Katherine Brustowicz
Katherine Brustowicz
Associate
Practice Areas
Biography
Katherine Brustowicz joined The Wagner Law Group as an Associate in October 2018. Her focus is in the practice areas of Employment Law & Human Resources, Labor Law, and Civil Litigation. Katherine's practice includes drafting employment-related policies and agreements, conducting employee and management training, and representing employers during audits. She also handles litigation in federal and state courts, administrative agencies, and in mediation and arbitration issues arising out of the employer-employee relationship including but not limited to those involving wage and overtime disputes, employment related contracts, compliance, discrimination, and harassment.
Prior to joining The Wagner Law Group, Katherine served as Judicial Intern to the Honorable Sabita Singh in the Massachusetts District Court Appellate Division, as a Legal Intern with the Office of General Counsel at Boston Children's Hospital, and as Clinical Research Coordinator and Data Research Coordinator at Boston Children's Hospital, in the Departments of Plastic & Oral Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgery, respectively.
Publications & Media
BOOKS AUTHORED/PUBLICATIONS
- Advisory Firms’ DEI Programs May Be Scrutinized – Rethinking65, February 21, 2025 (PDF)
- Hedge Funds Urged to Prepare for a Non-Compete Clause Ban – FUNDfire, June 12, 2024 (PDF)
- ’Staggering Penalties’ Possible For Financial Firms Because of DOL Rules – Rethinking65, May 7, 2024 (PDF)
- Challenging Unemployment Compensation Benefits: When Is It Worth It? – Katherine Brustowicz, SHRM, September 16, 2022 (PDF)
- Mandated Benefits: 2022 Compliance Guide Mid-Year Update – Co-author, Wolters Kluwer, July 2022
- Mandatory Arbitration Prohibited for Sexual Harassment Claims – March 4, 2022
- New York is About to Force a Lot of Insurer Salary Data Into the Open – February 4, 2022
- Mandated Benefits 2022 Compliance Guide – Co-author, Wolters Kluwer
- Prepare for Shot-or-Test Mandate Inspections – Law Alert, Dec 23, 2021
- What Employers Need to Know About Biden’s COVID-19 Action Plan and Vaccine Mandate – Co-author, The Wagner Law Group Employment Law Alert, September 27, 2021
- Mandated Benefits 2021 Compliance Guide – Co-author, Wolters Kluwer, April 2021
- Update to Connecticut Paid Family Medical Leave Act – Law Alert, January 12, 2021
- An Overview of New Laws Impacting Employers in 2021 – Law Alert, January 6, 2021
- Seven Attorneys from The Wagner Law Group Named to 2020 Super Lawyers Lists – November 3, 2020
- Independent Analysis of EEO-1 Component 2 Pay Data – Law Alert, July 17, 2020
- Managing From Afar: Effectively Adapting to Telework – Law Alert, April 8, 2020
- Five Steps to Help Avoid Mistakes In Light of COVID-19 – Law Alert, March 16, 2020
- The Change in the Equal Pay Landscape and its Impact on Employers – December 10, 2019
- Mandated Benefits 2020 Compliance Guide – Co-authors Dannae Delano, David Gabor, Barry Salkin, Marcia Wagner and Roberta Casper Watson, Wolters Kluwer, December 2019
- EEO-1 Component 2 Data Collection Reinstated, Again – October 31, 2019
- DOL Finalizes Overtime Rule – September 25, 2019
- EEO-1 Report Update: Component 2 Data Filing Deadline Quickly Approaching – September 17, 2019
- Update on Requirement to Report EEO-1 Wage and Hour Data – April 9, 2019
- Massachusetts Issues Proposed Regulations and Toolkit for Paid Family and Medical Leave Act – April 3, 2019
- EEO-1 Pay Data Collection Requirement Reinstated – OMB’s Stay Vacated – March 7, 2019
- New York State’s New Employment Discrimination Law: GENDA – February 25, 2019
- EEOC Delays Filing Due Date – February 4, 2019
- Is the Partial Government Shutdown Affecting Your Company? – January 24, 2019
PRESENTATIONS
- Massachusetts Wage & Hour Issues: Traps for the Unwary – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group free webinar, April 29, 2026, 12:00 – 12:45 PM (EDT) – Click here for recording
- The EEOC Pulled its Harassment Guidance. Now What? – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group complimentary webinar, March 11, 2025, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM (EDT) – Click here for recording
