Maureen Q. Dwyer
Maureen Q. Dwyer is an associate in the Labor and Employment Group of Pepper Hamilton LLP, resident in the Philadelphia office.
Ms. Dwyer defends employers before state and federal administrative agencies and courts in claims involving age, race, gender, disability and national origin discrimination and claims of pregnancy discrimination and sexual harassment. She also defends claims involving the Family Medical Leave Act, the Equal Pay Act, whistle-blowing and breach of contract. She often counsels employers on a variety of human resources issues, including terminations, reductions in force, employment policies, employee handbooks and employment agreements.
Representative examples of Ms. Dwyer’s work include:
- obtaining summary judgment for employer university sued by faculty member denied promotion for retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and for breach of contract
- obtaining summary judgment for employer hospital and individual defendants sued by employee physicians for violation of New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act, breach of contract, and other state law claims
- obtaining summary judgment for employer sued for breach of fiduciary duty under ERISA and various state law claims where employee was denied disability benefits under an employer-sponsored disability insurance program
- dismissal of state civil rights discrimination complaint filed by former employee who alleged sexual harassment and retaliation by his supervisor
- successful settlement of sex discrimination and Equal Pay Act claims by four employees in which three of the plaintiffs received no money.
Ms. Dwyer’s speaking engagements and publications include:
- “Supreme Court Rules Title VII’s Retaliation Clause Covers Employees Who Do Not File Discrimination Complaint,” Pepper Hamilton LLP Pepper@Work (January 29, 2009)
- “When Carrying Out a RIF, the U.S. Supreme Court Holds that Employers Have a New Burden to Defend Against Age Discrimination Claims,” Pepper Hamilton LLP Pepper@Work (June 24, 2008)
- “EEOC Issues New Guidance on Treatment of Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities,” Pepper Hamilton LLP Pepper@Work (June 5, 2007)
- “But We Signed a Release! Beware of Loopholes in Release Agreements with Former Employees,” Pepper Hamilton LLP Pepper@Work (October 5, 2006)
- “Human Resources Record Retention,” Association of Legal Administrators, Berwyn, PA (June 2006)
- “Recordkeeping in Pennsylvania Under Federal and State Laws,” Lorman Education Services (February 2006)
- “Supreme Court Clarifies Compensable Time Under the FLSA,” Pepper Hamilton LLP Labor and Employment Law Update (January 2006)
- “New Pennsylvania Law Gives Employers Immunity for Providing Job References,” Pepper Hamilton LLP Labor and Employment Law Update (August 2005)
- “Informal or Not, a Complaint is a Complaint Under the FLSA,” Pepper Hamilton LLP Labor and Employment Law Update (June 2005)
- “Reasonable Accommodations for Employees ‘Regarded As’ Disabled,” Pepper Hamilton LLP Labor and Employment Law Update (January 2005)
- “Reserve Troops Reemployment Rights,” Pepper Hamilton LLP Labor and Employment Law Update (September 2004)
- “E-Mail Monitoring - What Can an Employer Do?,” Pepper Hamilton LLP Labor and Employment Law Update (February 2004).
During law school, Ms. Dwyer won the 1999-2000 Theodore L. Reimel Moot Court Competition and received the Best Oralist Award. She also served as a member of the executive board of the Moot Court Board and was selected to serve as a legal writing teaching assistant.
Ms. Dwyer is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and before the U.S. District Courts for the District of New Jersey and the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Education
A.B. 1969 Trinity College (Economics)
M.B.A. 1988 Pennsylvania State University
J.D. 2001, cum laude, Villanova University School of Law
Bar Admissions
Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey
