Attorney Profiles

Elisabeth R. Blattner-Thompson is a shareholder and chair of the Employment Law department of Parsons Behle & Latimer. Her practice is primarily devoted to:

• Defending employers in employment-related disputes before administrative agencies and courts;
• Counseling employers on compliance with employment laws, both specifically as individual issues arise and generally through audits of employer policies, practices and procedures;
• Conducting training programs for all levels of employees and management; and
• Conducting workplace investigations.

Ms. Blattner-Thompson's expertise includes the areas of breach of contract, discrimination and harassment, employee medical issues, occupational health and safety, retaliation, wage and hour, workers' compensation and wrongful discharge.

Ms. Blattner-Thompson received a B.S. degree in economics, cum laude, from the University of Utah in 1985. She earned her J.D. degree with high honors from the University of Utah in 1988, where she was a William H. Leary Scholar, a co-recipient of the Edward W. Clyde Fellowship, Note and Development Editor of the Utah Law Review and was elected to Order of the Coif. She served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable David K. Winder, United States District Court for the District of Utah from 1988 to 1989. Ms. Blattner-Thompson has been recognized repeatedly in Utah Business magazine as one of Utah's Legal Elite for her employment law expertise. For years, she has been recognized in Chambers USA Client's Guide as one of Utah's Leaders in employment law, has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America in labor and employment law and has been recognized in the Mountain States Super Lawyers. Throughout her career she has held Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating, an AV.

Related Activities and Skills:

• Board Member, University of Utah International Center Advisory Board, 2006 to present
• Board of Directors, Alliance House, 2007 to present
• Member, Women President's Organization, 2005 to present
• Board of Directors, Alliance House, 2007
• Board of Trustees, Park City Jazz Foundation, 2002 to 2006
• American Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section and Litigation Section
• Salt Lake County Bar Association
• Women Lawyers of Utah, 1988 to present

Presentations and Publications:

Ms. Blattner-Thompson is a frequent public speaker on employment law topics. Some of her recent presentations are listed below:

Upcoming Presentations

• "FMLA Leave After the National Defense Authorization Act and New FMLA Regulations," State and Federal Laws on Employee Leave, Vacations and Holidays in Utah, Lorman Education Services, April 1, 2009.
• "Political Change and What That Means For HR Professionals,"  Salt Lake SHRM Legal Conference, May 12, 2009.
• "Family and Military Family Leave Under the New FMLA," Salt Lake SHRM Legal Conference, May 12, 2009.

Past Presentations On Managing Employee Medical Issues

• "The New FMLA - Part I: Changes to What We Knew," Parsons Behle & Latimer 21st Annual Employment Law Seminar, March 17, 2009.
• "The New FMLA - Part II: Military Family Leave," Parsons Behle & Latimer 21st Annual Employment Law Seminar, March 17, 2009.
• "The New FMLA Regulations Have Arrived," Parsons Behle & Latimer Breakfast Briefings, December 5, 12 and 19, 2008.
• "Employment Law from A to Z: Handling Disability Leave," Lorman Education Services, October 4, 2007.
• "FMLA Basics and More," Ogden Department of Workforce Services, September 19, 2007.
• "Update on the FMLA," SHRM 2007 Crossroads Conference, September 12, 2007.
• "Mental Impairments and the ADA," Parsons Behle & Latimer 19th Annual Employment Law Seminar, May 3, 2007.
• "FMLA Troubles," Parsons Behle & Latimer 19th Annual Employment Law Seminar, May 3, 2007.
• "Managing the Crossroads of the ADA, FMLA and Workers' Compensation," Parsons Behle & Latimer 19th Annual Employment Law Seminar, May 3, 2007.
• "Mental Impairments and the ADA," Utah State Bar Employment Law Section. May 2, 2007.
• "The Family and Medical Leave Act in Utah," Lorman Education Services, April 3, 2007.
• "Now What??? Handling Complex ADA and FMLA Situations," The Employers Council 2006-2007 Legal Breakfast Series, January 23, 2007.
• "Advanced Topics in the Family & Medical Leave Act," Lorman Education Services, September 27, 2006
• Family and Medical Leave Act in Utah, sponsored by Lorman Education Services, October 29, 2004, October 14, 2005.
• "ADA/FMLA Crossover What's an Employer to Do?," Salt Lake City & Tooele Employer Committee, November 17, 2004.
• "ADA Compliance," Utah Department of Workforce Services, Ogden, October 28, 2004.
• "Mental Impairments and the ADA," Parsons Behle & Latimer 16th Annual Employment Law Seminar, April 7, 2004.
• "Employee Medical Issues Update," HR Compliance, Are You Up To Date? Seminar, Lorman Education Services, January 23, 2004.
• "ADA Compliance," Utah Department of Workforce Services, Weber State University and the Ogden Weber Workforce Development Committee in partnership with the Northern Utah Human Resource Association, October 14, 2003.
• "Employee Medical Issues," Utah State and Federal Personnel Laws Seminar, Lorman Education Services, May 7 & 8, 2003.
• "Employee Medical Issues Update," HR Compliance, Are You Up To Date? Seminar, Lorman Education Services, January 31, 2003.

