Labor & Employment Law & Human Resources Counseling on Behalf of Management

About Me

People often ask me how and why I got into labor and employment law and human resources counseling. The following biographical statement answers that.

Born and raised in the West Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, I graduated from Philip Rogers Public Elementary School. Upon moving to north suburban Morton Grove, I attended Niles North High School in Skokie. Growing up, I learned about business, self-employment and entrepreneurship from family.

My father owned and ran a chain of pharmacies in Chicago for approximately 35 years. He often worked 80 plus hour weeks. On a number of occasions, I helped him with operations such as management, debt collection and liquidation. My grandfather was an immigrant and businessman who owned his own grocery stores in Chicago. On a daily basis, he was up at dawn going to produce suppliers and stocking his stores. Furthermore, he helped set other relatives up in business. Family taught me the value of hard work and how to compete and succeed in business.

While working for my dad and a grocery store chain, I developed an interest in human behavior and management styles in the workplace. I cannot definitively explain why, but I began to take notice of different types of status, performance and conduct-oriented behavior. Sometimes, these behaviors were counter productive and destructive. Other times, these behaviors instilled loyalty, sense of purpose and helped to increase productivity.

Additionally, as I got older, I became fascinated with work. Even the words “work” and “career” are interesting. In fact, work and career are two key driving forces of western civilization.

Furthermore, America was founded upon the principle of taxation with representation. What’s taxed? Our earnings from work. What’s represented? Our freedom, including the ability to engage in the work and/or career of our choice. So, part of my motivation for my career choice is my fascination with why and how we work; how we earn a living. My educational pursuits reflect this interest.

While an undergraduate at Bradley University, I advanced my interest in human behavior by majoring in psychology and pursuing coursework in both clinical and industrial/organizational psychology. After graduation, and prior to pursuing a Master of Arts degree in industrial/organizational psychology, I did social work and counseling with long-term mentally ill individuals in inpatient and outpatient settings in Chicago.

Based on my fascination with human behavior, I debated the merits of clinical psychology and industrial psychology. I chose graduate study in industrial/organizational psychology, at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I pursued this degree because I am fascinated with workplace behavior, employee productivity, why people pursue particular vocations and because it pays well.

During my first year of graduate school, I adopted the perspective that the practice of industrial/organizational psychology was “soft”. It was too “touch feely” and I have always thrived on pressure and conflict. Consequently, I decided that once I earned my masters degree, I would attend law school at the Ohio Northern University College of Law and become a specialist in labor and employment law.

RESUME

Charles A. Krugel, Human Resources Attorney & Counselor; Labor & Employment Law on Behalf of Management

July 2000-Present

• Private practice. Represent & counsel management in labor & employment negotiations, labor & employment board matters, litigation, union avoidance & relations, & alternative dispute/conflict resolution. HR policy & practice development, training & planning.
• Accomplishments: Lead negotiator for more than 7 collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), 9 interim/temporary labor agreements & 68 employment agreements, including noncompete & severance/separation agreements. 3 successful union avoidance campaigns. Represented management in more than 70 lawsuits, arbitrations, mediations & agency cases/complaints. Resolved more than 85 grievances, complaints & investigations.
• For a more in-depth explanation of my practice, please click here. You’ll be taken to an essay wherein I explain what human resources, labor & employment law & labor & employee relations are, and how they affect a business’ bottom line, and how I help to reduce these expenses.

The Human Resource Store, Director of Legal & Compliance Services Sector, January 2005-Present

• Represent Human Resource Store (HR Store) clients concerning their labor & employment law issues, provide counseling regarding compliance matters, strategic planning, play a leadership role in all of the HR Store’s activates.

Air Line Pilots Association, Labor & Employment Attorney, March 1999-July 2000

• Represented United Airline’s 9,500 pilots at 10 airports. Negotiated labor & employment agreements, litigated labor board cases, arbitrations, mediations, company & government proceedings & investigations. Resolved pilot general HR issues.
• Accomplishments: Member of collective bargaining committee: negotiated 1 CBA. Negotiated 3 labor agreements. Argued 2 labor board cases, 2 arbitrations & 1 mediation. Represented pilots in 11 company & government investigations.

YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Director of Employee Relations, April 1998-March 1999

• Managed employee relations for a 4,300 employee, 35 facility operation.Created & implemented HR policies & procedures. Managed conflict resolution & investigations, EEOC/IDHR & wage/hour complaints. Negotiated employment agreements.
• Accomplishments: Reduced legal expenses by more than 1000% & reduced unemployment compensation expenses by more than 40%. Managed 1 union avoidance campaign (successful). Argued 5 agency cases & negotiated & drafted 5 employment & separation agreements. Resolved 30+ investigations & internal complaints.

Chicago Public Schools, Labor & Employee Relations Attorney, November 1994-March 1998

• Negotiated & administrated CBAs in a 46,000 employee, 516 site organization. Counseled management regarding issues. Hearing officer & representative in dispute & disciplinary proceedings.
• Accomplishments: Negotiated & administered more than 17 labor & employment agreements. Resolved 300+ grievances, 65 in-house proceedings, 4 arbitrations, 2 mediations & 25 investigations.

MEDIA

• December 2007, Kate Plourd of CFO Magazine interviewed me for her December story “Thank You, and Good Night! How to make a graceful exit when you resign.” Also, I was quoted in the article. For PDF version click here.
• April/May 2007, interviewed in the cover story hard copy edition of Business Week Small Biz & the Spring edition of the Business Week Online, SmallBiz Cover Story, a client & I are quoted & cited in Amy Barrett’s article: “Blindsided-Five H.R. mistakes you can’t afford to make;” I arranged for my client, Steve Skertich owner of Pro Med Staffing, & I to be interviewed together by Amy; a full-page photo of Steve is included in the magazine edition of the article; Steve & I were interviewed together about employee noncompete agreements, & I was interviewed separately about differences between federal, state & local labor & employment laws.
• March 12, 2007, 30-minute interview on Blog Talk Radio’s Happiness Addiction Show hosted by Levy Rivers along with a licensed clinical social worker from Chicago’s Brandon House, we talked about workplace addiction issues, including employment policies, testing, leaves of absence, disability, employee treatment & retention.
• January 16, 2007, 30-minute radio interview concerning the interaction of business ethics & labor & employment law on World Talk Radio’s program “Values and Ethics: From Living Room to Boardroom” hosted by Jason Merchey; the title of the show is “Labor Law and Human Resources in Focus.”
• November 2, 2006, 45-minute radio interview concerning labor & employment law on Voice America’s Business Channel show “Business Dis-eases: Cure Them or Die.”
• September 26, 2006, 15-minute radio interview regarding child labor & employment law; on the KidsDadsMoms.com Radio Show on World Talk Radio.
• September 1, 2006, TV interview on YouTube & Google Video, from a 30-minute TV interview about labor & employment law, human capital & human resources, on Comcast Cable’s program “The Employment Hour.”
• March 31, 2006, interview by nationally syndicated employment columnist Leslie Whitaker, of the Los Angeles Daily News, for her “Ask the Good Girls” column, distributed by Gannett. Leslie interviewed me about references in the job interviewing & selection process. I was quoted & she cited my blog. Leslie’s article has been picked up by the Courier News of New Jersey, the PAJobFinder (part of York PA’s news group), and the Appleton WI Post-Crescent.
• March 16, 2006, 45 minute radio interview on Voice America’s Business Channel program “Business Dis-eases: Cure Them or Die.” Interview concerned employment law issues impacting small to medium sized businesses. To listen click here.
• March 12, 2006, newspaper/newservice interview in Northwest Indiana Times by Northwestern University’s Medill News Service’s Chicago bureau. Article about workplace blogging. I’m quoted & my blog/website is cited. To read click here.
• March 7, 2006, newspaper/newservice interview by Kelli Gavant of Northwestern Univesity’s Medill News Services Chicago bureau. Article concerns the dangers of workplace blogging. Article quotes me & cites my website/blog. To read click here.
• February 24, 2006, Chicago Tribune article by Internet Critic Steve Johnson about Chicago bloggers. Steve interviewed me, quotes me & cites my website/blog. To read click here.
• December 8, 2005, 45 minute radio interview on Voice America’s Business Channel program “Business Dis-eases: Cure Them or Die.” Interview concerned employment law issues impacting small to medium sized businesses. To listen click here.

