Employment

Your people are your greatest asset. And managing employees in today's global market can be complex. We can help you create work environments that achieve your business objectives, mitigate workplace issues and risk, and efficiently resolve employment disputes.

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We speak to our clients in clear and straightforward terms about their employment issues, helping them foresee and avert problems before they arise. We enable businesses to make informed decisions that minimize workforce risk.

Our team understands and constantly analyzes the ever-changing employment landscape, including multinational legal requirements and cultural factors. We understand the toughest challenges faced by our clients and their workforces, and we provide comprehensive representation that goes beyond the law. Our lawyers have experience in virtually every major industry, from life sciences to technology and beyond. Our priority is to know your business, your people, and to understand the sensitivities you face.

We always seek to resolve tensions and disputes early, and we regard litigation as a last resort. When disputes do escalate, you can leverage our exceptional record of success in court and before arbitration panels.

Whether you’re looking to restructure your organization, defend a claim, or take any employment-related action in between, we have the experience and knowledge to support you.

Dispute resolution

Internal investigations

Artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace

Data protection in the workplace

M&A due diligence

Reductions in force

Employee transfers

Worker classification

Wage and hour

Traditional labor

Our clients benefit from strategic employment counseling to develop effective workplace policies tailored to their business goals and locations. We proactively advise on risk mitigation and steps for responding to employee claims, and we regularly provide training. We help manage compliance with statutory requirements under national, state, and local laws, as well as multinational legal requirements and cultural factors.

From discrimination and harassment allegations to wage-and-hour and whistleblowing claims, our Employment team brings the knowledge and skills necessary to defend clients on an individual and class-wide basis. We are also highly experienced in prosecuting and defending restrictive covenant claims. We seek to obtain favorable and cost-effective outcomes at the earliest possible stage through strategic resolutions, while advising clients on long-term risk mitigation.

With an extensive record in workplace investigations, we deliver cross-border investigative support on C-suite and executive level investigations involving allegations of misconduct, harassment, discrimination, fraud, financial reporting violations, and more. We also handle regulatory compliance and whistleblower claims. When investigations intersect with other legal disciplines, we seamlessly collaborate with colleagues across practices to provide holistic solutions.

Our global Employment team supports employers in navigating the legal and practical complexities of AI in today’s workplace. As the use of facial recognition and other AI systems becomes more widespread, risks increase. This has created growing concerns, particularly among regulators, about the potential for AI-related bias in employment decision-making, AI’s impact on worker classification and the use of independent contractors, and more. Whether you need guidance on the EU AI Act, country-specific legislation, employee privacy rights, regulatory compliance, or internal misconduct monitoring, we can help you address your AI-related challenges.

Data protections increasingly intersect with the workplace. Under the UK and EU GDPR, individuals have the right to understand what personal data is held about them by a data controller such as an employer, why that data is processed, and how it is used. These requests often arise in the context of grievances or potential litigation action. We act as a trusted advisers, supporting clients with complex issues such as employee protections, data subject access requests, and cross‑border data considerations. In the United States, we are also skilled in advising employers on compliance with data privacy laws from coast to coast.

Amid complex and multijurisdictional mergers and acquisitions, we provide comprehensive due diligence support, including review and analysis of collective bargaining agreements, employment policies, executive employment contracts, restrictive covenants, reductions in force and reorganization plans, change-of-control trigger clauses, and independent contractor agreements. We also help clients fulfill their bargaining and statutory obligations with unions and work councils. Following the consummation of transactions, we ensure business continuity through strategic advice on employee transition and integration.

During reorganizations and large-scale reductions in force, it is crucial to safeguard your interests, retain vital human capital, and prevent harm to your business. From reviewing non-compete clauses, severance documentation, and separation agreements to advising on compliance with national, state, and local laws across the world, we support clients through all aspects of workforce transitions and reductions. We also have a strong record of success in representing clients in restrictive covenant litigation and have vast experience defending against wrongful termination and whistleblower retaliation claims, which often follow reductions in force.

