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Avoiding FLSA Pitfalls: Wage and Hour Compliance in 2025
Date: Thursday, September 25, 2025 Beginning at 3:00 PM
Session Duration
1.0

Learning Objective
  • Identify the most common FLSA compliance pitfalls and understand the risks they create.
  • Distinguish between independent contractors and employees under the “economic reality” test.
  • Evaluate exempt status correctly using the salary and duties tests.
  • Apply best practices for managing breaks, overtime, and off-the-clock work.
  • Strengthen timekeeping and payroll processes to reduce legal exposure.
  • Session Description
    Wage and hour compliance continues to be one of the most common – and costly – sources of liability for Ohio employers. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a deceptively complex law, and even well-intentioned organizations can stumble into violations that trigger lawsuits, government audits, and reputational damage. This session will walk participants through the “danger zones” where employers most often get tripped up, including: worker classification, exempt vs. non-exempt status, meal and rest breaks, off-the-clock work, and timekeeping practices. Using real-world examples and practical takeaways, attendees will learn how to spot risks, implement preventive measures, and strengthen compliance programs. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to reduce exposure, improve workplace policies, and better manage wage and hour compliance.

    Session Speaker

    Thomas Green, Esq

    Kastner Westman & Wilkins, LLC

    More About Thomas Green, Esq

    Thomas E. Green, Kastner Westman & Wilkins

    Shareholder | OSBA-Certified Specialist in Labor and Employment Law

    Tom helps employers navigate complex workplace challenges to stay compliant and avoid trouble. Before becoming an attorney, he worked as a blue-collar employee, giving him a grounded, relatable perspective on labor and employment law.

    Tom’s practice spans a wide range of issues, including disability accommodation, family and medical leave management, wage/hour compliance, and workplace restructuring.

    Employers often seek Tom’s expertise for training on topics like harassment and workplace conduct, disability compliance, and leave management. His approachable style resonates with management teams, HR professionals, and entire workforces alike.

    Tom is also well-versed in labor relations for both private and public sector unionized employers. He provides guidance on grievance administration, arbitration, collective bargaining, and representation in matters before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Ohio State Employment Relations Board (SERB).

    When disputes arise, Tom is a seasoned litigator, representing employers in state and federal courts across the Midwest and beyond. He has extensive experience with FLSA collective actions, multi-employer fringe benefit plan disputes, trade secret litigation, and restrictive covenants. Some of the matters that Tom has successfully handled involved significant financial stakes, with matters well into seven figures in potential damages. He has also defended hundreds of administrative claims filed with agencies such as the EEOC, Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC), and others.

    Tom is certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a Specialist in Labor and Employment Law – a distinction only around 100 lawyers in Ohio hold. He maintains this certification by completing rigorous continuing legal education requirements.

    Tom combines a deep understanding of employment law with practical, real-world insights, giving his clients confidence in managing their workforce challenges.