Steven M. Loewengart

Regional Managing Partner

Columbus

614.453.7606

614.221.1409

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Overview

Steve Loewengart is an employment law veteran with more than 25 years of experience. Before joining Fisher Phillips he led the safety and health practice at another large firm.

Steve represents employers in a wide variety of labor and employment legal matters and serves a broad range of clients. He is a member of the Litigation, Labor and Employment Law, and Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Sections of the American Bar Association (ABA); Ohio State Bar Association’s Litigation and Workers’ Compensation Committees; Columbus Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law, Workers’ Compensation Law and Professionalism Committees; and the Central Ohio Self Insurers Association.

Represented client in defense of retiree and union suit against client for alleged unpaid welfare benefits under ERISA. Discovery and extensive motions practice ultimately led to a favorable settlement for the client and established a precedent with the opposing union.
Defended client in a class action race discrimination claim which alleged that a bakery utilized multiple staffing agencies to segregate candidates by race in order to hire fewer African-Americans. Client is one of the staffing agencies involved; filed a motion to dismiss arguing that Plaintiff’s joint employer allegations failed as a matter of law. Rather than respond to filed motion, Plaintiff voluntarily dismissed client from the case.
Represented a client in the aerospace device industry in a matter of the Fair Labor Standards Act involving complex joint employer issues as well as class action certification issues.
Defended client against a religious discrimination claim brought by two Somali Muslim Union employees who alleged they were laid off after a non-associated Somali Muslim attack in the community. In addition to one employee still being currently employed by the client, the defense successfully saved the reputation of the client in the Somali Muslim community which is a large percentage of its workers.
On going defense of numerous Workers’ Compensation court appeals which continue to save clients money by resolving cases through negotiation with little or no impact on their Workers’ Compensation insurance premiums.
Provided testimony to the House Civil Justice Committee in support of HB 352 and shared with the committee why returning legislative control to the definition of an employer is needed. As the witnesses before Steve stated, HB 352 makes reasonable and prudent cost-effective reforms to Ohio’s anti-discrimination laws in order to bring Ohio in line with federal law and the workplace anti-discrimination laws of other states. In HB 352, the definition of employer is amended to clarify that supervisors, managers, or other employees are not considered an employer for purposes of Ohio’s workplace anti-discrimination laws. Read the full testimony.