Rhea has over 40 years’ experience pursuing and defending employment discrimination claims of all kinds – including before federal courts and the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division. He works directly with employers to maintain protective workplace policies and represents employers before government administrative authorities.
Rhea regularly conducts seminars on employment law, discrimination, and employer liability, and educates employers and employees on using collective bargaining for mutual benefit.
In addition to his core labor and employment practice, Rhea is an experienced litigator and has tried commercial litigation – including class actions – with thousands of plaintiffs. To assist in the efficient organization of complex litigation, he developed specialized litigation software for use in the defense of product liability and class action cases.
Representative Work
Some of Rhea’s representative work for employers and employees includes:
- Termination of employment
- Sexual harassment
- Workplace safety
- Wage and overtime standards
- Privacy rights
- Discrimination involving age, ancestry, color, creed, disability, marital status, criminal history, medical conditions, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation
- Employee benefits including state and federal rights; leaves of absence and retirement plans
- Review of employment contracts, advice about employment rights and recommended legal actions, mediation between employees and employers, and civil lawsuits both for and against employers
- Labor law relations among unionized employees, their unions, and their employers
Admitted to Practice
- Wisconsin State Courts
- United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin
- United States Supreme Court
- Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and South Dakota State Courts
Education
- J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School, 1980
- M.A., English, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1978
- B.A., English, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1974
Rhea’s Latest Writing & Presentations
U.S. Supreme Court Makes Employment Discrimination Claims Easier to Prove
HR Heads Up | 04.22.24
All employers should take note of a decision released by the U.S. Supreme Court that will make it easier for employees to prove claims of discrimination under Title VII.