Beth A. Deragon

Shareholder – Director

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Attorney Beth Deragon advises businesses on a wide variety of employment law matters, including:

• Hiring, disciplining and terminating employees – advise regarding interviews, collecting and filing essential documents, handbook compliance, and steps to minimize litigation risk.
• Training supervisors and employees – anti-discrimination.
• Internal investigations – conduct into complaints of harassment, discrimination and retaliation.
• Employee handbooks and policies – draft and revise to capture corporate culture and legal and NLRA compliance, including social media policies.
• Wage and hour compliance – advise regarding classifications: exempt or non-exempt (FLSA).
• Employment contracts – draft to include essential terms and analyze for enforceability.
• Independent contractor – analyze enforceability and draft agreements.
• Leaves of absence – analyze intersection of ADA, FMLA, Worker’s Compensation and policies.
• Workplace privacy – advise regarding social media issues, monitoring employee use of internet.
• Non-competition agreements – draft and review for legal compliance, including RSA 275:69.
• NH DOL audits – advise regarding posting requirements, Form I-9, and child employment law.
• Unemployment compensation claims – assess misconduct standard and represent at hearings.
• Reductions-in-force/lay-off – assessment of selection criteria and compliance with WARN Act.
• Separation agreements – draft and review for essential release language, including ADEA.
• Severance policies – draft and revise, including assessment of IRS reporting requirements.

Attorney Deragon also represents businesses in employment litigation, appearing before NH Commission for Human Rights, NH Department of Labor, NH Employment Security, and NH State and Federal Courts. She also represents medical professionals before the NH Board of Medicine and NH Board of Mental Health Practice.

An active member of the NH Bar Association, Attorney Deragon is a member of the Gender Equality Committee and the Labor and Employment Law section. She is also a member of the Daniel Webster-Batchelder American Inns of Court, SHRM – Society for Human Resource Management, Human Resources Association - Greater Concord, and DRI – The Voice of the Defense Bar. She is a co-author of the NH chapter of the ABA's Employment at Will: A State-by-state Survey (BNA Books 2011), and writes the NH Employment Law Blog for Business.

Attorney Deragon received her JD from UNH School of Law. She received her master of arts degree with honors from the University of Birmingham, UK and her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire, both in Russian language and literature.

Recent decisions:

Appeal of Stephen P. Lucier - New Hampshire Supreme Court

McNamara v. City of Nashua - First Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals

Recent articles by Beth A. Deragon:

Determining Independent Contractor Status in NH
September 2012

New Hampshire Bar Association’s Gender Equality Committee Survey — An Introduction
September 2010

Ten-Year Gender Survey: An Overview of The Last Twenty Years
September 2010

FLSA Interpretation Requires Banks to Take Action Regarding Loan Officer Overtime Pay
June 2010

New COBRA Premium Subsidy Requires Quick Employer Action
March 2009

Recent speaking engagements:

"Preparing to Implement ObamaCare"
USLAW Employment Edunet Webinar
April 30, 2013

"ADAAA Compliance"
Timeshare Board Members Association, San Diego, CA
October 28-30, 2012

"Workplace Violence: Liability Issues and Policies for Mitigation"
USLAW Network Conference, Washington, DC
October 6, 2012

"Social Media as a Hiring and Termination Tool"
NH Bankers Association Insurance Trust Meeting, Concord, NH
October 16, 2012

"Dodd-Frank Mandate: Diversity in the Financial Industry Workplace"
New Hampshire Bankers Association Workshop
June 27, 2012

ADA Public Accommodation Compliance
American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Northeast Regional Meeting
June 5, 2012

Workplace Violence Presentation
NH Public Risk Management Exchange Seminar
December 2011

USLAW Presentation: Employee Absenteeism
September 2011

Presentation to NH Chiefs of Police: Title VII Compliance
1st Annual Public Safety Trade Show
September 2011