Gena Usenheimer

Gena B. Usenheimer is a Partner in the Labor & Employment department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s New York office. Her practice focuses on a combination of single-plaintiff and complex litigation as well as on providing advice and counsel to employers in a wide variety of industries. Ms. Usenheimer’s focus, however, is on defending employers in wage and hour class and collective actions.

Ms. Usenheimer has significant litigation experience in both state and federal courts, in all manner of litigations, and has successfully defended claims of discrimination, hostile work environment and retaliation arising under federal, state and municipal laws.

In addition to her litigation experience, Ms. Usenheimer regularly defends employers in administrative proceedings before various agencies, such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New York State Division of Human Rights and the New York City Commission on Human Rights, where she assists clients in navigating through agency fact-finding investigations.

In addition, Ms. Usenheimer has represented employers in wage and hour audits as well as employee/independent contractor misclassification audits commenced by the U.S. Department of Labor and the New York State Department of Labor.

Based on her extensive experience, Ms. Usenheimer conducts training and counsels clients on a host of employment related matters, from wage payment and other wage and hour issues to best practices with respect to compliance with state, federal and local laws, background checks and hiring, internal investigations, employee discipline and counseling, preparation of employee handbooks and employee terminations.

Prior to joining Seyfarth Shaw, Ms. Usenheimer defended the MTA New York City Transit Authority in employment disputes and served as a liaison to the employee benefits group to ensure agency-wide compliance with federal and state privacy laws.

Education:

• J.D., Brooklyn Law School (2005)
  • Notes and Comments Editor, Brooklyn Journal of International Law
  • Moot Court Honor Society
• B.A., Emory University (2002)

Courts:

• U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third and Ninth Circuits
• U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, and Northern Districts of New York