Employment Law & Regulations

As the HR Projects Coordinator and part of the Business Services team Bobby manages and coordinates HR projects.  With a focus on process improvement, strategic goals, and vision, Bobby works closely with HR staff and campus leadership to facilitate and collaborate all areas of project management.  

As the University Records Officer, Bobby oversees the records management program for James Madison University including retention and disposition approval of all university records.  Bobby provides training in records management procedures, practices, and use of appropriate forms, as necessary.  Bobby also collaborates with departmental Records Coordinators to help maintain an effective records management program at JMU. 

He provides strategic analysis planning and coordinating for all HR-related records and imaging system (Nolij) information technology support, guidance and consultation to all members of the HR staff.  He also manages the document imaging function in the HR office, including record management, workflow, retention and destruction planning, organization and processing.  Bobby has created a strategic approach to record keeping management in HR ensuring that all record-keeping systems conform to state, federal and JMU policies and guidelines.   He also collaborates with Talent and Development designing and facilitating workshops for campus staff.

Bobby has been at JMU since 2008 and joined Human Resources in 2013.  He holds both a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Corporate Communications from Duquesne University.  He is currently seeking a second Master’s Degree in Adult Human Resource Development with a concentration in Leadership and Facilitation through the College of Education at JMU. 

Bobby provides consultation to internal and external customers in regards to electronic records management and training for the HR staff.  Bobby has presented his session on JMU’s mountain of paper regionally and nationally.

Janet Hendrick is a partner in the Dallas office of Fisher Phillips and an experienced employment litigator who tackles her clients’ problems with a tailored, results-oriented approach. Whether training managers on employment law compliance to minimize legal risk or representing the employer in court or arbitration, she brings years of experience and in-depth legal knowledge to deliver results.  Janet regularly appears in state and federal court to defend employers of all sizes against discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and related claims. Janet is a sought-after speaker and author on topics including gender diversity, LGBT employee protections, and workplace accommodations and leave management.

Brenda S. Kasper is a founding member of Kasper & Frank LLP, a law firm representing California and multi-state employers for all of their human resources and employment law needs.  She regularly advises employers of all sizes on wage and hour compliance, leaves of absence, disability accommodation, reductions in force, terminations and discipline management, employment contracts, personnel policies, and hiring issues.  She also provides management and human resources training.  Brenda is a former HR director so her legal advice is practical, creative and tailored to each client’s needs.  She was the 2015 San Diego SHRM Board President, is an instructor for the HR Certification program at the University of California San Diego Extension and holds her SHRM-SCP and SPHR-California certifications.

Two themes are woven throughout Lauraine Bifulco's diverse career: a passion for a job well done and a zest for continual learning and improvement.  Lauraine infuses Vantaggio HR with these qualities every day. When she founded the firm in 1994, Lauraine combined her rare talent in understanding what a client needs and her gift of business foresight to create a company that can service the HR and management consulting needs of small and large companies equally well.  Today, Vantaggio serves clients across the country from their offices in California, Hawaii, Colorado, and New York. 

Her Career experience helps employers realize their HR goals and adapt to the shifting HR landscape.  Lauraine is a veteran HR executive and entrepreneur with 25 years of international, corporate, and consulting experience. Her bold career has taken her to employment and business opportunities in Europe and multiple U.S. cities. She serves as co-chair of the California Small Business Administration's committee on Labor Issues which reviews and makes recommendations on pending labor/employment laws, keeping her abreast of legal developments.                                                                            

Delivering over 30 presentations and webinars each year, Lauraine is a well-respected, and highly sought after guest lecturer and speaker on a variety of business management and HR-related topics for both state and national organizations including Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA), American Payroll Association (APA), Next Concept HR Association (NCHRA), Paylocity annual Elevate Conference, and HR Star Conference to name a few. She has been invited to review, develop, and deliver certificate programs for SHRM, and has developed and delivered curriculum for businesses throughout the U.S.                                                                   

Lauraine received a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and conducted graduate level studies in linguistics at the Sorbonne in Paris.

Michele Whitehead is Senior Manager of Client Services at Berkshire Associates. In her position, Michele is responsible for overseeing, developing, and implementing training and consulting services related to affirmative action and pay equity analysis.

With over 20 years in the human resource industry, Michele is an expert in HR practices and procedures. This experience allows her to develop and present training sessions to educate clients on the latest affirmative action, applicant management, compensation, and workforce analysis topics and trends. She has a true passion for educating fellow HR professionals, which is why she has been an active speaker throughout the country at conferences and meetings including the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) Talent Management and Annual Conferences.

Michele has a Master of Business Administration in Human Resource Management and Management Skills from New York State University at Buffalo. Michele holds both SPHR and SHRM-SCP Certification and is a member of the national Society for Human Resource Management.  

