Catherine F. Burgett

Member

Columbus, OH

Office Phone Number 614.559.7287 Email
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Industries

Practices

Biography

Catherine focuses her practice on the representation of both public and private employers in a broad range of labor and employment matters, including traditional labor work, employment litigation, breach of contract, and advising employers on a daily basis regarding employment issues. Catherine represents a wide variety of small, mid-size, and large employers, including those in the health care, manufacturing, logistics, technology, food service, construction, retail, and customer service industries, as well as, several public sector entities in Ohio and surrounding states.

Catherine’s labor practice includes working with public and private sector clients to:

improve labor relations
resolve labor disputes
create and assist with corporate campaigns and representation elections
help organizations stay union-free
handle unfair labor practice charges
represent companies through the labor arbitration process
negotiating collective bargaining agreements

Catherine’s employment practice includes working with public and private entities regarding:

conducting or assisting with internal investigations
discipline and discharge issues
employment litigation
wage and hour litigation
discrimination, harassment, and retaliation investigations and litigation
drafting and litigating employment contracts
working with non-compete agreements
creating and implementing corporate training programs
advising and assisting companies in negotiating the WARN Act
drafting and enforcing workplace policies

Catherine has represented companies in federal and state courts and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, among others.

Catherine also spends significant time working with her clients and advising on the many day-to-day issues that arise with employees and enjoys helping her clients successfully navigate the often-turbulent waters of human resources.

Catherine is a regular speaker on labor and employment and human resources topics, including discrimination and harassment issues, the Family Medical Leave Act, wage and hour laws, the national labor relations act, public records requests, and best employment practices. She also provides ongoing education and training to many clients, which allows employers and their staff to identify and address human resources concerns with confidence.

When not practicing law, Catherine loves spending time with her husband and daughter, working her way through her “to-be-read” stack of books, and baking bread and pastries. She also enjoys serving as a Board member for Communities in Schools of Central Ohio and COLERA, as the Co-Chair of the FBT Columbus Office Charity Committee, and as a Trustee for the Robbins Hunter Museum/Avery-Downer House in Granville, Ohio.

Other Info About Catherine

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Obtained jury verdict for employer in multiple workers’ compensation trials.

Obtained dismissal for employer in case of first impression in Ohio state court construing wage statute.

Negotiated nuisance value settlement in a case where the plaintiff had previously demanded a six figure settlement after discovery revealed adverse facts.

Successfully arbitrated contract interpretation labor dispute.

Successfully arbitrated multiple discipline and discharge arbitrations.

Successfully negotiated settlements between the parties with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Argued issue of first impression before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth District on novel issue of law.