SEMINARS/PRESENTATIONS

• November 15, 2007, part of panel presentation for World Trade Center Illinois’ “Breaking Down Trade Barrier” conference. I served on the “Legal Considerations, Accounting & Cultural Considerations” panel.
• August 15, 2007, labor & employment law seminar for the City of Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs & Licensing at Chicago’s City Hall.
• March 13, 2007, “Understanding Employment Law” seminar at Loyola University of Chicago’s Water Tower campus. Sponsored by Loyola’s Graduate School of Business & Loyola’s student Human Resource Student Association.At Loyola’s Downtown law school.
• January 17, 2007, employment law seminar for the City of Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs & Licensing at Chicago’s City Hall. Cosponsored by the Community Economic Development Law Project.
• December 11, 2006, labor & employment law seminar at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Stuart Graduate School of Business/Kent College of Law, for a group of 21 Chinese nationals from the province of Inner Mongolia. The class and presentation was sponsored by the Central Asian Productivity Research Center.
• November 15, 2006, labor & employment law seminar at Chicago’s City Hall. Sponsored by the City of Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs & Licensing & the Community Economic Development Law Project.
• October 6, 2006, “Understanding Employment Law,” at the Chicago Minority Business Development Council, Inc. and the Chicago Minority Business Opportunity Center’s annual Corporate Bridges event. Sponsored by the Northern Trust Company & Smurfit-Stone Container Corp., at the Northern Trust Company’s HQ in Chicago.
• April 25, 2006, labor & employment law seminar at the University of Illinois Chicago’s Center for Urban Business & Small Business Development Center.
• February 22, 2006, employment law seminar at Evanston-Northwestern University’s Small Business Development Center at the Illinois Technology Enterprise Center building. Sponsored by the SBDC, the Illinois Technology Enterprise Center-Evanston & The Technology Innovation Center.
• November 10, 2005, “Handling Employee Disruptive Behavior” at the Northern Illinois Society of Human Resources Management’s Legal Update conference at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.

EDUCATION

• November 1993 Admitted to the Illinois Bar
• May 1993 Juris Doctorate Ohio Northern University College of Law Moot Court-Negotiations, Mock Trial & Administrative Law Competitions; Graduate Representative for University Senate 1991
• December 1990 Master of Arts Industrial/Organizational Psychology University of North Carolina at Charlotte Graduate Student Representative for University Senate 1989-1990
• May 1987 Bachelor of Science Psychology Bradley University Alpha Epsilon Pi, Executive Board Member & Rush Chairman

PUBLISHED

Author of AIDS and the ADA: Maneuvering Through a Legal Minefield. The Labor Law Journal, CCH, Inc., July 1993

CIVIC ACTIVITIES & AFFILIATIONS

• Youth Communication (publisher of New Expression, Chicago newspaper for teens, about teens & by teens), Member, Board of Directors - May 2006-Present & since March 2007, I’m Board President
• The YMCA Alliance (the welfare-to-work, jobs training & literacy arm of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago), Board Chairman & Member of the Board of Directors - April 1999-Present; Past Board Treasurer & Chair of Finance Committee
• Urban Gateways (children’s arts education organization), Member, Junior Board of Directors - September 2004-Present
• ChildServ (child advocacy & adoption services), Member Board of Directors & Co-chair of the human resources committee - July 2007-Present
• Time Dollar Tutoring (free tutoring & computers for CPS’ students), Member & Vice President, Board of Directors - September 2004-January 2007
  
• Greater O’Hare Association, Member & Member of Government Affairs Team - September 2004-Present
• Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Member & Member of Employment Law & Educational Workforce Quality Committees - January 2005-Present
• Labor & Employment Relations Association, Chicago Chapter, Member - October 2004-Present
• Jewish Children’s Bureau, Big Brother/Mentor Program, Volunteer “Big Brother” for 2 kids - March 1995-Present
• Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA-motorcycling advocates) - Legal Council for the Chicago Chapter - January 2004-November 2005
• Law & Policy Institution’s Guide, Member of Advisory Board - August 2006-Present
• World Trade Center Illinois, Member - September 2006-Present