Erinn L Rigney

Education

Practice Areas

Erinn Rigney is a partner in the firm's Labor, Employment, and Workplace Safety practice. Erinn focuses her practice on advising clients on strategic positions in compliance and transactional matters using a practical approach that balances business objectives with legal risk. She regularly advises clients on a full range of employment issues including managing reasonable accommodations under federal and state law; internal investigations and associated legal issues; development and implementation of policies and agreements that address both regulatory compliance and operational efficiency, restrictive covenant enforcement, and compliance with wage and hours laws. As part of her practice, she regularly counsels clients on the lifecycle of the employment relationship, from recruitment and hiring to separation and post-employment matters all while minimizing risk and managing associated employee relations concerns. Erinn also regularly develops and conducts workplace trainings and management coaching, working with employers to deliver effective and legally-compliant training tailored to their industry and workforce. Additionally, Erinn partners with the firm's Corporate practice to manage employment due diligence and advise clients on post-closing integration issues in conjunction with mergers and acquisitions.

As part of her practice, Erinn represents clients in state and federal court and before local and federal anti-discrimination boards defending public and private employers against claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act as well as state and local laws. Erinn has also successfully negotiated numerous favorable settlements for her clients.

While she regularly works across the higher education, logistics, and financial services industries, Erinn has significant experience addressing the various employment issues that arise in the healthcare, sector, including the interpretation and application of employment laws in conjunction with healthcare regulations; drafting master services agreements for large and small healthcare systems; implementing policies on the protection of proprietary information and trade secrets; and advising on employment compliance issues arising in mergers and acquisitions for hospitals and biotechnology companies. Erinn also devotes a substantial part of her practice to advising public and private employers across industries on emerging issues in employment law, including but not limited to the changing nature of work, mental health in the workplace, pay transparency, and issues stemming from the impact of COVID-19 in the workplace.

Professional Memberships

Member, Chicago Bar Foundation, Young Professionals Board (2018-2021)

Notre Dame Law School Mentorship Program (2015-2019)

Notre Dame Attorney Networking Committee of Chicago (2014-2016)

Girls on the Run Michiana, Co-Chair of Fundraising Committee (2010) South Bend, Indiana Grant Writer (2011)

Publications

“Chicago Expands Paid Sick Leave Ordinance to Mandate Additional Paid General Leave for Employees,” Employee Benefit Plan Review, June 2024

“Silicon Valley Bank Collapse: Implications for Employers,” LexisNexis, 2023

“An Invisible Epidemic: Navigating Mental Health Issues in the Employment Relationship,” American Health Law Association, 2022

“Employers Can Use COVID Models To Address Monkeypox,” Law360, 2 August 2022

OFCCP and Federal Contractors Are Significant Focus of Recent Executive Branch Actions, Pratt’s Government Contracting Law Report, June 2022

President Biden Targets Private Employers and Federal Employees and Contractors in His “Path Out of The Pandemic, Pratt’s Government Contracting Law Report, November 2021

How Health Care Cos. Can Untangle Web Of Vaccine Mandates, Law360, 13 October 2021

How Employers and Employees Can Work Together to Tackle Cyber Harassment in the Workplace, CARPLS, 29 September 2021

“The Social Media Epidemic: Managing the Side Effects in the Workplace,” American Health Law Association Labor and Employment Practice Group Bulletin, 17 March 2021

"Pandemic Pandemonium: Navigating Employment Considerations in the Face of COVID-19," Benefits Law Journal, Summer 2020

“New Jersey Eyes Regulation of Biometric Data,” New Jersey Law Journal, 27 June 2019

“Disciplining Employees for Social Media Use,” Wolters Kluwer, December 2018

“It Takes Two: Outsourcing & Joint Employer Status,” co-author, Practising Law Institute, 2014

“Doctor’s Orders: A New Prescription for ADHD Medication Abuse,” Notre Dame Law Review, 2012