Michael S. Cohen is a partner in Duane Morris’ Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group.  Michael concentrates his practice in the areas of employment law training and counseling. He has trained and counseled employers throughout the country on subjects including harassment prevention; diversity, equity and inclusion; combatting implicit bias; performance management; discipline and discharge; hiring and recruiting practices; performance evaluations; FMLA, ADA and FLSA compliance; leave of absence policies; LGBTQ+ issues in the workplace; substance abuse testing; workplace violence; records retention; conducting background checks; and more. Michael also has conducted investigations into claims of harassment and discrimination and has drafted employee handbooks, employment agreements, non-compete agreements and post-termination agreements. Michael regularly conducts in excess of 200 trainings each year.  He has represented clients throughout the country in EEO and other administrative proceedings.

Michael has been cited as a national authority on employment issues by The New York Times, The Associated Press, USA Today, MSNBC.com, HR Magazine, SHRM On-Line, Employment Law 360, Inside Counsel Magazine, as well as many other publications. Michael serves as an Advisory Board Member of GenHERation and as a Board Member of Serve, Inc. Michael is a 1997 magna cum laude graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law and a cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

For over 20 years, Allison West has used her employment law background in delivering customized workplace training, conducting investigations, coaching executives/managers, serving as an expert witness, and specializing in conflict resolution and facilitated discussions to create more collaborative work environments. 

Allison is a top-rated speaker at the SHRM Annual Conference as well as other HR/diversity conferences, and is a national expert on harassment, discrimination and investigations. She has appeared on PBS, CBS This Morning and in O Magazine discussing workplace harassment issues. 

She is a member of the State Bar of California and holds her SHRM-SCP certification and AWI-CH (investigation) certificate.

Michael Eastman is an attorney and advocate with the management-side law firm Norris, Tysse, Lampley & Lakis, LLP.  Mike has more than 20 years experience in labor and employment policy and has been a leader representing the business community in numerous high-profile public policy debates as well as nuanced and detailed negotiations. Mike also serves as vice president of public policy for the Equal Employment Advisory Council and as a senior consultant with Employment Advisory Services, Inc.

Before joining NTLL, Mike served for ten years as director and later executive director of labor policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. At the Chamber, Mike was responsible for representing the business community in all aspects of labor and employment policy, especially those issues related to equal employment opportunity and civil rights, labor unions and collective bargaining, employment standards including wage and hour mandates, and international labor policy matters.

Prior to joining the U.S. Chamber, Mike worked on the legislative staff of Rep. James P. Moran (D-VA) and practiced employment law.

Mike received his B.A. in psychology from Colgate University and his law degree from George Mason University.

Tammy D. McCutchen is a senior affiliate with Resolution Economics, providing expert services in the Company’s Wage & Hour and Human Capital Strategy groups.

McCutchen became affiliated with Resolution Economics in 2021. She is a nationally recognized expert in all aspects of wage and hour law. Her experience includes regulation drafting and enforcement, conducting internal compliance audits, defending agency investigations, designing compliance applications using smart technology, and serving as a consulting and testifying expert in wage and hour class and collective actions.

Prior to joining the DOL, she served as Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the U.S. Department of Labor. Nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she was the country’s top enforcer of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and wage laws affecting government contractors (the Davis-Bacon Act and the Service Contract Act). She managed an annual budget of $160 million and 1,400 employees, represented by two unions, in more than 250 offices across the country. She was responsible for the issuance of opinion letters and set enforcement policy. She also was the principal architect of the 2004 revisions to the overtime exemption regulations, the most significant overhaul of the regulations in 50 years. Since leaving DOL, she has been the principal author of numerous comments on proposed changes by DOL to the FLSA regulations, including on overtime and independent contractors. She also has defended dozens of employers facing DOL investigations of FLSA, DBA, and SCA compliance.

After serving at the DOL, she practiced law with Littler Mendelson, PC and was a founding vice president and managing director of ComplianceHR. At CHR, she directed the development of the only on-demand suite of intelligent compliance applications focused on helping employers address the ever-changing federal and state employment law requirements on minimum wage, overtime, independent contracting and more. Her Navigator IC and Navigator OT apps assess the risks of classifying workers as independent contractors and employees as overtime exempt as quickly as it takes to fill out an on-line questionnaire. She remains a Strategic Advisor for the company.

Previously, she was in-house counsel for employment at the Hershey Company, practiced law at Skadden Arps, and clerked for Honorable Daniel A. Manion on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Cynthia leads the firm’s High Tech practice in the heart of Silicon Valley.  As the Managing Partner of the firm’s Northern California practice, she directs the strategic representation of companies ranging from large Fortune 500 companies to small start-up companies in the firm’s “e-group.” She has worked with numerous companies to set up and manage worldwide immigration compliance programs. She also offers legal advice to individual investors (i.e., EB-5).  Cynthia is a longtime Adjunct Professor at Southwestern University School of Law where she has taught since 1988. She also frequently lectures on corporate immigration and, as a thought leader in the industry, she has written numerous articles on business immigration law matters.  Cynthia is also the Managing Partner in charge of the firm’s I-9 Service Center, which offers state of the art electronic I-9 tools and advisory services for proper I-9 and E-Verify completion. She is experienced in government investigations, audits and establishing compliance programs for companies.  Cynthia serves as a member of Fragomen's Executive Committee. Cynthia joined Fragomen over 30 years ago, after beginning her career at the U.S. Department of Justice as an INS trial attorney.