour compliance; and other employment claims.

Kathleen’s appellate practice includes several appearances before the New Jersey Appellate Division. Kathleen has also resolved lawsuits and administrative charges in an effective, cost-efficient manner consistent with our clients’ financial and strategic objectives.

Kathleen regularly provides counsel to clients conducting internal investigations into allegations of sexual harassment or other forms of workplace misconduct. Kathleen is frequently retained by public and private sector employers to conduct internal investigations into allegations of harassment and workplace misconduct and to provide reports of findings and recommendations for further action. Kathleen has conducted more than 100 workplace investigations, including allegations of wrongdoing by executive employees, members of hospital medical staffs and board members.

Kathleen regularly prepares comprehensive, legally compliant employee handbooks and policies uniquely customized to the employer’s industry, business practices and workforce.

Kathleen routinely provides management and staff training for our clients in all aspects of employment law compliance, including workplace harassment, discrimination and retaliation avoidance; managing leaves of absence and return to duty issues; conducting performance evaluations; implementing employee discipline; monitoring employee electronic communications.

• 2020 US Regional Employment Law and Practice in New Jersey, Chambers and Partners
• 2019 USA Regional Employment Law and Practice in New Jersey, Chambers and Partners
• #MeToo: What's an Employer to Do?
  
• Employers: Prepare to Reclassify Employees, New Jersey Law Journal, July 20, 2015