John Ho

John S. Ho exclusively represents employers on all labor and employment matters and regularly handles wage and hour matters involving federal and state laws, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, the New York Labor Law, New York’s Miscellaneous Industries Wage Order, and New York’s Hospitality Wage Order which includes numerous cases involving New York’s Wage Theft Prevention Act, tip credits and tip pooling issues.

John also routinely works with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, in addition to handling discrimination claims, ADA public accommodation cases, drafting employee handbook policies and procedures and employment contracts, conducting workplace investigations, and arbitrations.

John has defended a wide range of employers against hybrid class and collective actions under the FLSA and the New York Labor Law. He also frequently assists companies with internal wage and hour audits, as well as Department of Labor audits, including those generated by misclassification of independent contractors in New York State unemployment filings.

John also has extensive experience with assisting businesses with internal safety and health audits and resolving and contesting OSHA citations including but not limited to fatality investigations as well as defending against claims of retaliation under OSHA and New York’s Workers’ Compensation Law.

As a former prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, John was part of a litigation team that recovered approximately $4 million under the FLSA on behalf of New York State Environmental Conservation Officers. While at the DOL, he also received a commendation from OSHA’s regional administrator for his prosecution of a discrimination complaint under the Surface Transportation Assistance Act.

John serves as the chair of Cozen O’Connor’s OSHA Practice and is also the author of its safety and health blog, the OSHA Chronicle. John is a founding member of the Wage and Hour Defense Institute, and he frequently lectures on FLSA, OSHA, and Labor Department audits.

He has also taught business and employment law at the Pratt Institute and the New School. John also writes extensively on labor and employment law. He is currently the co-editor of the American Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section electronic newsletter.

He was a contributing editor to The Fair Labor Standards Act, 2002-2005, Cumulative Supplement, published by BNA Books, and has served on its editorial board since 2006.  John is also serving as a chapter editor for the Occupational Safety and Health Law, Fourth Edition published by the ABA and Bloomberg Law.

John is frequently asked to comment on labor and employment issues and has been quoted extensively in the Long Island Business News, Newsday, the Daily Labor Report and the Employment 360 and has been published in the New York Journal and USA Today (the magazine), among other publications. John is also a former officer and current board member of the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

EDUCATION :

• St. John’s University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1997
• University of Connecticut, B.A., 1992

BAR ADMISSIONS : New York; Connecticut

COURT ADMISSIONS :

• U.S. District Court — Eastern District of New York
• U.S. District Court — Northern District of New York
• U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York
• U.S. District Court — Western District of New York

AFFILIATIONS :

• American Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section electronic newsletter, Co-Editor
• Occupational Safety and Health Law, Fourth Edition, Chapter Editor, ABA, and Bloomberg Law
• Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Board Member
• The Fair Labor Standards Act Supplement, Chapter Editor, 2006-Present, ABA and Bloomberg Law