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Jay P. Lechner
Florida Bar Board Certified Labor & Employment Attorney
Legal Knowledge
5.0/5.0
Legal Analysis
5.0/5.0
Communication Skills
5.0/5.0
Ethics and Professionalism
5.0/5.0
Ralph Fisher
December 18, 2019
Rating:
10
I'm a lawyer. I hired Jay to represent me personally when a party on the other side of a case sued me in Federal court. He not only got the case dismissed for me but he did so for my client. We will forever be grateful for Jay's commitment to competence and diligence.
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Biography
Mr. Lechner is a Florida Bar board certified labor and employment lawyer with years experience representing both employees and employers in all aspects of employment law matters. He was recently selected 2020 Lawyer of the Year, Employment Law - Mgmt., St Petersburg (US News & World Report).
Mr. Lechner’s expert speciality extends to all employment disputes, including wrongful termination, sexual harassment, discrimination including but not limited to age, race, gender, national origin, overtime and wage/hour payment issues, retaliation and whistleblower claims, as well as restrictive covenants, unfair business practices, related state tort and contract issues and other types of employment litigation.
Before attending law school, Mr. Lechner spent several years in management and served as a volunteer firefighter.
Call him for your free consultation today!
Practice Areas
- Employment Law
- Employee Benefits, Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination, ERISA, Overtime & Unpaid Wages, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination
- Business Law
- Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
- White Collar Crime
Additional Practice Area
- Labor & Employment
Fees
- Free Consultation
- Contingent Fees
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- Florida
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- Middle District of Florida
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- Northern District of Florida
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- Southern District of Florida
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- 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
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Languages
- English: Spoken, Written
Professional Experience
- Founding Attorney
- Lechner Law
- - Current
- Adjunct Instructor
- University of South Florida
- -
- Executive Council - Labor and Employment Law Section
- The Florida Bar
- -
- Founder & Chair - Statewide Labor & Employment Group
- Whittel & Melton, LLC
- -
- Jackson Lewis P.C.
- Partner
- -
- Attorney/Shareholder
- Greenberg Traurig, LLPGreenberg Traurig, LLP
- -
- Associate
- Zinober & McCrea, PA
- -
Education
- University of Florida Levin College of Law
- J.D. (2001) | Law
- -
- with honors
-
- Rutgers University - Camden
- Graduate studies (1997) | American History (United States)
- -
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- University of Florida
- B.A. (1991) | Political Science and Government
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Awards
- Best Lawyers
- U.S. News and World Report
- Best Lawyers (2013 - 2022)
- Lawyer of the Year - Employment Law, Management (Tampa Bay)
- Best Lawyers
- Lawyer of the Year (2013 - 2020)
- Super Lawyer
- Super Lawyers Publication
- Selected To Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2019 5+ years
- Volunteer of the Year
- Florida Bar Labor & Employment Section
- Rising Star
- Super Lawyers Publication
- Selected To Rising Stars: 2009 - 2011
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association,Labor and Employment Law Section, Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee
- Member
- - Current
-
- Florida Bar, Labor & Employment Section
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: Executive Council, 2013 present; Publications Committee, Chair (2013 - 2019)
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- Hillsborough County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
- Member
- -
-
- Florida Bar, Judicial Independence Committee
- Member
- -
-
- Tampa Bay American Inn of Court
- Member
- -
-
- Florida Bar Journal Editorial Board
- Chair
- -
-
Publications
Articles & Publications
- Fair Labor Standards Act Treatise
- Bloomberg
- Annual Update on the Whistleblower Provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Editor/Co-Author) American Bar Association Section of Labor & Employment Law, Committee on Federal Labor Standards Legislation
- Annual Update on the Whistleblower Provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
- Sarbanes-Oxley Criminal Whistleblower Provisions & the Workplace: More than just Securities Fraud
- Florida Bar Journal
- Corporate Misdeeds & Their Impact Upon Enforceability of Employment Indemnification Agreements
- The Florida Bar Journal
- ADA 'Threat to Self' Defense - Let the Doctors Decide
- Hillsborough County Bar Association - Lawyer
Speaking Engagements
- Adjunct Instructor - Employment Law, Tampa, Florida
- University of South Florida
- Adjunct Instructor - Employment Law, MCOB School of Information Systems & Management
Certifications
- Board Certified Labor and Employment Attorney
- The Florida Bar
Websites & Blogs
- Website
- Lechner Law
Legal Answers
32 Questions Answered
- Q. Do I have a legal recourse for being fired from my job while I was on leave? I was with my father while he was in ICU.
- A: First, if the company honestly fired you based on "a finding that you were harassing other employees," then you have no case. Second, if the company's reason for termination is false and you were really fired for your complaints of harassment, the next questions would be "was the harassment based on a statutorily protected characteristic" (such as race, gender, disability, etc.) and was it "severe or pervasive enough to alter a term or condition of employment." With respect to your medical leave question, you need to be employed at least one year to be covered under FMLA.
- Q. Is there any legal standing in florida as an employee to mandate masks worn at my desk and cubical when people enter it.
- A: As an at will employee, you can't force other employees to wear masks but you have the legal right to voluntarily terminate your employment to remove yourself from your undesirable situation.
Alternatively, if you feel the company policy is unfair and adversely affecting the terms and conditions of your and your co-workers employment, you have the legal right to engage in concerted activity under Section 7 of the NLRA, meaning you can discuss these concerns with your coworkers; organize meetings to discuss forming a union with your co-workers; distribute union literature and discuss union matters in non-work areas during non-work times; sign a card asking your employer to recognize and ... Read More
- Q. I work for a store in south Florida. My company is a large clothing retailer. Before the Supreme Court OSHA decision,
- A: Under Fla. Stat. § 381.00317, a private employer may not impose a vaccine mandate unless the employees are allowed to opt out on the basis of 5 separate reasons:
- Medical reasons (including pregnancy & anticipated future pregnancy)
- Religious reasons (including moral or ethical belief)
- COVID19 immunity
- Periodic testing
- The use of employer-provided PPE.
To invoke any of the exemptions, you must submit to your employer a specific form available from the Florida Department of Health website. Any company that does not provide these exemptions or terminates your employment for submitting an exemption form violates the law and may be subject to substantial fines.
To obtain ... Read More
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