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On Demand

IPS21 Firefighter Forum


Total Credits: 1.25

Categories:
Labor Law |  Labor Relations
Speakers:
Margaret Angelucci |  Benjamin Gehrt |  Karl Ottosen |  Chuck Sullivan
Duration:
1 Hour 16 Minutes
Format:
Audio and Video
Original Program Date:
Dec 03, 2021
Product Type:
On Demand
License:
Access for 365 day(s) after purchase.


Description

This session will address several current issues, including:

  • COVID-19 Ongoing Implications
  • Vaccination and Testing Requirements
  • Changes in IPLRA’s Definition of “Supervisor” for Firefighters
  • Cannabis and Drug Testing
  • How to Attract More Applicants

Speaker

Margaret Angelucci's Profile

Margaret Angelucci Related Seminars and Products

Shareholder

Asher Gittler & D'Alba Ltd.


Margaret Angelucci is a shareholder with the firm and has been in practice since 1994.  Since then, she has represented the interests of working people in a variety of capacities.  Margaret represents labor unions and individual employees in both the public and private sectors. In the labor context, Margaret’s practice runs the full gamut of the labor-management relationship, including training union staff, union organizing drives, contract negotiations, contract enforcement, grievances, arbitrations, interest arbitrations and unfair labor practice proceedings. 

In her practice, Margaret routinely appears in state and federal courts, and before the Illinois Labor Relations Board, Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, the National Labor Relations Board, the EEOC, the Department of Labor, and various civil service boards. 


Benjamin Gehrt's Profile

Benjamin Gehrt Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Clark Baird Smith LLP


Ben Gehrt focuses his practice on traditional labor law and employment litigation.  He has experience in grievance and interest arbitration cases, contract negotiations, and unfair labor practice charges.  Ben also represents clients in EEO and wage-hour litigation.  Prior to practicing law, Ben worked as a Plant Manager for a food manufacturing company in suburban Chicago.  His experience as a supervisor and a manager gives him a unique perspective that helps him relate to the day-to-day challenges our clients face while managing people.

Ben has represented public and private sector clients in contract negotiations and interest arbitration.  In those settings, he has helped clients obtain significant cost savings through changes in staffing levels, wage schedules, retiree insurance benefits, sick leave buyback benefits, and work rule changes, among other things.

Ben is also an experienced litigator.  In addition to representing clients in grievance arbitration proceedings, Ben has also litigated cases in the state and federal trial courts.  His litigation experience includes cases involving allegations of discrimination, employment cases alleging deprivation of constitutional rights, wage-hour disputes, and disputes over employee benefits under both ERISA and Illinois state law.  In addition to his trial court experience, Ben has successfully represented clients in the state and federal courts of appeal.

Additionally, Ben has developed a niche practice at Clark Baird Smith LLP, counseling the firm’s clients on a wide variety of wage and hour issues under both state and federal law.  In addition to handling the traditional wage payment questions that arise with private sector businesses, Ben is skilled at answering questions that are unique to the public sector, such as questions about compensatory time, 7(k) work periods, pay for canine handlers, and duty shift trades, to name a few.

Ben has been selected as a Leading Lawyer and an Illinois Super Lawyer.  

Ben has also authored and contributed to numerous books and articles regarding labor and employment law.  He is a co-editor and chapter author for Much Smarter Bargaining.  He has also authored contributions to the NPELRA Legal Corner, The Developing Labor Law (BNA), How To Take A Case Before The NLRB (8th Ed. BNA), and a chapter in the Municipal Law Deskbook (ABA 2015) published by the American Bar Association’s Section on State and Local Government Law.

In addition to his practice, Ben volunteers as a judge and advisory board member for the NICASA Teen Court.


Karl Ottosen's Profile

Karl Ottosen Related Seminars and Products

Managing Partner

Ottosen DiNolfo Hasenbalg & Castaldo, Ltd.


Karl R. Ottosen is Managing Partner and Shareholder of Ottosen DiNolfo Hasenbalg & Castaldo, Ltd. Hehas over 28 years of experience representing governmental bodies, private corporations, and individuals in a variety of labor and employment law issues. Mr. Ottosen frequently negotiates contracts with unions representing bargaining units in law enforcement, fire protection, education, public works, and other public services, as well as with private sector manufacturing units. Mr. Ottosen is regularly selected to speak at seminars and workshops on labor, employment, and local government law issues. His topics include issues in finance, litigation, anti-discrimination compliance, supervisor training, sexual harassment, violence in the workplace, and other general labor and employment concerns. He received a B.S. from Western Illinois University and a J.D. from University of Illinois College of Law.


Chuck Sullivan's Profile

Chuck Sullivan Related Seminars and Products

President

Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois


Chuck is President of the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois.  He has served in that role since January of 2020.  The AFFI represents over 15,000 firefighters and paramedics in 225 locals across the state.

Prior to becoming the President, he served as the AFFI Central District Legislative Representative from 2008-2020.  During that time, he worked extensively on legislation and rules within Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Statute that affects Downstate and Suburban Firefighters. Chuck Sullivan was appointed to the Firefighters’ Pension Investment Fund Board on January 31, 2020. Chuck has served as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees since the Board’s inception.

Chuck has an Associate’s degree in Fire Science and a Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University. He was a firefighter with the City of Champaign from 1995 until his retirement in March of 2022 at the rank of Battalion Chief.  In addition he is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served in Desert Storm.