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Manufacturing

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At FordHarrison, our Manufacturing Practice Group delivers industry-specific labor and employment counsel to manufacturers across the United States.

Representing management exclusively, we provide comprehensive legal support to employers navigating complex workforce issues in highly regulated and operationally intensive environments. Across all sectors, our team brings extensive experience in:

  • Union relations, avoidance, and collective bargaining; 
  • Workplace safety and OSHA defense; 
  • Employment litigation and class/collective actions; 
  • Wage and hour compliance (including audits and litigation defense); 
  • Workforce restructuring and reductions-in-force; and 
  • Policy development, training, and investigations.

With a national platform and deep industry insight, our Manufacturing Practice Group serves as a trusted partner to employers seeking to stay ahead of legal risk while maintaining a productive and compliant workforce. We serve clients across a broad range of manufacturing sub-sectors, each with unique legal and operational challenges. Our team brings a deep understanding of these industries, offering practical, business-focused solutions that align employment strategy with long-term growth and compliance goals.

Apparel Manufacturing
In the fast-paced world of apparel manufacturing, we help clients address high-turnover labor forces, wage and hour compliance, workplace safety, and contractor/employee classification. We support clients in managing seasonal and contingent workforces, minimizing joint employer risks, and developing compliant pay practices under federal and state wage laws, including FLSA and California labor codes.

Automotive Manufacturing
Automotive manufacturers rely on our experience with large-scale unionized workforces, plant closures and relocations, and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) proceedings. We counsel clients on workforce planning, collective bargaining, vendor and supplier labor risks, and managing employment issues during retooling, automation, and transitions to electric vehicle production.

Aerospace Manufacturing
We advise aerospace manufacturers on a range of issues including defense contracting compliance (OFCCP and affirmative action obligations), government-mandated workforce reporting, and security-clearance related employment matters. Our team also handles union negotiations, high-level executive disputes, and multistate compliance for global supply chain operations.

Chemical Manufacturing
We support chemical manufacturers with OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) compliance, hazardous workplace protocols, and union avoidance strategies. Our attorneys also assist with managing risk under OSHA, handling whistleblower claims, and addressing discrimination and retaliation allegations tied to safety reporting.

Defense Manufacturing
Serving defense contractors and manufacturers, we advise on compliance with federal labor regulations, security clearance concerns, and affirmative action obligations under Executive Order 11246. We help clients respond to DOL audits, manage complex labor relations issues in highly regulated environments, and ensure compliance with government contract employment requirements.

Electrical Equipment Manufacturing
We counsel electrical equipment manufacturers on workforce restructuring, facility consolidations, and managing labor relations in union and non-union environments. Our team handles issues related to cross-border labor challenges, classification of technicians and installers, and emerging risks tied to energy transition and smart grid technologies.

Electronics Manufacturing
In the electronics sector, we address challenges including misclassification of tech workers, trade secret protection in R&D environments, and compliance with rapidly changing wage and hour laws. We also assist with employment issues tied to outsourcing, component manufacturing, and supply chain integration, including labor standards monitoring.

Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
For fabricated metal product manufacturers, we provide guidance on workforce training programs, safety compliance, and managing workforces across multiple shifts and facilities. We also defend against EEOC charges and OSHA citations, advise on collective bargaining, and support clients through mergers, acquisitions, and facility expansions.

Food and Beverage Manufacturing
In this highly regulated and labor-intensive sector, we advise on workforce immigration issues, union organizing, compliance with labor laws, and responding to Department of Labor (DOL) investigations. We also provide guidance on managing multilingual workforces, implementing workplace policies, and defending wage and hour class actions.

If you would like us to prepare a proposal to assist your company with your labor and employment law needs, please contact clientservice@fordharrison.com.

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  • Successfully represented manufacturer before the Connecticut Supreme Court in obtaining reversal of $2 million award in a trades secrets claim.

  • Won a final judgement in favor of a major automobile manufacturer in Indiana federal district court, defeating multiple claims asserted under the ADA.

  • Successfully tried a federal jury trial in the Southern District of Alabama for a large manufacturing client in a sex discrimination lawsuit. The jury returned a verdict for employer.

  • Obtained summary judgment on an age discrimination claim and state law claim under public policy retaliation in a very contentious matter for a manufacturing client.

  • Represented manufacturer (Ohio) in contract renewal negotiations which resulted in three month strike. Provided legal advice to employer on hiring of permanent replacements and return of crossover employees. Obtained significant economic and language concessions. Defended employer from ULP charges.

  • Represented consumer product manufacturer (California) in successful contract renewal negotiations.

  • Negotiated plant closing agreement at unionized facility.

  • Prevailed by a better than 2:1 margin in an NLRB administered representation election on behalf of a major paper manufacturer.

  • Counseled manufacturing employer in successfully concluding its relationship with a union when moving to a new facility.

  • Obtained summary judgment for manufacturing employer in multi-plaintiff sex harassment case.

  • Obtained defense jury verdict in an age discrimination case under the ADEA for a large national manufacturing company.

  • Obtained summary judgment on all claims filed by two plaintiffs in two related lawsuits alleging race discrimination against a manufacturing client. These two victories were affirmed by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

  • Obtained summary judgment in favor of an international agricultural products manufacturer in an employee misclassification collective action under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

  • Defense verdict in a reverse discrimination case on behalf of an oil company in Dallas County, Texas.

  • Drafted successful summary judgment motion for Fortune 500 chemical manufacturer against claims of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation and FMLA interference/retaliation brought by former employee.

  • Defended pet food manufacturer in wage and hour audit by the U.S. Department of Labor. Through negotiations with the DOL investigator, successfully reduced the scope of the audit from a multi-year, nationwide audit to a review of the pay practices at a single facility over just a few months.

  • Represented global manufacturing company and obtained permanent injunctive relief in a case involving violation of proprietary information agreements by former employees.

  • Conducted internal Form I-9 audit for several large, multi-state employers with manufacturing facilities across the country and provided I-9 training for human resource personnel.