Attorney John S. Gannon wants to solve your problems early before they spiral out of control. This is critical in employment law, as lingering employment disputes often lead to time-consuming litigation. Every business, small or large, will be tested by employment law problems. The key is making sure these complications don’t become commonplace. John Foster Dulles, former Secretary of State, said: “The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year.” That is good advice for employers.
My goal when meeting with a new client is to find out as much as I can about the business. This way, I understand your challenges and am better equipped to solve your problems. One of my favorite things to do is to take a walk through a client’s facility so I can see what makes a business tick.
Unfortunately, some legal problems need to be resolved by a judge and jury. John is familiar with this process. He has defended numerous employers against claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful termination, as well as actions arising under the Family Medical Leave Act and wage & hour law. John also has experience with lawsuits seeking to enforce restrictive covenants and protect trade secrets.
John prefers avoiding costly litigation for his clients if and when possible. To that end, he frequently assists employers in litigation avoidance strategies. He has reviewed countless employee handbooks and related policies for compliance, and he does lots of training for employers. John has also conducted comprehensive wage & hour and employment practices audits. He regularly counsels employers on compliance with state and federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, and Occupational Health and Safety Act.
John is a frequent speaker on employment-related legal topics for a wide variety of associations and organizations, and including appearances on Western Mass News and the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly podcast sessions. John was selected by BusinessWest as a 40 Under Forty honoree for the Class of 2016, and was also selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star, an exclusive list recognizing no more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in Massachusetts. Johhn currently serves as a board member for Riverside Industries, Inc., and the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he is a past board member of Educational Resources for Children, Inc., and when he has the time serves as the Springfield District Court lawyer for the day.
When John’s not working on employment law problems, there is a decent chance you can find him on the local tennis courts or golf courses.
Admitted
- Connecticut, 2009
- Massachusetts, 2011
- U.S. District Court, Massachusetts and Connecticut, 2011
Affiliations
- Massachusetts Bar Association, Member
- Hampden County Bar Association, Member
- Connecticut Bar Association, Member
Education
- B.A., Boston College, 2000
- J.D., Western New England University School of Law, cum laude, 2009
Noteworthy
Super Lawyers, Rising Star 2018
BusinessWest, 40 Under 40 Honoree 2016
Professional Activities/Community Involvement
- Board of Directors, Riverside Industries
- Board of Directors, greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce
- Springfield District Court Lawyer for the Day participant
Published Works
- These New Laws And Recent Cases Should Be On Your Radar, Business West, March 16, 2022
- What Can Business Owners and Managers Expect in 2022? Business West, January 6, 2022
- Vaccine Mandates Present A Unique Test For Employers, Business West, October 27, 2021
- EEOC And One Court Say Employers Can Mandate Vaccinations, Business West, July 21, 2021
- Here are Five Things Employers Should Be Doing – Now, BusinessWest, May 2019
- Five Employment-Law Mistakes to Avoid in 2019, BusinessWest, February 2019
- A Summary of Employment-Law Highlights in 2018, February 2019
- Massachusetts to See Minimum Wage, ‘Blue Law’ Changes in January, HR Daily Advisor, December 17, 2018
- Minimum Wage Hike and Paid Leave Program Coming to Massachusetts, HR Daily Advisor, July 2, 2018
- The Benefits and Pitfalls of the Employee Handbook, Business West, March 2018
- Sexual Harassment: Lessons for Employers following Recent Decisions, HR Daily Advisor, February 28, 2018
- Recent Decision Reinforces Personal Liability in Employment Law, BusinessWest, June 2017
- How Can Employers Fights Addiction While Limiting Liability? BusinessWest, April 2017
- Penalty Increases, Electronic Reporting and Much, Much More, BusinessWest, November 2016
- State’s Pay-equity Legislation Requires Some Planning, August 2016
- No FMLA Protection for Employee Suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), April 2015
- Medical Leaves of Absence: Recent Cases Should Serve as Wake-up Calls for Employers, BusinessWest, April 2015
- Major Changes to Overtime Compensation Rules Expected, BusinessWest, Aug. 2015
- Cough Today, Get Paid Tomorrow: Mandatory Paid Sick Leave on the Horizon for Many Employers, BusinessWest, September 2014
- The Rules Have Changed: New Regulations Aim to Level Playing Field for Veterans, IWDs, BusinessWest, April 2014
- Language Lessons: Recent Cases Show Emerging Trends in Non-compete Agreements, BusinessWest, July 2013
- Burning Question: What Does the Medical-marijuana Law Mean for Bay State Employers? BusinessWest, June 2013
- Paid Sick Time? New Legislation Could Set the Stage for a New Policy in Massachusetts, BusinessWest, April 2012
- Obamacare Survives…So What Does That Mean for Massachusetts Employers? BusinessWest, August 2012
- Some ‘Chilling’ Developments…National Labor Relations Board Takes Aim at Employer Policies, BusinessWest, December 2012
- Massachusetts Passes Transgender Equal Rights Bill, Worcester Magazine, December 2011
- Social Media and the NLRB: What Employers Need to Know to Avoid Problems, BusinessWest, October 2011
Teacher/Presenter
- Hot Topics in Employment Law, Massachusetts/Rhode Island Medical Group Management Association (Jan 2016)
- Parental Leave & Sick Leave Law, Chicopee Chamber of Commerce (Mar 2015)
- Sick Leave Law Regulations, Chicopee Chamber of Commerce (May 2015)
- EANE Sick Leave Briefing (Dec 2014)
- EANE Benefits & Compensation Seminar: Changes to White Collar Exemptions (July 2015)
- EANE Employment Law Conference (Nov 2015)
- Tips for Hiring, Managing & Disciplining Employees, Massachusetts/Rhode Island Medical Group Management Association (Jan 2015)
- Social Media and Virtual Workplace Harassment, Employers Association of the North East, November 2012
- Connecticut Employment Law Update, Employers Association of the North East, November 2011
- Changes in Background Checks: Effective and Legally Compliant CORI Practices & Using Social Media to Compile Background Check Information, May 2012 (Skoler Abbott Breakfast Briefing)
- Supreme Court Round-up, July 2013 (Skoler Abbott Breakfast Briefing)
- Master Classes on behalf of BLR®:
- Wage and Hour: Fair Labor Standards Act
- Documentation Retention and Recordkeeping
- Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance
- Webinars presented to national audiences on behalf of BLR®:
- ADA, FMLA, and Workers’ Compensation Summit: Understanding Your Intersecting Leave Law Obligations, August 2013
- Supreme Court Round-up, July 2013
- Bootcamp for Supervisors, December 2012
- Wage and Hour Bootcamp, October 2012
- Exemption Checkup: How to Find and Fix FLSA Problems with an Easy Audit, February 2012