Past Presentations On Discrimination and Harassment

• "Handling Internal Complaints of Discrimination," EEOC Compliance in Utah, Lorman Education Services, February 6, 2009.
• "Compliance With Discrimination Laws," EEOC Compliance in Utah, Lorman Education Services, February 6, 2009.
• "Overview of Compliance With Major EEO Laws," EEOC Compliance in Utah, Lorman Education Services, February 6, 2009.
• "EEOC Compliance," Lorman Education Services, February 6, 2008.
• "EEOC Compliance," Lorman Education Services, February 28, 2008.
• "Employment Law from A to Z: Safely Terminating the High-Risk Employee," Lorman Education Services, October 4, 2007.
• "Actionable Harassment," Parsons Behle & Latimer 1st Annual Nevada Employment Law Seminar, June 17, 2005.
• "Sexual Harassment Training: How To Do It and Why," Utah State and Federal Personnel Laws Seminar, Lorman Education Services, May 7 & 8, 2003.
• "Employment Law Training - Why, What and How?" Parsons Behle & Latimer 15th Annual Employment Law Seminar, April 17, 2003.
• "Sexual Harassment Training: How to Do It and Why," State and Federal Personnel Laws in Utah, Lorman Education Services, May 16 & 17, 2002.
• "Sexual Harassment Training," Parsons Behle & Latimer 13th Annual Employment Law Seminar, April 2001.

Past Presentations On Other Employment Law Topics

• Utah Employment Law Update, Parsons Behle & Latimer 21st Annual Employment Law Seminar, March 17, 2009.
• "Handling Discipline and Terminations," EEOC Compliance in Utah, Lorman Education Services, February 6, 2009.
• HR Stuff, Utah Prosecution Council Government Civil Practice Conference, October 15-17, 2008.
• "Understanding and Complying With the Ever-Changing Employment and Labor Laws in Utah," Lorman Education Services, October 8, 2008.
• "Workplace Investigations," Lorman Education Services, July 11, 2008.
• "Time Off: State and Federal Laws on employee Leaves, Vacations and Holidays," Lorman Education Services, April 10, 2008.
• "Utah Employment Law Update," Parsons Behle & Latimer 19th Annual Employment Law Seminar, May 3, 2007.
• "Making Employment Law Part of your Business Plan," Utah Governor's Economic Summit, March 22, 2007.
• "Employee Discharge and Documentation in Utah: Safely Terminating the High-Risk Employee," Lorman Education Services, September 13, 2006.
• "Think Like An Employment Lawyer: An Interactive Discussion Of Six Real Life Workplace Scenarios," Lorman Education Services, August 24, 2006.
• "Advanced Workplace Investigations: How to Properly Conduct, Conclude and Document an Investigation," Lorman Education Services, March 21, 2006.
• "Safely Terminating the High-Risk Employee," Utah Employers' Council, December 6, 2005.
• "Employee Discharge and Documentation in Utah: Safely Terminating the High-Risk Employee," Lorman Education Services, September 15, 2005.
• "Employment Law From 10,000 Feet," Parsons Behle & Latimer 17th Annual Employment Law Seminar, April 13, 2005.
• "Working with Temporary, Leased and Part Time Employees," SHRM Technical Training Session, November 9, 2004.
• "FLSA BEYOND THE BASICS," Intermountain Compensation and Benefits Association, Wednesday, May 14, 2003.
• "Safe Hiring Practices," Utah State and Federal Personnel Laws Seminar, Lorman Education Services, May 7 & 8, 2003.
• "Introduction to Employment and Labor Law," Employment Law Update Seminar, Lorman Education Services, December 11, 2002.
• "Employee Discharge and Documentation in Utah," Lorman Education Services, August 16, 2002.
• "Employment Law Issues," Counseling the Small Business Client in Utah, National Business Institute, March 2001.
• "Handling Temporary Hiring and Employment: Legal and Practical Issues with Temporary, Leased, Contracted and Part-time Workers," Parsons Behle & Latimer 10th Annual Employment Law Seminar, 1998.
• "Constructive Discharge Risks," Parsons Behle & Latimer 8th Annual Employment Law Seminar, 1996.