Jonathan D. Wetchler

Partner

  • Jonathan D. Wetchler
  • Phone: +1 215 979 1886

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  • Duane Morris LLP
    30 South 17th Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19103-4196
    USA

Jonathan D. Wetchler is an employment lawyer who works closely with clients to manage and resolve issues and disputes in virtually all areas of employment law. Having served as in-house counsel for two Fortune 500 companies and a high-tech start-up, Mr. Wetchler helps employers to develop and implement strategies, practices and programs to reduce their potential exposure to liability and to successfully resolve high-risk disputes and claims.

With more than 20 years of experience in the area of employment litigation, Mr. Wetchler has successfully handled a wide variety of employment disputes, from class and collective actions to high-profile single plaintiff cases, as well as arbitrations and mediations. He has handled allegations of employment discrimination, sexual assault, sexual harassment, violations of ERISA, employee piracy, breach of covenants against competition and misappropriation of proprietary and confidential information, violations of wage payment statutes and the FLSA, OSHA, breach of employment contracts, defamation, whistle-blower claims and discharges in violation of public policy.

Mr. Wetchler is actively involved in the negotiation and development of executive employment contracts as well as non-competition and anti-piracy agreements and programs. He designs and implements voluntary and involuntary reduction-in-force programs and works with clients, when appropriate, to develop programs requiring employees to arbitrate, rather than to litigate, their employment claims.

Mr. Wetchler trains executives in managing employment-related issues and has made numerous presentations to industry groups, including the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the Association of Legal Administrators and the National Business Institute, about the implementation of practices and programs to meet business goals and reduce potential claims.

Areas of Practice

  • Employment Law
  • Employee Benefits

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • Supreme Court of the United States

Experience

  • Trend Integration, LLC
    Vice President and General Counsel, 2009-2010
  • WolfBlock LLP
    Partner, 1993-2009
    Associate, 1988-1993
  • Scott Paper Co.
    Attorney, 1986-1988
  • Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoades
    Associate, 1984-1986
  • Gulf Oil Corporation
    Attorney, 1981-1984

Professional Activities

  • Philadelphia Bar Association

Honors and Awards

Selected Publications

Media Hits

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Co-presenter, “Paybacks, TRAPs, Clawbacks, and Forfeitures – What Can and Can’t Be Done,” PBI 2024 Employment Law Institute, April 15, 2024
  • Presenter, “Handling OSHA Inspections Under OSHA’s Proposed Walkaround Rule Permitting Union Representatives to Join OSHA Compliance Officers in Walkaround Inspections of Non-Union Workplaces,” Duane Morris Institute (DMi), April 29, 2024
  • Speaker, "3 Keys to Effective Offboarding: Compliance, Communication and Compassion," Xpert HR Webinar, May 17, 2023
  • Speaker, "Antitrust Compliance in Labor Markets: Don’t Trust Your Instincts Alone," Duane Morris Institute (DMi), Webinar, January 26, 2023
  • Presenter, "Key Executive Employment Agreement Terms and Strategies," Duane Morris Insitute (DMi), Webinar, April 26, 2022
  • Presenter, "Arbitration Agreements after the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act -- What the Law Doesn’t Say," Duane Morris Institute (DMi), Webinar, March 31, 2022
  • Speaker, "Beyond the OSHA ETS COVID-19 Vaccine/Testing Mandates and Workplace Safety," Duane Morris Institute (DMi) Webinar, January 26, 2022
  • Speaker, "OSHA’s ETS: Vaccine and COVID Testing," Duane Morris Institute (DMi), Webinar, November 10, 2021
  • Speaker, "Preparing Effective Separation Agreements," Duane Morris Institute (DMi), Webinar, June 22, 2021
  • Speaker, "OSHA’s Emergency Covid-19 Standard(s)?" Duane Morris Institute (DMi), Webinar, April 1, 2021
  • Speaker, "How to Handle OSHA COVID-19 Compliance, Employee Complaints and OSHA Investigations," Duane Morris Institute (DMi), Webinar, February 17, 2021
  • Speaker, "Electronic Communications and Your Employees," Duane Morris Institute (DMi), Webinar, December 1, 2020
  • Speaker, "Best Practices for Protecting Your Business from Class and Collective Actions and Unfair Competition," The New Reality of Workplace Law and Practice in the COVID-19 Era, Duane Morris LLP, Webinar, October 28, 2020
  • Presenter, "Arbitration Today: The Post-Epic Fallout," PBI 2020 Employment Law Institute, August 21, 2020
  • Speaker, "Bringing Pennsylvanians Back to Work: What Employers Need to Know," SHRM, Webinar, June 4, 2020
  • Speaker, "Reopening the Workplace During the COVID-19 Pandemic – What Employers Need to Know," Duane Morris Institute Webinar, May 12, 2020
  • Speaker, "COVID-19 Business Triage: Reductions in Force, Furloughs and Other Measures to Maintain Business Viability," Duane Morris Institute (DMi), March 26, 2020
  • Presenter, "Arbitration Agreements: Everything You Need to Know (But Were Afraid to Ask)," Duane Morris Institute (DMi) Webinar, November 14, 2019

  • Session Facilitator, "American Bar Association 12th Annual Arbitration Training Institute," National Arbitration and Mediation, Philadelphia, May 16, 2019
  • Speaker, "Protecting Your Business with Employment Agreements," Duane Morris' Developments in Workplace Law and Practice, Philadelphia, May 7, 2019

  • Presenter, “Electronic Communications and Your Employees,” Duane Morris Institute, Webinar, April 30, 2019

  • Speaker, Duane Morris' Developments in Workplace Law and Practice, Philadelphia, May 3, 2017
  • Presenter, "Conducting Workplace Investigations," Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, Duane Morris LLP, 2017
  • Speaker, "Employment Discipline and Termination Strategies," Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry Webinar, April 2016
  • Speaker, "Limiting Litigation Risks and Costs (and Promoting Positive Employee Relations) Through Mandatory Arbitration Programs, Class Action Waivers and Mediation," Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce's Spring Human Resources Conference, Hershey, Pennsylvania, March 23, 2016
  • Speaker, Duane Morris' Developments in Workplace Law and Practice, Philadelphia, May 2014, 2015
  • Speaker, "Mandatory Arbitration Programs, Class Action Waivers and Mediation," Pennsylvania Bar Institute 20th Annual Employment Law Institute, April 2014
  • Pennsylvania Chamber of Labor and Industry: Numerous presentations on topics including tactics for avoiding employment discrimination claims, voluntary and involuntary reductions in force, employee discipline and discharge, FMLA compliance, COBRA, OSHA compliance, and handling OSHA Inspections
  • Speaker, ""HR Records Retention Requirements, Including Electronic Recordkeeping Legal Do's and Don'ts," Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry's HR Roundtable, King of Prussia, PA, April 26, 2012
  • "Legal Issues in Drafting and Enforcing Key Employee Contracts," Pennsylvania Bar Institute 13th Annual Employment Law Institute, April 2007
  • National Business Institute: Presentations including Selecting and Terminating Employees in Pennsylvania, and Selecting and Terminating Employees in Delaware