Kim Michael, Todd Gutfleisch Address Generational Workplace Conflicts for Chambers Expert Focus

March 28, 2024

Chambers Expert Focus has published an article by Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler LLP partners Kim Michael and Todd Gutfleisch on conflicts among multigenerational workers.

Their piece, “Generational Conflict in the Workplace,” explores how employers, supervisors and employees can approach bullying and hostile work environment claims stemming from different communication and management styles between generations. They emphasize how internal investigations, age discrimination and wrongful termination claim analysis, human resources initiatives and alternative recovery theories can guide strategies.

“Ensuring that employees of different generations can understand each other’s perspectives and communicate effectively is critical to a successful workplace,” Ms. Michael and Mr. Gutfleisch write. “Regardless of what the law technically requires, all involved benefit from a positive working environment and the retention of productive and satisfied talent at all ages.”

Ms. Michael has spent the vast majority of her legal career focusing on employment law and litigation. She advises and handles disputes for a wide array of clients on all aspects of employment law, such as compensation, restrictive covenants (including non-competition and non-solicitation agreements), trade secrets, severance pay, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, whistleblowing and defamation. She was selected as a Leading Plaintiff Employment & Civil Rights Lawyer by Lawdragon in 2021 and 2022.

Mr. Gutfleisch is an employment lawyer and litigator who provides practical advice and aggressive advocacy.  He represents clients in all aspects of the employment relationship, both within and outside of the financial services industry, on behalf of both individuals and companies. In addition to counseling clients and negotiating employment contracts and separation agreements, Mr. Gutfleisch negotiates, mediates and litigates compensation, unlawful termination, defamation, discrimination, whistleblowing and retaliation claims before regulatory and arbitration tribunals (e.g., JAMS and the American Arbitration Association) and state and federal agencies and courts. He is ranked by Chambers in Labor and Employment: Mainly Plaintiffs and was selected as a Leading Plaintiff Employment & Civil Rights Lawyer by Lawdragon.