Employee transfers can arise in the context of business restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, lease assignments, services agreements, outsourcings, re-tenderings and in-sourcings. Our Employment team advises companies on the employment aspects of these transfers, supports the negotiation of relevant provisions in transaction documents, and guides employers through the consultation, communication, and transfer process. We also advise on the implications of TUPE where it may apply.

With significant rulings on nontraditional labor issues and the rise of the gig economy, companies of all sizes often need help navigating the new frontier of independent contractor law while also managing everyday employment risks and disputes. Our team regularly advises on the classification of individuals as independent contractors, the risks of misclassification under national and state laws, and how to mitigate those risks. When clients are preparing for high-value transactions, we provide practical guidance on independent contractor classification.

We help you implement sophisticated policies and manage workforces in the challenging wage-and-hour landscape, while keeping your specific business goals in mind. Through proactive guidance, we strive to help clients avoid costly and protracted litigation. We have successfully resolved numerous class actions in mediation with efficient case management and robust, pragmatic negotiations. When litigation is unavoidable, we have extensive experience in successfully defending wage-and-hour cases, particularly class actions, in U.S. federal and state courts.

We bring decades of experience handling traditional labor issues such as works council matters, union campaigns and elections, and obtaining injunctive relief against prohibited strikes or picketing. We represent clients in arbitrations and collective bargaining negotiations, and we appear before governmental bodies regarding elections, unfair labor practices, secondary and consumer boycotts, and other workplace issues. We understand the sensitivities that surround each matter. While litigation is generally a last resort, we have an outstanding record of success in court and before agencies and arbitral panels.

Our capabilities at a glance

100

Employment lawyers worldwide

Our team operates from 23 offices across the globe

Hear from our clients and industry leaders

What sets them apart is their deep understanding of our industry and personalized attention and tailored advice, as well as the ability to navigate high stake situations and complex matters."

Chambers USA 2025, Labor & Employment: Highly Regarded, New York (client quote)

They're extremely good lawyers and also very practical and commercially minded."

Chambers UK 2025, Employment: Employer, London (client quote)

They manage to make complicated things simple."

Chambers Europe 2025, Italy, Employment (client quote)

They are the lawyers for any case. They understand what makes the commercial difference for us."

Chambers Europe 2025, Netherlands, Employment (client quote)

The team at Hogan Lovells gives excellent advice, adopts a personalised approach and is very responsive."

Chambers France 2025, Employment (client quote)

Hogan Lovells offers competence, speed, and accuracy."

Chambers Germany 2025, Employment (client quote)

The team have palpable experience, give impeccable attention and are always available.”

Chambers Latin America respondent, Labour & Employment (Mexico)

Key contacts

Michael E. DeLarco

Partner

Michael E. DeLarco

Partner

New York

Ed Bowyer

Partner

Ed Bowyer

Partner

London

Meet the Employment team

Employment Horizons

Examine the critical trends shaping the future of work

Learn more

Representative experience

A global transportation company on addressing the developing employment law issues that impact its business model across Europe, including proposed European Union (EU) legislation to create a presumption of employment in favor of platform workers.

A media company on employee leave, accommodation, and classification issues, including global advice across Italy, Spain, France, China, Dubai, Mexico, Japan, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Germany.

An online travel company with business-critical projects, including coordination of an evolving hybrid working regime across more than 35 jurisdictions.

A multinational auto manufacturer with an outsourcing project involving 18 jurisdictions and impacting more than 1,000 employees.

Significant victories for an entertainment company in three wage-and-hour class and Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) actions, involving 48 individually represented plaintiffs as well as a New York wage-and-hour class action.

A German pharmaceutical research group in a global cost-saving program involving site closures, reorganizations, and redundancies in multiple jurisdictions including Germany, Austria, France, Italy, the UK, and the U.S.

Coordinating a global life sciences client’s employment work globally, outside of the U.S., which involves day-to-day matters as well as leading several multijurisdictional projects often involving over 50 jurisdictions.

A consumer products conglomerate on the restructuring of its European Works Council, the group’s document retention arrangements and other data privacy-related issues, intra-group secondment arrangements, and various senior employee exits.

