Profile
Thomas is chair of the firm's labor and employment law department and a member of the firm’s management committee. He exclusively represents private and public sector management in labor relations, employment law and immigration matters.
For more than 25 years, Thomas' national practice has included defense of employment discrimination claims before the EEOC, State Human Rights agencies and in state and federal courts, and the representation of employers in collective bargaining negotiations, strikes and picketing disputes, labor arbitrations, NLRB unfair labor practice and election proceedings, 10(j) injunction actions, labor audits, workplace investigations and employee/independent contractor disputes. He counsels public sector clients on Civil Service Law matters, and represents municipalities and school districts in labor matters, including improper practice proceedings, mediation, fact finding and interest arbitration under New York's Taylor Law.
Thomas supports his clients with employment law counseling, training, handbook and policy development and litigation avoidance strategies in partnership with their human resource managers, executives and general counsel. He also advises employers on harassment issues, disability law and FMLA compliance.
Thomas represents employers that participate in multi-employer benefit pension plans throughout the United States including: (i) defense of delinquent contribution actions under ERISA; (ii) MPPAA withdrawal liability disputes and arbitrations; and (iii) counseling on merger and acquisition issues involving MPPAA withdrawal liability and 4204 asset sales.
Thomas has also served as the co-chair of the firm's immigration law practice and represents management in the employment and retention of foreign national employees. His immigration law practice focuses on employment-based applications and petitions (particularly non-immigrant work visas and permanent residency), and related labor condition and certification applications for employers with foreign national employees working in the United States. Thomas counsels human resource managers on employment authorization, E-Verify, I-9 compliance issues and Social Security no-match investigations. He represents employers facing audits and enforcement actions by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Labor and the Department of Justice.
