"An Employment Case Study: The Why, What, and How of Preventing a Tidal Wave of Drama in the Workplace" presented by L. Eric Ebbert, Wimberly Lawson, PLLC

Every day, at home, at work, and in our communities, we see the beauty and the curse of imperfect people living life together and the inevitable drama that ensues – sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet. Even though most of us believe in the goodness of people to prevail, drama happens. It is reality.

Recently, we’ve seen a very serious form of drama play out in a media frenzy involving sexual harassment and the #MeToo Movement. The physical, psychological, and financial toil runs deep and wide. And because we cannot control the actions of others, we dare say no employer is above the risk of harassment claims and litigation.

Day after day, story after story, we are hit by a tidal wave of surprises, high emotions, and sad consequences, including the ever-mounting abuse of power toward women (and men!) and its long-lasting effects, the fall from glory of many once-respected professionals, and the unfortunate loss of reputation, revenue, and market share of businesses, well-meaning or not. At this point, could we even come close to estimating the financial cost to businesses as a result of sexual harassment claims? Still, even in the midst of this “bitter” drama, thankfully, we have witnessed a “sweet” drama unfold as women across the nation speak their truth and band together in solidarity.

On August 10, employment law attorney Eric Ebbert will discuss the highly televised Carlson-Ailes drama, which in many ways was a precursor to #MeToo. In this case, Fox News’ Gretchen Carlson courageously alleged detailed claims of sexual harassment that brought down the most powerful man in television, and she ultimately settled her claims for $20 million. We will discuss her claims, the facts and consequences as they unfolded in the media, and the practical lessons for business owners and HR professionals.

During this interactive presentation, Eric will engage the audience in exploring the why, what, and how of:  

1. Making appropriate employer response to claims of sexual harassment;
2. Analyzing information obtained in an investigation; and
3. Practical lessons for both business owners and their HR professionals.

While you and your business may have the utmost integrity and best intentions, you cannot afford to brush off potential gaps in your policies and procedures regarding sexual harassment. The bitter reality is it takes one person… one bad decision… one moment of inaction… to destroy generations of hard work.

Join us on August 10^th and find out the steps you need to take in order to stop the drama before it starts.

Meet Our Speaker: L. Eric Ebbert

L. Eric Ebbert is a Member of Wimberly Lawson Wright Daves & Jones, PLLC, in the Knoxville, Tennessee office. He is licensed in both Tennessee and Florida. He practices in the areas of Labor & Employment law - management, business litigation, and health care liability.

His emphasis on Labor & Employment law includes counseling and defending employers in state and federal courts and before government agencies under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, National Labor Relations Act, and state employment laws; conducting high-level investigations; management training; and employment contracts. His litigation practice also includes real property, breach of contract, tort liability, products liability, and health care liability, as well as the full spectrum of business-to-business litigation. Eric has tried more than 30 cases, representing regional, national and multi-national companies, through all stages of litigation and appeals.

Eric received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Brigham Young University and his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. He is admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee, the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and the U.S. Tax Court. Since 2007, Eric has served as a member of the District Investigatory Committee of the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. He is a member of the American, Tennessee, and Knoxville Bar Associations, a member of SHRM, and a member of the Board of the Senior Citizens Home Assistance Service, Inc. Other associations, honors and awards... He devotes his personal time to family and church activities. 

Coffee, light breakfast, and TLC served.