“Facing Retaliation From Above: A Case Study From Prince George’s County” will focus on how to handle unsupportive management and retaliation through the lens of a recent case against Prince George’s County Memorial Library System. The plaintiff in the case, Jeffrey Naftal, was represented by the presenter Scott Oswald and is actually a member of SHRM as well. Jeff was unfortunately discriminated against and illegally fired after he attempted to follow library policy against his CEO’s wishes. This case is only one example of the jeopardy people in HR can face if someone higher up wants them to break the rules.

Jeff’s case will provide a framework for the audience to learn how to: 1) internally handle conflict what is legally and morally right and what upper management asks them to do; 2) stand up to upper management in the event that HR is being pressured to engage in unlawful acts or otherwise violate company policy; and 3) identify retaliation and possible steps to fight against it. Scott will be walking through tips and considerations from the perspective of an employment lawyer who has both represented and been on the opposite side of the courtroom of HR professionals.

This presentation will speak broadly to HR in both private and governmental positions.

Scott Oswald and Jeffrey Naftal will be available for questions at the end.”

 Speaker Bio

Scott Oswald is a founder and managing principal of The Employment Law Group® law firm. He is an accomplished trial lawyer who has brought more than 40 trials to verdict and recovered more than $300 million in judgments and settlements for his clients, in cases ranging from wrongful termination to employer fraud. Mr. Oswald litigates employment lawsuits nationwide, with a special focus on whistleblower matters – including qui tam law, which can deliver monetary rewards to employees who expose fraud against the government. He has spoken up for workers before federal agencies and on Capitol Hill and has broken new ground in whistleblower law.

In 2017, after 20 years practicing law, Mr. Oswald was nominated by his colleagues to become a fellow of the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in his first year of eligibility. Super Lawyers has recognized his achievements every year for almost a decade, and he has placed on its D.C. “Top 100” list multiple times, including for 2021. Mr. Oswald is a ten-time honoree in The Best Lawyers in America. He has been recognized as a “Top Lawyer” in D.C. by Washingtonian Magazine and Northern Virginia magazine and is ranked by Lawdragon as one of the top 500 plaintiff-side employment lawyers in the United States. In 2021, Mr. Oswald was ranked by Chambers, a prestigious global legal directory.

Mr. Oswald regularly provides commentary for news articles and has been quoted by publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The National Law Journal. He often lectures on employment and whistleblower law, and organizations such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor have sought his input on their practices.

Mr. Oswald is the programming chair of the Federal Bar Association’s Qui Tam Section and has served in the past as both section chair and chair of its Professional Ethics Committee. He is also a proud past president of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association, and currently heads its Bench-Bar Committee. He is co-chair of an employment law subcommittee at the American Bar Association and has roles in other professional groups, including the D.C. Bar and the National Employment Lawyers Association. Mr. Oswald is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management.

Mr. Oswald is admitted to practice in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Florida, and in numerous federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.