Rick has more than two decades of working with private and public sector employers in all areas of labor relations. He represents a broad range of clients in collective bargaining, arbitration, contract interpretation, drafting and application of employment policies and handbooks, and positive employee relations strategies. He frequently represents clients in representational matters and unfair labor practice charge proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board and state bodies such as the Michigan Employment Relations Commission. He advises clients in all aspects of labor and employment law, including matters arising under the National Labor Relations Act, Family Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, state labor and employment laws, and responding to allegations of discrimination and harassment. Rick also represents educational institutions, including institutions of higher education, in labor and employment matters.
Rick is a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certified Senior Professional and was the director of employee relations at a large Big Ten university where he was a member of the human resources executive team. He also served as chief negotiator and was responsible for labor and employee relations matters, including staff employee discipline, the ADA accommodation process, assisting in the response to claims of discrimination and harassment, and unemployment claims processing. He also served as the Interim Associate Vice President for Human Resources for 10 months.
Rick is a recognized authority on labor and employment law. He conducts frequent training and presentations. He is the immediate past president of the Michigan Public Employer Labor Relations Association.
