Jennifer Chierek Znosko

Jennifer C. Znosko is an experienced employment attorney who focuses her practice on advising clients on pay equity and drugs and alcohol issues. As a seasoned attorney and former human resources professional, Jen brings a unique and valuable perspective to any employment or personnel compliance challenges faced by her clients.

Pay Equity

Jen is a core member of Littler’s Pay Equity Assessment team. She has extensive experience in conducting pay equity audits for employers in a broad range of industries, such as retail, technology, education, and manufacturing. Jen also provides general counseling advice related to compliance with state and federal pay equity claims, and addressing pay equity claims asserted by employees.

For each audit, Jen works with the client to understand the structure of its organization and customize the audit for the client. In a privileged context, Jen utilizes Littler’s proprietary Pay Equity Assessment tool to conduct the analysis of the client’s pay data. Jen works closely with clients as part of the audit process to provide the results in a user-friendly manner utilizing the Pay Equity Assessment tool’s dashboard. Once the results of the analysis are provided, Jen works with clients to investigate and document pay differences and where appropriate, formulate remediation strategies.

Drugs and Alcohol / Policies, Procedures and Handbooks / Hiring, Performance Management, and Termination

As the Co-Chair of the Drugs & Alcohol Practice Group, Jen regularly helps employers with respect to various challenges related to drug and alcohol testing and marijuana laws, including:

• Complying with various federal, state, and local laws related to drug testing, marijuana, and other related areas
• Developing drug and alcohol testing and drug-free workplace policies
• Advising about the ever-changing landscape of state and local laws with respect to medical and recreational marijuana
• Ensuring drug and alcohol testing programs are compliant with applicable laws
• Advising employers regarding discipline and termination for policy violations and approaches for addressing substance abuse

In addition, Jen regularly advises employers on other human resources matters, including:

• Maintaining a compliant hiring process
• Administering discipline
• Conducting investigations
• Discharging employees, including reductions-in-force
• Navigating requests for accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Reviewing and revising employee handbooks and other policy manuals

As a former human resources professional, Jen provides practical solutions to workforce management challenges encountered by employers. She is certified as a Professional in Human Resources^® (PHR) by the Human Resources Certification Institute.

Discrimination and Harassment

In addition to her advice and counseling practice, Jen regularly litigates discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Missouri Human Rights Act, and the Illinois Human Rights Act in federal and state courts in Missouri and Illinois. Jen also defends employers in class/collective actions asserting minimum wage and overtime claims and misclassification claims under the Missouri Minimum Wage Law, Illinois Minimum Wage Law, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. She has handled all stages of the litigation process including:

• Formulating defense strategies
• Taking and defending depositions
• Preparing and arguing dispositive motions
• Representing employers at mediation and negotiating settlements

Jen has conducted fact investigations, prepared position statements, represented witnesses during agency interviews, and represented employers during fact-finding conferences and mediations before administrative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, and the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

Professional Experience

After law school, Jen served as a law clerk for the Hon. Mary R. Russell of the Supreme Court of Missouri. While at the University of Missouri School of Law, she was the managing editor of the Missouri Law Review, and a member of the regional mock trial and regional moot court teams.