Overview

Jennifer C. Znosko is an experienced employment attorney who focuses her practice on advising clients on pay equity and drugs and alcohol issues. As a seasoned attorney and former human resources professional, Jen brings a unique and valuable perspective to any employment or personnel compliance challenges faced by her clients.

Pay Equity

Jen is a core member of Littler’s Pay Equity Assessment team. She has extensive experience in conducting pay equity audits for employers in a broad range of industries, such as retail, technology, education, and manufacturing. Jen also provides general counseling advice related to compliance with state and federal pay equity claims, and addressing pay equity claims asserted by employees.

For each audit, Jen works with the client to understand the structure of its organization and customize the audit for the client. In a privileged context, Jen utilizes Littler’s proprietary Pay Equity Assessment tool to conduct the analysis of the client’s pay data. Jen works closely with clients as part of the audit process to provide the results in a user-friendly manner utilizing the Pay Equity Assessment tool’s dashboard. Once the results of the analysis are provided, Jen works with clients to investigate and document pay differences and where appropriate, formulate remediation strategies.

Drugs and Alcohol / Policies, Procedures and Handbooks / Hiring, Performance Management, and Termination

As the Co-Chair of the Drugs & Alcohol Practice Group, Jen regularly helps employers with respect to various challenges related to drug and alcohol testing and marijuana laws, including:

  • Complying with various federal, state, and local laws related to drug testing, marijuana, and other related areas
  • Developing drug and alcohol testing and drug-free workplace policies
  • Advising about the ever-changing landscape of state and local laws with respect to medical and recreational marijuana
  • Ensuring drug and alcohol testing programs are compliant with applicable laws
  • Advising employers regarding discipline and termination for policy violations and approaches for addressing substance abuse

In addition, Jen regularly advises employers on other human resources matters, including:

  • Maintaining a compliant hiring process
  • Administering discipline
  • Conducting investigations
  • Discharging employees, including reductions-in-force
  • Navigating requests for accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Reviewing and revising employee handbooks and other policy manuals

As a former human resources professional, Jen provides practical solutions to workforce management challenges encountered by employers. She is certified as a Professional in Human Resources® (PHR) by the Human Resources Certification Institute.

Discrimination and Harassment

In addition to her advice and counseling practice, Jen regularly litigates discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Missouri Human Rights Act, and the Illinois Human Rights Act in federal and state courts in Missouri and Illinois. Jen also defends employers in class/collective actions asserting minimum wage and overtime claims and misclassification claims under the Missouri Minimum Wage Law, Illinois Minimum Wage Law, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. She has handled all stages of the litigation process including:

  • Formulating defense strategies
  • Taking and defending depositions
  • Preparing and arguing dispositive motions
  • Representing employers at mediation and negotiating settlements

Jen has conducted fact investigations, prepared position statements, represented witnesses during agency interviews, and represented employers during fact-finding conferences and mediations before administrative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, and the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

Professional Experience

After law school, Jen served as a law clerk for the Hon. Mary R. Russell of the Supreme Court of Missouri. While at the University of Missouri School of Law, she was the managing editor of the Missouri Law Review, and a member of the regional mock trial and regional moot court teams.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

Missouri Bar

Member

Illinois State Bar Association

Member

Labor and Employment Law Section

Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

National Legal Counsel

Alpha Phi Omega

Member, Board of Directors

Alpha Phi Omega

Immediate Past President, Board of Directors

Webster Child Care Center

Chair

Human Resources Committee

Webster Child Care Center

Member

St. Peter Catholic Church

Recognition

Recipient, Up & Coming Award

Missouri Lawyers Weekly

2016

Named, Super Lawyer

Missouri and Kansas

Super Lawyers

2013 and 2014

Named, Rising Star

Missouri and Kansas

Super Lawyers

2011 and 2012

Order of the Barristers

News, Analysis & Press

Speaking Engagements

2023 Kansas City Regional Employer Conference

Kansas City, MO

October 10, 2023

Drug Testing Through the LoD Lens – Compliant Solutions for the Questions You Have Today

Client Webinar

October 18, 2022

2022 St. Louis Regional Employer Conference

St. Louis, MO

September 22, 2022

Drugs and the Workplace

International Foodservice Distributors Association - Distribution Solutions Conference, Tampa, FL

