Overview

Eli Freedberg is an experienced lawyer who has worked on cases on behalf of major corporations, mid-sized and small businesses, and individuals. Eli works to create workplace solutions for his clients across the hospitality (including hotels, restaurants, resorts, spas, country clubs, golf clubs, and fitness clubs), health care, retail, and financial industries.

He defends employers in litigation at both the federal and state levels, including matters related to the FLSA, ADA, Title VII, FMLA, and various state and local laws. Eli is an experienced litigator who has taken cases to arbitration and prevailed on motions for summary judgment. He also advises clients regarding the protection of trade secrets and the misappropriation of confidential or proprietary information, both defending employers and pursuing enforcement against former employees.​

Representative Experience:

  • Prevailed on motion for summary judgment against an international food services and facilities management company and successfully dismissed Title VII and ADA claims
  • Prevailed on summary judgment against a national transportation company and successfully dismissed  equal pay, race and gender discrimination claims
  • Successfully defended dozens of restaurant groups in class actions alleging improper tip credit and tip pooling arrangements
  • Represented large health care providers in discrimination claims brought by employees
  • Defended hotels and restaurant groups in class actions alleging improper distribution of service charges
  • Advised employers on wage and hour compliance and conducting internal wage hour audits
  • Drafted comments on behalf of trade organizations to governmental agencies in response to proposed changes to wage and hour law
  • Successfully defended employers in Department of Labor investigations concerning compliance with overtime and regular rate of pay calculations and child labor issues
  • Defended hospitality owners and operators and health care providers in lawsuits alleging discrimination from accessibility barriers by guests with disabilities under Title III of the ADA
  • Successfully defended a former employee and new employer for claims of destruction of evidence and misappropriation of company trade secrets
  • Conducted workplace training sessions for employees and managers and human resources personnel concerning performance management, harassment, diversity, EEO issues, and wage/hour issues, including pay practices and exempt/nonexempt classification issues

Eli is a popular speaker and frequent contributor to publications regarding topics related to tip credit/tip pools/service charge compliance, wage and hour compliance, prevention of harassment and discrimination, and effective employment policies.

Eli also serves as the New York coordinator and liaison for Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI). Eli focuses on New York State and New York City legislative and regulatory developments in employment and labor law, as well as municipal ordinances and regulation of the workplace. As part of this initiative, Eli has organized a coalition to challenge New York City’s Fair Workweek laws, which have had an extraordinarily detrimental and costly impact on New York City’s fast food establishments. Eli has also drafted comments to regulatory entities such as the New York State Department of Labor in response to proposed regulations on behalf of numerous individual clients and trade organization. He also assists the employer community in understanding New York legislation before it becomes law and adapting policies to comply with these new laws.

 

News, Analysis & Press

Just-Cause Laws Could Spread After 2nd Circ. Ruling

Law360 Employment Authority

January 11, 2024

NYC, Restaurant Groups Bring 'Just Cause' Args To 2nd Circ.

Law360 Employment Authority

May 16, 2023

Berkeley, Calif. Adopts Fair Work Week Measures

SHRM Online

February 23, 2023

Los Angeles Adopts Fair Workweek Measures

SHRM Online

February 14, 2023

NYC Pushes Back AI Bias Law's Effective Date To April

Law360 Employment Authority

December 13, 2022

Tensions in Brazil as Bolsonaro breaks silence

BBC World News

November 1, 2022

Calif. Fast Food Worker Law Could Affect Other States, Jobs

Law360 Employment Authority

September 14, 2022

3 Things To Know After NYC Waters Down Pay Disclosure Law

Law360 Employment Authority

May 5, 2022

NYC Amends Wage Transparency Law

ASAP

April 29, 2022

Return-to-work issues hotels need to be aware of

Hotel Management

June 28, 2020

Speaking Engagements

New York Retail Roundtable

December 5, 2023

Virtual Hospitality Roundtable

September 28, 2023

2023 Littler AI Summit

Washington, DC

September 21, 2023

2023 Tri-State Regional Employer Conference

New York, NY

June 20, 2023

A.I. in HR - Staying Ahead of the Curve

A.I. in HR - Staying Ahead of the Curve, Atlanta, GA

October 27, 2022

Hospitality Industry Roundtable

Littler Executive Employer Conference

May 4, 2022

A Virtual Hospitality Roundtable

February 24, 2022

It’s Not Just About COVID! Major New Changes in NY State and City Employment Law

February 16, 2022

The NY HERO Act: What Employers Need to Know to Be Compliant

Melville, NY

July 29, 2021

Timely Talk About Wage and Hour Law: New York's Requirement and Recent Legal Developments

New York, NY

June 10, 2021

Virtual Hospitality Roundtable

March 11, 2021

Virtual Hospitality Roundtable

March 4, 2021

What to Expect? Considerations for Hospitality Employers Under the Next Administration

November 10, 2020

Hospitality Roundtable

August 26, 2020

Wage and Hour Considerations for Reopening Your Business

May 21, 2020

Practical Considerations for Getting Your Employees Back to Work

May 14, 2020

New York Hospitality Roundtable

New York, NY

April 22, 2020

Philadelphia Breakfast Briefing on Predictable Scheduling Compliance

Philadelphia, PA

February 4, 2020

Large Retail, Hospitality and Hotel Establishments and Franchisees in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA

December 4, 2019

Timely Talk About Wage and Hour Law: New York’s Requirements and Recent Legal Developments

October 31, 2019

Tips on Tips: Keeping Up with Changes on Handling the Tip Credit, the 80/20 Rule and Service Charges

September 12, 2019

New York Hospitality Roundtable

New York, NY

April 30, 2019

Time for a Tune-Up: Compliance Tips for 2019 and Beyond

New York, NY

April 23, 2019

Understanding New York State and City’s Sexual Harassment Laws: A Compliance Checklist

October 30, 2018

Understanding New York State and City’s Sexual Harassment Laws: A Compliance Checklist

October 19, 2018

Predicting the Future of Predictive Scheduling: What Employers Need to Know Now

October 9, 2018

New York Hospitality Roundtable

New York, NY

May 16, 2018

Workplace Policy Institute State of Play: An Inside Perspective on Labor and Employment Policy in Congress and the Federal Agencies

Littler Executive Employer, Phoenix, AZ

May 3, 2018

Timely Talk About Wage and Hour Law: The FLSA’s 2018 Amendment on Tip Pooling and Tip Ownership and the Related DOL Field Bulletin

April 26, 2018

New York Hospitality Roundtable

New York, NY

January 30, 2018

New York: The City (With a City Council) That Never Sleeps - Keeping Up With New Employment Legislation

New York, NY

November 16, 2017

New York City’s Fair Workweek Law – Overview and Analysis of the New York’s City New Scheduling Requirement

July 20, 2017

Timely Talk about Wage and Hour Law: Tipping in the Hospitality and Restaurant Industries

July 19, 2017

New York Healthcare Industry: A Roundtable Discussion

New York, NY

July 19, 2017

2016 Hot Topics for New York Employers

New York, NY

June 28, 2016

Education

  • J.D., Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, 2002
  • B.A., State University of New York at Binghamton

Bar Admission

New York
Connecticut

Courts

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York