Amy L. Hemenway

Amy is a trusted advisor and fierce advocate for her clients. She brings equal measures of experience and creativity as she counsels employers on a broad range of issues to assist them in complying with the various laws and regulations impacting the employer-employee relationship. Amy has experience working with and leading individuals from all levels of an organization including C-Level executives, senior managers, human resource professionals, line managers and third party service providers to achieve the desired results. She represents non-union and union employers and management in all aspects of employment and labor law, including developing and administering workplace policies, providing advice regarding discrimination and harassment, ensuring compliance with wage and hour laws, managing leaves of absence and requests for accommodation, implementing discipline and termination decisions, and conducting workplace investigations. She also counsels clients regarding employment contract disputes, including confidentiality, non-compete, and non-disclosure issues. Her practice includes representing management in collective bargaining and defending grievances and arbitrations. Additionally, Amy works closely with the Firm’s federal contractor clients to develop affirmative action programs and provides counsel on compliance with Executive Orders and OFCCP regulations.

In addition to providing day-to-day counsel, Amy represents clients in civil litigation in federal and state courts, as well as administrative proceedings and audits before federal and state agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New York State Division of Human Rights, the U.S. and N.Y.S. Departments of Labor, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, and the National Labor Relations Board.

PROFESSIONAL & CIVIC AFFILIATIONS

• Member, Erie County Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association
• Vice President, University at Buffalo School of Law, Alumni Association, 2014-Present
• Member, Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, Western New York Chapter

HONORS & AWARDS

• Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America^© in the field of Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
• Recipient, Champions for Justice Immigration Award, Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP), 2021
• Legal Elite of Western New York, Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal, 2018
• Selected to the Upstate New York Super Lawyers list, 2013-2021
• Recipient, “40 Under Forty” Award, Buffalo Business First, 2011

NEWS

• "WNY Labor Attorney Talks Returning to the Office Amid New COVID Guidance," Spectrum News Buffalo, August 4, 2021
• "Months In, Employers Still Debate Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations," Buffalo Business First, April 2, 2021
• "Paid sick leave mandatory statewide in 2021," Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal, May 2, 2020
• "Shutdown affecting businesses looking to hire people," WIVB.com - News 4, January 2, 2019
• "Changes to paid family leave in the new year," WIVB.com - News 4, January 1, 2019
• "State's New Laws on Sexual Harassment Policy in Effect," Buffalo Law Journal, October 19, 2018
• "Breaking down new family-leave benefits," Buffalo Business First, May 11, 2017
• "Tips for Businesses to Avoid Scams This Tax Season," Time Warner Cable News Buffalo, March 23, 2016

Press Releases

• Harter Secrest & Emery Attorneys Honored for Their Pro Bono Work, January 6, 2022
• Harter Secrest & Emery Attorneys Named to 2021 Upstate New York Super Lawyers, Rising Stars Lists, August 20, 2021
• Harter Secrest & Emery Attorneys Recognized in 2022 Best Lawyers in America© and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, August 19, 2021
• Harter Secrest & Emery Attorneys Named to 2020 Upstate New York Super Lawyers, Rising Stars Lists, August 25, 2020
• Harter Secrest & Emery Attorneys Named to Best Lawyers In America 2020, August 15, 2019
• Harter Secrest & Emery Attorneys Named to 2019 Upstate New York Super Lawyers, Rising Stars Lists, August 14, 2019

PRESENTATIONS

• Presenter at seminars throughout Western New York on a variety of topics, including NYS Paid Family Leave, wage and hour issues, dealing with sick and injured employees, employee handbooks and workplace policies, and HIPAA obligations of employers.
• Presenter, "Overview of the Latest Employment Laws," 2022 Women in Energy Annual Conference, Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT, May 23, 2022
• Co-Presenter, "Ensuring Labor Compliance in a Fully-Remote or Hybrid Work Environment," Harter Secrest & Emery Labor & Employment Law Breakfast Briefing Webinar Series, July 29, 2021
• Co-Presenter, "Workplace Vaccination Guidance and the New Stimulus Package," Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, January 4, 2021
• Presenter, "Employment Trends: What to Watch and How to Adjust" webinar, The Chemung Chamber of Commerce, October 22, 2020
• Co-Presenter, "A Focus on Reopening Businesses, New CDC Guidance, and Anticipated HR Headaches," Guidance for Employers on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic - Session Twelve, Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, June 4, 2020
• Co-Presenter, "A Focus on Reopening Businesses," Guidance for Employers on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic - Session Ten, Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, May 14, 2020
• Co-Presenter, "Ten Things Your Organization Should Be Thinking About Now," Guidance for Employers on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic - Session Six, Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, April 16, 2020
• Co-Presenter, "Guidance for Employers on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic - Session Four," Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, April 2, 2020
• Co-Presenter, "Helping Businesses Navigate COVID-19 Legislation Webinar," Brown & Brown Insurance webinar, April 2, 2020
• Presenter, "HR Forum: A Live Panel Discussion," Corning Area Chamber of Commerce, July 9, 2019
• Presenter, "The Gig Economy: Employees or Freelancers?" Harter Secrest & Emery Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 30, 2019
• Presenter, "Payroll Pitfalls-Identifying and Avoiding Costly Errors to Minimize Risk in the Event of Claims or DOL Audits," Harter Secrest & Emery Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 26, 2018
• Presenter, "Encore: NYS Paid Family Leave in the Real World," Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, December 7, 2017
• Co-Presenter, "NYS Paid Family Leave in the Real World," Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, November 8, 2017
• Presenter, "Paid Family Leave," Buffalo Niagara Partnership Speaker Series, October 18, 2017
• Co-Presenter, "Risks Associated with Criminal Conviction Records in Employment," Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, August 15, 2017
• Co-Presenter, “Ready or Not… Here Comes NYS Paid Family Leave!” Harter Secrest & Emery and Key Insurance Services webinar, August 9, 2017
• Presenter, "New York Paid Family Leave," Corning Area Chamber of Commerce Employment & Labor Update, June 20, 2017
• Presenter, "Employee Handbooks Should be Living Documents, Not Cookie Cutter," Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 5, 2017
• Presenter, "Revisions to the EEO-1 Reporting Requirements to Include Compensation Data," Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 5, 2017
• Presenter, "Q&A Sessions About the Delayed Federal Overtime Rules," Teleconference, November 23 & 28, 2016
• Presenter, "Overtime Understood: How to Prepare for the New DOL Overtime Rules," Harter Secrest & Emery LLP and The Bonadio Group, September 29, 2016
• Presenter, "Capital Conversations: New Overtime Rules & Paid Family Leave Program," Buffalo Niagara Partnership, July 19, 2016
• Co-Presenter, "FLSA Overtime Exemptions - Countdown to Compliance," Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, June 15, 2016
• Presenter, "Managing Employee Leave Requests and Use," Corning Area Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Breakfast Briefings, March 15, 2016
• Presenter, "Working Overtime to Prepare for DOL’s Changes to the FLSA White Collar Exemptions," Corning Area Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Breakfast Briefings, February 25, 2016