Police Forum: The Impact of the “SAFE-T” Act on the Workplace

David Amerson Related Seminars and Products

Staff Attorney

Policemen's Benevolent & Protective Association of IL

David Amerson is a staff attorney with the Police Benevolent Labor Committee. David is also the Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section Council, and is an adjunct faculty member with the University of Illinois’ Labor Education Program. Previously, David was the coordinator of AFSCME Retirees - Chapter 31, and Executive Vice-President of the Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans. He has also represented federal workers in the legal department of the AFGE, and as a legal advisor to the Graduate Employee Organization (IFT-AFT). Additionally, David provides legal counsel to a number of national non-profits.  He is a graduate of the University of Illinois- College of Law and is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Tamara Cummings Related Seminars and Products

General Counsel

Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council

Tamara Cummings serves as General Counsel to the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, a large public sector union representing law enforcement bargaining units. She has held that position since January, 2010.  She has worked as an attorney for the Labor Council since 2003, and in this capacity she has represented law enforcement officers and civilian employees in all areas of labor and employment relations.  She has acted as lead counsel in contract negotiations, grievance arbitrations, interest arbitrations, discipline hearings and various court cases in circuit and appellate courts throughout the State of Illinois. Tamara has been responsible for organizing picket lines and civic protests.  Tamara oversees member and employee training and is the chief speaker at Labor Council Critical Incident Seminars which have been held across the State and attended by union members, State’s Attorneys, Chiefs of Police and County Sheriffs. Tamara is also actively involved in the legislative process, working closely with lobbyists to analyze and draft legislation. She has testified on numerous occasions both in support of and in opposition to various pieces of legislation that impact the membership. Tamara is a fellow of the American Bar Association’s College of Labor & Employment Lawyers. The College of Labor & Employment Lawyers is a non-profit professional association honoring the leading lawyers nationwide in the practice of Labor and Employment Law. Prior to joining the Labor Council, Tamara worked for the Law Offices of Joseph V.  Roddy where she primarily defended and represented Chicago Police Officers in administrative, criminal and civil matters. She tried cases in the Cook County Law, Municipal and Criminal Divisions as well as in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.  She also prepared and argued appeals before the Illinois Appellate Courts, and the United States Court of Appeals, both the Seventh and Eighth Circuits. Tamara received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and her Juris Doctor degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. 

Jennifer Dunn Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Franczek P.C.

Jennifer represents private and public sector management clients in all areas of labor and employment
law. She has extensive experience advising clients in traditional labor matters, including representation
and unfair labor practice proceedings, grievance arbitrations, collective bargaining negotiations, and
mediation. She regularly appears before state and federal courts and administrative agencies, including
the National Labor Relations Board, Illinois Labor Relations Board, Illinois Educational Labor Relations
Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Illinois Department of Human Rights.
Prior to joining the firm, Jennifer was an administrative law judge with the Illinois Labor Relations Board.
In that capacity, she investigated and presided over unfair labor practice and representation
proceedings, issued recommended decisions and orders and advised the Board on pending court
litigation. She also worked as an assistant general counsel for the International Union of Operating
Engineers, Local 150, where she represented the union in grievance arbitration hearings and in matters
pending before the National Labor Relations Board, as well as state and federal courts. In addition, she
has served as an adjunct professor at DePaul University College of Law where she taught Labor
Relations in the Public Sector.
Jennifer is a member of the American (Labor & Employment Section), Illinois State (Labor &
Employment Section) and the Chicago Bar Associations.

Education
J.D., with honors, DePaul University College of Law, 1999 (Order of the Coif)
B.A., the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1996 (political science)

Yvette Heintzelman Related Seminars and Products

Member

Clark Hill PLC

Yvette Heintzelman is a dynamic, tenacious, and effective management advocate who works collaboratively to deliver practical solutions to her clients in all aspects of both labor and employment matters.

Workplace Counseling

Yvette regularly advises employers on a wide range of workplace and legal issues including workplace misconduct, reasonable accommodations, FMLA leave, hiring, disciplining, terminating, severance agreements, employee training, personnel policies, labor agreement administration, wage and hour issues and other duties and liabilities of employers.  She has also assisted clients in responding to government investigations.

Employment Litigation

Yvette has litigated a broad spectrum of single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, and class action cases including the following:

• Title VII
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• 42 U.S.C § 1981 and §1983
• Overtime and other wage violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Various state-law claims, including wrongful termination, whistleblower claims, and other general employment matters

Traditional Labor Relations

Yvette’s  traditional labor practice focuses on all aspects of traditional labor law.  She regularly represents clients in collective-bargaining negotiations, organizing campaigns, labor arbitrations, unfair labor practice hearings and labor agreement administration.

Workplace Investigations

She has extensive experience investigating employee misconduct and working with public safety departments and  interpreting the Peace Officers Disciplinary Act, Safe T Act, and the Firefighters Disciplinary Act and associated agreements, laws, and regulations.

Pension/Post-Employment Benefits

Yvette’s  experience includes investigation and analysis of injury claims, particularly public safety injury claims and their intersection with disability and privacy issues, pension applications, PEDA and PSEBA benefits.

Additionally, Yvette has extensive experience representing employers in the public sector, real estate, manufacturing, retail/sales, and staffing industries. She creates and leads comprehensive management and human resources training on diversity issues, complex FMLA issues, discrimination and harassment, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and conducts internal investigations.