Ask an Expert: DSOs and Labor Laws

The fourth annual Dykema conference was crawling with knowledgeable lawyers, dental professionals and entrepreneurs looking to share their knowledge about Dental Service Organizations. Arlene Steinfield, senior counsel JD specializing in labor employment law, met with DMD to talk about her area of expertise and under what circumstances she works with DSOs. Watch or read below to learn more about Steinfield and how DSOs may encounter trouble with labor laws.

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Interview Transcript (Modified for Readability)

“I've been representing DSOs for several years, and I represent them when they get sued by employees or former employees, in either a breach of contract action, or if they're claiming a violation of the Federal Employment Law statute, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act. [I also represent DSOs concerning] any kind of discrimination [lawsuit].

I also counsel DSOs when they're planning some kind of personnel action, such as a termination or whether or not counsel somebody. If they need to investigate a claim of discrimination internally, I can either perform the investigation or guide them through that process. It's mostly trying to be as proactive as possible so that we can avoid litigation, because if anyone gets sued it can get very expensive. So, my view is, if we can prevent litigation, then I'm doing my job on behalf of the client. If I can't avoid that situation, then what we try to do is to ensure that the facts are presented in such a way that it puts the company's position forward in the best possible light.”

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