Cancer discrimination lawyers

September 16, 2020

Caregiver Discrimination Disability Discrimination Firm News

Joni Thome Presents at 2020 ELI on Assisting Employees with Cancer

This week, firm attorneys Joni Thom presented at the 2020 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute (ELI), held virtually this year amid COVID-19. ELI is the preeminent conference for employment lawyers and human resource professionals from across the upper Midwest to gather and discuss the latest developments in employment law. The Institute, which this year hosted over 1000 practitioners, is one of the largest and best-attended conferences of its type in the country and provides employment professionals with up-to-date education and resources throughout the employment law field.

Joni and Matt joined Cancer Legal Care’s Executive Director Lindy Yokanovich to discuss ways practitioners can assist employees who have been diagnosed with, treated for and recovering from cancer. Titled “Employees with Cancer—Finding Compliant, Effective Solutions to Workplace Challenges Employees with Cancer Face,” panelists shared their experiences in working with employees with cancer to provide professionals with guidance from both compliance and human-/employee-relations standpoints. The session provided answers to common questions related to treatment accommodations, sharing of medical information, the interplay of disability rights and family and medical leave, as well as common misconceptions people have regarding employees with cancer. 

Joni M. Thome is a founding partner of Wanta Thome PLC. For twenty-eight years, she has focused her practice working on behalf of employees who have been wrongfully terminated from their jobs due to discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation. Joni has been certified as an Employment Law Specialist since 2010 and has been repeatedly named to the lists of Minnesota’s Top 50 Woman Super Lawyers, Top 100 Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America. She has counseled and represented countless employees with cancer and is a volunteer attorney with Cancer Legal Care.

Cancer Legal Care has helped over 9,000 Minnesotans affected by cancer with legal care information and services in areas including public benefits, insurance issues, family law, employment matters, financial and housing concerns, and many other cancer-related legal issues. Lindy Yokanovich is the founder and executive director of Cancer Legal Care. She frequently authors articles on cancer related legal topics, has presented over 100 seminars on the intersection of cancer and law and is the recipient of many awards for her leadership and work in the legal and health fields.

Wanta Thome PLC is an employment law firm committed to protecting the rights of employees from the unlawful acts of companies. For questions about employee rights, contact Joni or any of our attorneys by clicking here.