A Trusted Advisor to Employers
Private and public sector employers turn to Sharon for a broad range of human-resource related issues, including:
- hiring and termination of employees
- leaves of absence
- workplace investigations
- disciplinary matters
Sharon regularly reviews and drafts:
- job applications
- offer letters
- employee handbooks
- personnel policies
- employment agreements
- severance agreements
She counsels management-side clients on personnel matters to ensure legal compliance with Massachusetts and federal employment laws, including:
- Fair Labor Standards Act
- Family and Medical Leave Act
- Americans With Disabilities Act
- Massachusetts wage and hour laws
A Skilled Negotiator on Your Side Makes All the Difference
Sharon has particular expertise in the area of collective bargaining and has successfully negotiated many contracts with unions representing police officers, firefighters, teachers, and other public sector bargaining unit employees. She represents clients through the grievance and arbitration process and defends them against unfair labor practice charges before the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations.
School Matters
In addition, school districts rely on Sharon for guidance on education-related matters and general governance issues, including:
- student discipline
- student handbooks
- student records
- professional licensing requirements
- non-renewal of teachers without professional teacher status
- Open Meeting Law and executive session requirements
- Conflict of Interest Law
- Public Records Law
- University of Maine School of Law JD (1993)
- College of the Holy Cross BA (1987)
- Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court for Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Council of School Attorneys
- National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys
- American Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Worcester County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section; co-chair, Labor and Employment Law Section, 2006-2007
Presentations
Sharon has given presentations on the Fair Labor Standards Act, employer record keeping and retention, the contingent workforce, conducting investigations in the workplace, vicarious employer liability for unlawful harassment by supervisors, employee handbooks, the hiring and firing process, privacy in the workplace, discipline of teachers and other school personnel, and student discipline.
Publications
- “OCR Issues New Fact Sheet on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Activities Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, February 8, 2023
- “Recent Court Decision Clarifies the Massachusetts Independent Contractor Law Does Not Apply to Public Employers,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, September 26, 2022
- “Recent Federal Court Case Changes Rules on Authority Over Voluntary Transfers,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, June 21, 2022
- “U.S. Department of Education Announces Timeline for Revisions to Title IX Regulations,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, December 14, 2021
- “Juneteenth and the School Year Calendar,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, May 4, 2021
- “Extended Closure due to COVID-19 Raises Multiple Issues for Schools,” Mirick O’Connell Client Alert, March 30, 2020
She has published a number of articles for the newsletter of the Human Resources Management Association for Central Massachusetts, including the following:
- “U.S. Department of Labor Reminds Employers: Military Service Counts toward FMLA Eligibility”
- “Employer Obligations With Respect to Military Leave”
- “Non-Union Employees’ Rights at Investigatory Interviews”
- “Investigating Complaints of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace”
- “Recent Amendments to the Massachusetts Wage Enforcement Laws”
- “The New EEO-1 Reporting Requirements and Their Impact on Data Collection by Employers”
- “Same-Sex Marriage and What It Means for Employers in Massachusetts”
- “Burden of Proof Shifts to Employers in Age Discrimination Cases”
- Represented clients in wage and hour investigations by Attorney General’s Office
- Successfully defended municipality at Department of Labor Relations against unfair labor practice charge by police union alleging failure to bargain in good faith
- Obtained lack of probable cause finding from MCAD against police officer’s claim of discrimination based on disability and military status
- Obtained dismissal from Department of Labor Relations of unfair labor practice charge by union alleging school district denied employee access to union representation during investigatory process
- Obtained dismissal from MCAD of claim by teacher alleging discrimination on basis of age
- Represented school districts in investigations by US Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights against allegations of discrimination on basis of disability
- Oversaw Title IX complaint and investigation process for public school client
- Conducted workplace investigations involving allegations of employee misconduct
- Negotiated numerous collective bargaining agreements on behalf of public sector clients
- Represented public sector clients in employee termination hearings
- Represented public and private sector clients in protracted negotiations involving employee separations
