For both private and public organizations in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin, Eckberg Lammers Labor & Employment team is the first choice for all labor & employment matters in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. Our experienced team of attorneys understand the complexities and ever changing landscape of employment laws and regulations for both private and public organizations.

We proactively partner with our clients to protect them from potential employer liabilities by implementing practical workplace policies that foster effective employer-employee relations and help avoid costly litigation should disputes arise.

With a focus on prevention as the best cure for costly litigation our team provides practical legal guidance in the following areas:

  • General Counsel

    Our General Counsel Services provide organizations with proactive, strategic legal guidance tailored to your day-to-day operations including:

      • Hiring
      • Discipline
      • Discharge
      • Sick and Medical leave
      • Background Checks
      • Layoffs/Reduction-in-Force
      • Disability Accommodation
      • Minnesota Veterans’ Preference Act
      • Minnesota Data Practices Act
      • Union Avoidance
  • Practices, Policies & Contracts

    Clear, consistent policies and procedures are the foundation of effective HR and business operations. When your practices, policies, and contracts align with your organization’s goals, you reduce risk, ensure compliance, and create a strong framework for labor and employment success. Policies and contracts we help draft include:

      • Employee handbooks
      • Operational Policies
      • Drug & Alcohol Testing Policies
      • Social Media Policies
      • Workplace Safety Manuals
      • Employment Applications
      • Employment Agreements
      • Executive Employment Agreements
      • Separation and Severance Agreements
      • Deferred Compensation Agreements
      • Non-Compete & Non-Solicitation Agreements
      • Confidentiality Agreements
      • Independent Contractor Agreements
      • Collective Bargaining Agreements
  • Workplace Audits

    We partner with organizations to conduct comprehensive workplace audits for compliance and risk management. We help organizations identify potential risks, strengthen practices, and stay ahead of regulatory changes. Common practices include:

      • Wage and Hour Audits
      • Personnel File Audits
      • Employment Handbook
      • Personnel Policy Audits
      • OSHA Compliance
  • Workplace Investigations

    Our team provides thorough, impartial workplace investigations for both public and private organizations throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. We bring deep experience, professionalism, and discretion to every investigation, visit our Workplace Investigations page to learn more.

  • Litigation

    If you find your organization in a dispute, we have a dedicated litigation team who can represent your organization’s interests in a precise and cost-effective manner. Our team is experienced in a wide range of cases including but not limited to the following:

    • Discrimination
    • Harassment / Hostile Work Environment
    • Whistleblower
    • Retaliation
    • Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
    • Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML)
    • Overtime, Wage, & Hour Dispute
    • Prevailing Wage
    • Unemployment Compensation
    • Breach of Contract
    • Tortious Interference with Contract
    • Misappropriation of Trade Secrets
    • Defamation
    • Wrongful Discharge
    • Union Grievance
    • Veterans’ Preference
  • Employer Trainings in Minnesota and Wisconsin:

    We understand how complicated it can be to successfully manage a team of employees while operating within the complicated scheme of federal, state, and local employment regulations. Our skilled Labor & Employment team provides customized workshops and training for public and private organizations to assist in this process. Some of our sessions include:

    • Discrimination and Harassment Prevention
    • Respect in the Workplace
    • Workplace Investigations
    • Handling ADA and FMLA requests
    • Worker Classification
    • Organizational Culture and Equity initiatives, designed to empower individuals, businesses, and municipalities. Our customizable training sessions, ranging from beginner to advanced, foster inclusive environments, enhance leadership, and strengthen organizational dynamics. Join us in creating stronger communities through education, collaboration, and a commitment to equity.

Our Labor & Employment Team

Lida Bannink

Christina Benson

Nicholas Vivian

Meet Attorney Lida Bannink

In Our Clients’ Words

I just wanted to send you a quick thank you for all the work you do for employers in our communities that we serve, your intentional agenda, collaboration, and support does not go unnoticed. I am grateful to have you in our corner and having you as a center of influence is incredibly important.
HR Benefit Consultant
I wanted to take a moment this morning to express my appreciation and gratitude. We have been entrenched in a complex human resource issue for the past 15 months with one of our employees, and Lida has been a guiding light throughout the process. She has provided us with sound advice and direction as we navigated an evolving and fluid situation with significant challenges and complexity. We received an award and decision after a four-day trial, and I could not be more pleased with the outcome and the opinion.The decision is a direct reflection on Lida Bannink’s guidance, advice, case preparation, and trial performance. I have spent 31 years working in this industry, testified hundreds of times in court cases, and worked with a variety of attorney’s over the years in a courtroom setting. I followed along each day of the hearing and could not have been more impressed with Lida’s preparedness and presentation of the case. The decision is a win for Eckberg Lammers, for our organization, as well as for the community. More importantly, this decision will have a significant positive impact on the morale of our employees knowing we stand by our convictions of integrity, ethics, and professionalism; and we are willing to fight for those core values. Thank you on behalf of the members of our organization.
Municipal Labor & Employment Client