September 14, 2022

VESSA: Missouri’s Newest Employee Leave Law

St. Louis, MO

December 2, 2021

Ethical Issues and Best Practices for Workplace Investigations

Missouri Employment Conference

May 12, 2021

Rehab Roundup: Discrimination and Leave Compliance Issues When Managing Employees With Substance Addictions

SHRM St. Louis Annual Legal Update

February 17, 2021

Moving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs Forward

November 10, 2020

Return to Work in Missouri – What Employers Need to Know to Manage the Next Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic

May 12, 2020

When the Smoke Clears: The Realties of Marijuana and the Workplace in Missouri and Other Midwestern States

Missouri Employment Conference

May 6, 2020

When the Smoke Clears: The Realties of Marijuana and the Workplace in Missouri and Other Midwestern States

SHRM St. Louis Annual Legal Update

February 19, 2020

Navigating the Choppy Waters of Illinois’ New Wave of Employment Laws

January 14, 2020

Marijuana and the Workplace in Illinois and Nevada: Preparing for the New 2020 Marijuana Laws

December 9, 2019

Top 10 Wage & Hour Mistakes That Employers Still Make and What To Do About Them

Missouri Employment Conference

May 1, 2019

Redefining Employment Relationships & Responsibilities in the Gig Economy

SHRM St. Louis Annual Legal Update

February 13, 2019

The Littler State and Federal Legal Update – Wage & Hour Update

Littler St. Louis Employment & Labor Law Conference

October 3, 2018

St. Louis Women's Leadership Initiative Luncheon

St. Louis, MO

August 15, 2018

Weed at Work: Are Marijuana Users the Newest Protected Class?

Missouri SHRM Conference, Lakes of the Ozarks, MO

August 9, 2018

Avoiding Legal Landmines: An Employer’s Guide to Lawful Recruitment & Hiring

AAIM Employer Organization, St. Louis, MO

June 29, 2018

Employee Handbook Do’s and Don’ts: Best Practices to Avoid Common Pitfalls

Human Resources Management of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

February 21, 2018

Strategies for Addressing Sexual Harassment Complaints: Elevating Your Corporate Culture by Embracing a Zero Tolerance Position on Sexual Harassment and Empowering Employees to Speak Up

Webinar - HireLevel

December 6, 2017

Weed at Work: Are Marijuana Users the Next Newest Protected Class?

ILEA, St. Louis, MO

November 16, 2017

What Every Attorney Should Know: Labor, Employment & Tax under the New State & Federal Administrations – The Current Status of Federal Wage & Hour Law

Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis CLE, St. Louis, MO

October 4, 2017

2017 Brings Sweeping Changes to Federal and State of Missouri Labor and Employment Laws

St. Louis, MO

June 8, 2017

Effective Wage and Hour Audits: An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure

Human Resources Management Association of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

February 15, 2017

Preparing for the New Overtime Rule: Final Considerations About Policies, Procedures and Training

Webinar - HireLevel

September 14, 2016

Preparing for the New Overtime Rule: Communication About Reclassification Decisions

Webinar - HireLevel

August 3, 2016

Preparing for the New Overtime Rule: Considerations & Challenges in the Reclassification Process

Webinar - HireLevel

July 13, 2016

Preparing for Change: DOL’s Final Rule on Overtime

Webinar - HireLevel

June 8, 2016

Avoiding Legal Claims in the Hiring Process

2016 IPMA-HR Central Region Conference, St. Louis, MO

June 6, 2016

Working on Overtime: Preparing for DOL’s Changes to the FLSA Overtime Regulations

Human Resources Management Association of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

February 17, 2016

The New DOL Wage & Hour Regulations: Challenges and Opportunities

St. Louis Association of Corporate Counsel, St. Louis, MO

October 1, 2015

Defending the Discriminator – Ethical and Other Issues Associated With Joint Representation

June 2, 2015

Avoiding the Biggest Pitfalls of HR Investigations

Human Resources Management Association of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

February 18, 2015

What Every HR Professional Needs to Know About the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act

Human Resources Management Association of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

March 20, 2014

Education

  • J.D., University of Missouri School of Law, 2004
  • B.A., Washington University in St. Louis, 1999

Bar Admission

Missouri
Illinois

Courts

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois