January 10, 2023

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Eastern

Personnel - Employment Law Challenges in the New Normal

Municipal employers are facing a variety of challenges in the post-pandemic, new normal workplace.  This especially is the case with the advent of what is termed “long COVID,” which has been defined as “new, recurring or ongoing health problems” experienced at least four months after infection with the COVID-19 virus.

This program, presented by Jonathan R. Mook, will address the extent of long COVID among working age Americans and its economic impact as well as the legal ramifications for municipal employers.  Whether long COVID is a disability and the right of COVID-19 long haulers to reasonable accommodations, including telework, under the Americans with Disabilities Act will be discussed.

Jonathan also will discuss the new composition of the EEOC and its initiatives in the areas of artificial intelligence, caregiver discrimination and LGBT rights. Special attention will be given to the Commission’s focus on mental health and substance abuse disorders and the ADA protections for employees who are taking prescription medication to address addiction.

Speakers: Jonathan Mook and Robin Cross

Jonathan Mook is a nationally recognized practitioner in employment law and has written two treatises : Americans with Disabilities Act: Employee Rights and Employer Obligations and Americans with Disabilities Act: Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities, both published by LexisNexis. He represents employers and businesses on matters relating to employment law, business torts and business disputes.

Mr. Mook frequently counsels employers on issues involving compliance with the ADA and accommodating disabled employees, as well as other employment related matters. Mr. Mook is a member of the Editorial Board of Bender’s Labor & Employment Bulletin and a co-editor of the Mid-Atlantic Employment Law Letter. He also is a regular contributor to several legal publications, including Employment Law 360. He is included in Best Lawyers in America (2022 ed.) for employment law.

Mr. Mook is a member of the Virginia and District of Columbia Bars, and is a member of the Labor & Employment Law Section of the District of Columbia Bar and has been a member of the Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities. He earned his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.     

 

Roberta "Robin" Cross is an attorney with Messer, Fort, McDonald, PLLC, a full-service municipal firm, assisting cities with their legal issues, from Annexations to Zoning, having offices in Frisco, Austin and Abilene, Texas.  She has over twenty years’ experience advising and representing local governments and was recognized as an IMLA Fellow in 2013. She has worked as in-house counsel for a statewide police labor union and as a trial attorney for the EEOC. She is licensed to practice in Texas and is admitted to all of its federal courts, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.  She is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She has served as President of IMLA’s Personnel Section since 2018, which led to her being awarded the William I. Thornton, Jr. IMLA Faculty Award in 2021.