Calendar of Events

Presented by Stefan Mecke, JD, MBA, SHRM-SCP, SPHR 
Barber & Bartz

Bullying has been a major topic of discussion in school settings but not as talked about in workplace settings, despite the fact that the same type of bullying behavior exhibited in schoolyards and secondary schools is exhibited in the workplace. Some employers and leaders think “bullying” is ok, and not a legal problem because bullying in itself is not illegal. Bullying is the gateway drug to illegal harassment. This presentation is intended to start the conversation about bullying in our workplaces and to provide attendees with actionable tools and resources for removing bullying from workplaces. Emphasis is placed on Illegal harassment vs legal bullying and reasons why each have a negative impact on companies. The presentation also provides personal stories/real-world examples of bullying in the workplace, and emerging case law relating to subtopics within the area of workplace bullying such as generational bullying, date shaming and even rumor mongering. Best practices, tips and policy recommendations will also be provided. 

Stefan Mecke is a business & employment Attorney who works with and assists companies, management, HR professionals and front-line supervisors with the difficult aspects of being an employer and provides assistance with counseling, training, and implementation of best practices for reducing risk, avoiding litigation, and maintaining a productive and engaged workforce.

Stefan shares practical experiences gained from over a decade of leadership within a large multi-national entertainment and media company and over a decade practicing law for local businesses. Stefan consults with employers on day-to-day issues, including interviewing & hiring, discipline & termination, employment & non-solicitation agreements, workplace policies & handbooks, drug & alcohol testing and control plans, employee classification, internal investigations, anti-harassment & anti-discrimination, reductions in force, senior executive retirement plans (SERPs), and severance programs.

Stefan also advises, trains and assists employers outside of the courtroom to help them avoid risk and foster a motivated workforce and provides advice and assistance on design, review and updating of employee handbooks, policies & procedures, ADAAA compliance, FMLA compliance, EEOC & NLRB driven policies & procedures, wage & hour exemption compliance, and unemployment compensation.

Stefan’s law practice has provided him the opportunity to assist a wide variety of local business such as HOAs, non-profits, start-up entrepreneurs, Native American Tribes and established businesses in areas such as accounting, banking, title & abstracting, manufacturing, distribution, construction, electric cooperative/electric utility, government defense and business services. Stefan reviews and drafts employment contracts; including non-compete agreements, trade secrets, and confidentiality agreements; severance agreements, retention agreements and other employment-related contracts.