Littler’s Gregory Keating Appointed By Secretary of Labor to Federal Whistleblower Committee

Keating to Serve as Management Representative on the Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 13, 2012) – Littler Mendelson, P.C. (Littler), the world’s largest employment and labor law firm representing management, is pleased to announce that the Secretary of Labor has appointed shareholder Gregory Keating to serve as a management representative on the Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee (WPAC).

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established WPAC to advise, consult and make recommendations to the Secretary of Labor and the Assistant Secretary of Labor on matters relating to the fairness, efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of OSHA's administration of whistleblower protections. Nominated by Senator Mike Enzi, Ranking Member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Johnny Isakson, Ranking Member on the Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, Keating also received support from Senator Scott Brown and several clients, industry groups and business associations.

“I am honored to be selected to serve on this new committee and look forward to working with the Secretary of Labor and the other WPAC representatives to provide guidance in the fair and balanced administration of the whistleblower protection statutes enforced by OSHA,” said Keating. “I am deeply appreciative of those who supported my nomination and provided me an opportunity to participate in this important committee as employers grapple with ever-changing whistleblowing and retaliation issues.”

The federal advisory committee is comprised of 12 voting members appointed by the Secretary of Labor and serving two-year terms, including four management representatives, four labor representatives, three public representatives and one member representing the OSHA State Plans. Nearly 100 individuals were nominated for WPAC and members were selected on the basis of their experience, knowledge and competence in the field of whistleblower protection.

A renowned authority in the area of whistleblowing, Keating serves as co-chair of Littler’s Whistleblowing and Retaliation Practice and is also a member of the firm’s Board of Directors. He has extensive experience representing management in retaliation and whistleblower claims and in preventative measures to recognize and minimize the risk of claims before they arise. Keating also counsels clients on rapidly changing legislation and regulation relating to protections for corporate whistleblowers. He is the author of the nationally recognized, authoritative treatise, Retaliation & Whistleblowing: A Guide for Human Resources Professionals & Counsel, now in its Fourth Edition.

The federal advisory committee will be particularly focused on advising OSHA on the development and implementation of improved customer service models, enhancements in the investigative and enforcement process, training of OSHA investigators, and regulations governing OSHA investigations. In addition, it will advise OSHA in cooperative activities with other federal agencies responsible for areas covered by the whistleblower protection statutes enforced by OSHA.

Keating’s appointment comes on the heels of Littler’s announcement of the newly formed Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), designed to provide the employer community with an effective resource to engage on legislative and regulatory developments that impact their workplaces and business strategies. This specialized institute utilizes the expertise of attorneys from across Littler’s practice groups to help employers address labor, employment and employee benefits policy developments at the federal, state and local levels. Littler attorneys have an extensive track record representing clients before governmental agencies, including the Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, in addition to testifying before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

About Littler Mendelson

Littler Mendelson is the world’s largest labor and employment firm exclusively devoted to representing management. With over 950 attorneys and 56 offices throughout the U.S. and globally, Littler has extensive resources to address the needs of U.S.-based and multi-national clients from navigating domestic and international employment laws and labor relations issues to applying corporate policies worldwide. Established in 1942, the firm has litigated, mediated and negotiated some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record.