Stephen W Aronson

Practice Areas

Health Care Labor and Employment

Employment

Employment Counseling and Compliance

Professional Liability Insurance

Employment Litigation and Administrative Advocacy

Noncompetition Agreements and Trade Secrets

Workplace Health and Safety

Employment Litigation

Internal Investigations and Corporate Compliance

Workplace Investigations

Training

Career

Stephen Aronson defends employers in federal and state court and before administrative agencies in class actions, multiplaintiff, and single plaintiff employment law claims.

Employment Litigation and Administrative Advocacy

Stephen has extensive experience leading the defense of companies facing Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) misclassification claims, including hybrid claims under federal and state law. He frequently wins summary judgment on discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower, free speech, and other employment claims. He is hired by employers and insurance carriers seeking experienced trial counsel to defend cases being brought to trial.

Stephen also handles hearings on injunctions in noncompete cases for both former employers and new employers, including related claims such as misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, and employee theft.

Stephen won a defense verdict in a lawsuit filed in Connecticut state court by the former vice president of human resources of a specialty chemical company alleging that he was not paid certain amounts for two bonus awards and claiming breach of contract, promissory estoppel, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, and breach of an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. He also recently prevailed in two court trials, one defending an aerospace company from wage and hour claims and the second defending a municipal employer from race discrimination, hostile environment, and retaliation civil rights claims.

Health Law

While Stephen represents employers in many industry sectors, he often represents the health care industry. He regularly defends hospitals, health care systems, and physician groups from discrimination, wage and hour, whistleblower retaliation, and free speech claims as well as compliance actions. Stephen also works with senior management on implementing best practices, risk avoidance, investigations, and litigation oversight. In addition, he contributes to the firm's Health Law Diagnosis blog.

Counseling, Compliance, and Training

Drawing from his experience as in-house employment counsel, Stephen also counsels companies and human resources professionals on litigation avoidance techniques, investigations, policies, discipline and performance management, governmental and internal audits, employment contracts, contingent worker liabilities, severance and separation agreements, workplace safety, individual terminations and reductions in force, and noncompete, nondisparagement, nonsolicitation, and confidentiality agreements.

Stephen often presents seminars on employment law topics, including litigation strategies, personal liability, wage and hour claims, COBRA, ERISA, employment at will, wrongful discharge, employment contracts, handbooks, defamation, privacy rights, reductions in force, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and workplace violence. He has authored articles on the Dodd-Frank Act and whistleblower retaliation claims, damages under the FLSA, Title VII damages, contingent worker liabilities, wage and hour claims procedures, discrimination litigation, and other topics.

Professional Memberships

Anti-Defamation League, Connecticut Civil Rights Committee

Connecticut Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, Professional Discipline Committee, Author of Professional Discipline Digest

United States Law Firm Group, Member, Labor and Employment Committee

American Inns of Court, Former Secretary

Publications

"FTC Proposes Rule Prohibiting Employee Noncompete Agreements and Broadly-Worded Non-Disclosure Agreements" co-authored with Janet Kljyan and Ian T. Clarke-Fisher (1/6/23)

"Pre-Dispute Arbitration Agreements and Class Action Waivers Now Invalid and Unenforceable for Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Claims" co-authored with Kayla N. West and Natale V. DiNatale (3/7/2022)

"Updating Connecticut Employee Handbooks for 2022," co-authored with Rachel V. Kushel, Kayla N. West and Abby M. Warren, published by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) (7/28/2021)

"The big-ticket question: Can (or should) employers require the COVID-19 vaccine of employees in the workplace?" co-authored with Britt-Marie K. Cole-Johnson, Abby M. Warren, Natale V. DiNatale, Kayla N. West and Emily A. Zaklukiewicz, published in ISHN (Industrial Safety & Hygiene News) (5/12/2021)

"Taking A Shot At Answering Employers’ COVID-19 Vaccination Questions: Best Practices For Managing The COVID-19 Vaccine In The Workplace," co-authored with Britt-Marie K. Cole-Johnson, Abby M. Warren, Kayla N. West, Emily A. Zaklukiewicz and Natale V. DiNatale, published in the Massachusetts Bar Association MBA Section Review newsletter (March/April 2021)

"One Shot to Get It Right: Navigating the COVID-19 Vaccine in the Workplace," co-authored with Britt-Marie K. Cole-Johnson, Abby M. Warren, Kayla N. West, Emily A. Zaklukiewicz and Natale V. DiNatale, published in Construction Executive (1/6/2021)

Personal

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut, Board of Directors, and Finance Committee

Farmington Valley Visiting Nurse Association, Board of Directors

Griffin Hospital Development Fund, Inc., Member, Golf Committee

Beth El Temple of West Hartford Inc., Current member and Past President

Pat Griskus Triathlon, Volunteer - 2022

United States Tennis Association, Member, Grievance Committee, Team Captain

Awards