Gary S. Starr

Gary Starr provides practical advice to a wide range of clients in the private and public sector, bringing over 30 years of experience to counseling clients in traditional labor relations matters as well as human relations problems. His experience helps clients avoid the "big mistakes" as well as the day-to-day hassles. Gary also defends employers in state and federal courts, regularly appearing before judges, juries, and administrative agencies. He provides strategic and creative approaches to difficult employee issues, seeking practical solutions and aggressively litigating where and when necessary.

Firm/Organization: Shipman & Goodwin LLP

Blogs: Connecticut Employment Law Blog, Employment Law Letter, School Law

Latest Articles

Employment Law Letter

Graduate Students Organize Outside the National Labor Relations Board’s Jurisdiction

By Gary S. Starr & Jarad M. Lucan on November 29, 2018

Unions have been actively organizing graduate students, while wanting to avoid having the National Labor Relations Board involved. They are particularly concerned that President Trump’s appointees to the National Labor Relations Board, who are now a majority of the Board members, will revisit and reverse the Columbia University decision. That decision determined that graduate students were employees and could organize and bargain collectively. Already, the University of Chicago and Loyola University Chicago have refused to…

School Law

Graduate Students Organize Outside the National Labor Relations Board’s Jurisdiction

By Gary S. Starr & Jarad M. Lucan on November 29, 2018

Employment Law Letter

Recent Unionizing Developments on Campus

By Gary S. Starr & Jarad M. Lucan on November 5, 2018

There have been two recent developments regarding union organizing efforts on University campuses. At Northwestern University, a mail ballot election among adjunct faculty took place in July 2016. The Service Employees International Union challenged 25 of those ballots but the challenged ballots were not finally resolved and opened until earlier this month. Those ballots, which represented approximately 5 percent of the total vote, were sufficient to determine the outcome of the vote. The Labor Board…

School Law

Recent Unionizing Developments on Campus

By Jarad M. Lucan & Gary S. Starr on October 31, 2018

Employment Law Letter

Safety Incentive Plans and Post-Incident Drug Testing Get a New Look

By Gary S. Starr & Henry J. Zaccardi on October 29, 2018

A recent Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) memorandum may help employers in finding ways to reduce workplace injuries, workers’ compensation claims, and lost time due to injuries. As outlined in the memorandum, employers will be able to carefully develop and implement safety incentive programs that reward employees for not having any reportable injuries in a specific time period, and will help the employer control or reduce its liability and workers compensation premiums. In addition,…

Employment Law Letter

Background Check Requirements Can Cause Problems If Not Followed

By Gary S. Starr & Henry J. Zaccardi on September 24, 2018

Attention to detail makes a big difference when employers are required by law to do specific things. The failure to meet all the requirements of a statute can result in litigation and potentially costly judgments. One statute is particularly detailed and requires absolute attention to detail – the Fair Credit Reporting Act. That law governs the procedures that must be followed when an employer wants to have an outside company perform a background check on…

Employment Law Letter

Abuse of Cell Phones in the Workplace – A Counter Measure?

By Gary S. Starr on June 7, 2018

Cell phones are everywhere, and now smart phones with their apps have more functions than many computers. One of those functions is the ability to record without anyone knowing that they are being recorded. In the workplace, such actions can cause concerns as managers and supervisors frequently feel that employees are recording their conversations and will be able to edit what they said to their detriment. A recent Connecticut Superior Court decision does not solve…

School Law

Colleges and Universities Facing Union Organizing Campaigns: An Update

By Gary S. Starr & Jarad M. Lucan on May 24, 2018

The 2018 CCIC Annual Member Forum June 12, 2018 Quinnipiac University, North Haven Campus 8:15 AM – 1:00 PM EDT Gary Starr and Jarad Lucan will present a workshop entitled “Colleges and Universities Facing Union Organizing Campaigns: An Update” as part of the 2018 Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges’ (CCIC) Annual Member Forum at Quinnipiac University’s North Haven Campus. This session, which will run from 10:00 to 10:50 AM, will explore union organizing efforts at colleges and…

Employment Law Letter

What Interviewers Say Can Come Back to Haunt an Employer

By Gary S. Starr on April 23, 2018

In speaking to job applicants, interviewers need to be circumspect in what they say. There are questions that can be asked, and there are questions that can create real headaches, as well as liability. A recent case demonstrates how comments in an interview ended up in federal court litigation. A University hired a woman to be a part-time evaluator working remotely. When a full-time faculty position became open, the part-time employee applied. She passed the…

Employment Law Letter

Avoiding Mistakes in Responding to Accommodation Requests

By Gary S. Starr on March 14, 2018

Working understaffed is never easy for managers or the rest of the work force. The concern about getting the work done creates pressures on everyone. When an employee seeks an accommodation under the ADA, many questions arise. A recent case demonstrated what can happen when not working with the requesting employee. A utility company staff lawyer was having pregnancy complications. Her doctor ordered bed rest for 10 weeks, so the lawyer asked to work remotely.…

Gary S. Starr

Graduate Students Organize Outside the National Labor Relations Board’s Jurisdiction

Graduate Students Organize Outside the National Labor Relations Board’s Jurisdiction

Recent Unionizing Developments on Campus

Recent Unionizing Developments on Campus

Safety Incentive Plans and Post-Incident Drug Testing Get a New Look

Background Check Requirements Can Cause Problems If Not Followed

Abuse of Cell Phones in the Workplace – A Counter Measure?

Colleges and Universities Facing Union Organizing Campaigns: An Update

What Interviewers Say Can Come Back to Haunt an Employer

Avoiding Mistakes in Responding to Accommodation Requests

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