Conducted three high-stakes and highly sensitive employment investigations for a mining company, involving allegations of gender-based discrimination, unequal pay, retaliation, and potential criminal misconduct.

A pharmaceutical company on the employment aspects of the sale of its over-the-counter drug business, coordinating advice across nearly 30 jurisdictions on employee transfers, and works council consultation requirements.

A professional services company on the sale of its U.S. health and benefits administration and UK pension administration businesses, which include operations in both India and Portugal.

A manufacturing company on the employment aspects of a restructuring project, including assisting with the implementation of the restructuring in Germany and international project coordination in seven other EU locations.

Defended a global music company against a case brought by a former executive of the company asserting many claims including sexual harassment against the former president of the company.

Awards and recognitions

Band 1, Labor & Employment: Highly Regarded (New York)

Chambers USA

2025

Band 2, Labour & Employment (Mexico)

Chambers Latin America

2026

Band 2, Employment: Highly Regarded (Spain)

Chambers Europe

2025

Band 3, Employment: Employer (London)

Chambers UK

2025

Resources

Digital Client Solutions

Employment Horizons

Across the world, major developments have reshaped the workplace – from new rules on AI and data use to fresh protections for whistleblowers to renewed scrutiny of pay transparency and non-compete agreements. Employment Horizons highlights the changes that are defining today’s employment landscape and what employers should expect in 2026.

Learn more

Comparative guide

Global Employment Law Guide

The rules that govern employment relationships around the globe are complex and frequently change, reflecting a country’s current social and political priorities. Multinational employers need to understand the key issues and how they differ from country to country.

Learn more

Video series

Employment Bite

Hear bite-sized overviews of some of the most impactful developments in the employment law space, brought to you from our lawyers across the globe in straight-forward terms.

Watch here

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News

Employment

Your people are your greatest asset. And managing employees in today's global market can be complex. We can help you create work environments that achieve your business objectives, mitigate workplace issues and risk, and efficiently resolve employment disputes.

We speak to our clients in clear and straightforward terms about their employment issues, helping them foresee and avert problems before they arise. We enable businesses to make informed decisions that minimize workforce risk.

Explore our Capabilities

Counseling and compliance

Dispute resolution

Internal investigations

Artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace

Data protection in the workplace

M&A due diligence

Reductions in force

Employee transfers

Worker classification

Wage and hour

Traditional labor

Counseling and compliance

Dispute resolution

Internal investigations

Artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace

Data protection in the workplace

M&A due diligence

Reductions in force

Employee transfers

Worker classification

Wage and hour

Traditional labor

Our capabilities at a glance

Employment lawyers worldwide

Our team operates from 23 offices across the globe

Hear from our clients and industry leaders

What sets them apart is their deep understanding of our industry and personalized attention and tailored advice, as well as the ability to navigate high stake situations and complex matters."

They're extremely good lawyers and also very practical and commercially minded."

They manage to make complicated things simple."

They are the lawyers for any case. They understand what makes the commercial difference for us."

The team at Hogan Lovells gives excellent advice, adopts a personalised approach and is very responsive."

Hogan Lovells offers competence, speed, and accuracy."

The team have palpable experience, give impeccable attention and are always available.”

Key contacts

Employment Horizons

Representative experience

Awards and recognitions

Band 1, Labor & Employment: Highly Regarded (New York)

Band 2, Labour & Employment (Mexico)

Band 2, Employment: Highly Regarded (Spain)

Band 3, Employment: Employer (London)

Resources

Other ways we can help you

Executive Compensation, Employee Benefits, and Share Incentives

Whistleblowing

Navigate change with our latest insights

Employment Bite | Preparing for changes to UK collective consultation rules

Recent developments in Dutch employment law

Working time compliance across borders: Practical insights for employers

New executive order imposes mandatory DEI prohibition clause and False Claims Act exposure on federal contractors

Employment in the news | March 2026

HL UK Pensions Law Digest 27 March 2026

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