- Overcoming Hiring and Firing Obstacles – Presenter, National Business Institute’s Advanced Human Resources Law webinar, December 17, 2025, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (EST) – Click here for details and registration
- The impact of the Circuit Court Split on Employer Liability for Third-Party Harassment – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group webinar, November 19, 2025, 12:00 – 12:45 PM (EDT) – Click here for recording
- Recent Changes to the Employer-Employee Relationship and What Employers Should Do When ICE Comes Knocking – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group Webinar, June 5, 2025, 1;00 – 2:00 PM (EDT) – Click here for details and registration
- Delicate Questions in the Hiring Process – Radio Entrepreneurs interview, February 5, 2025
- Employers: Prepare for New Laws and Regulations Under President Trump – The Wagner Law Group webinar, February 13, 2025, 1:00 – 2:00 PM (EST) – Recording available here
- Don’t Get Caught Off Guard – What Managers Should Know Before a Request for Leave or an Accommodation is Made – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group free webinar, November 19, 2024, 1:00 – 1:30 PM (EST) – Click here for recording
- Maine Human Resource Law Boot Camp – presenter, NBI webinar, November 18, 2024 – Click here for details
- The Wagner Law Group Virtual Lunch & Learn: How to Reduce Employer Risk From Hire To Fire -Panelist, November 13, 2024, 1:00 – 2:00 PM (EST) and November 21, 2024, 2:00 to 3:00 PM (EST) – Click here to register for November 13, 2024 event – Click here to register for November 21, 2024
- Non-Competes are Being Curtailed: What Employers Need to Know and Do Now – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group free webinar, June 25, 2024, 1:00 – 1:30 PM (EDT) – Click here for recording
- Unpacking the New Independent Contractor Final Rule and Employee Classification: Steps Employers Can Take – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group webinar, May 2, 2024, 1:00 – 1:30 PM (EDT) – Click here for recording
- Legally Navigating Workplace Disability and Religious Accommodations – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group webinar, May 31, 2023, 1:00 – 1:45 PM (EDT) – Click here for recording
- Massachusetts Human Resource Law Boot Camp – Panelist, National Business Institute (NBI), live online seminar, May 5, 2023 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM (EDT)- Click here for details
- Quiet Quitting and Quiet Firing: Is It Happening at Your Company? – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group webinar, February 22, 2023, 1:00 – 1:45 PM (EST) – Click here for recording
- Dealing with Difficult Employees – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group Free Webinar, December 14, 2022, 1:00 PM (EST). – Click here for recording
- Navigating the Interplay Between Leave Laws: A Focus on the FMLA and ADA – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group Webinar, July 19, 2022, 1:00 PM (EDT) – Click here for recording
- Rhode Island Employment Law 2022 – Panelist, National Business Institute (NBI) live online seminar, May 26, 2022 – Click here for details
- Top HR & Employment Law Issues for the Coming Year – Panelist, The Wagner Law Group Webinar, January 26, 2022 – Click here for recording
- How to Legally Handle Bad Egg Employees – Panelist, National Business Institute live, online, HR-credit seminar, December 22, 2021, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (EDT)
- Mini Law School for Massachusetts HR Professionals – Panelist, National Business Institute live, online, HR-credit and CPE-credit seminar, November 1, 2021, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM (EDT)
- Creating Effective Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives – Panelist, Clear Law Institute CLE and HR credit webinar, September 8, 2021, 1:00 – 2:15 PM (EDT) – Click here for details and registration
- Best Practices for Promoting a Positive Work Environment for Multigenerational Workforces – The Wagner Law Group free webinar, June 24, 2021 – Recording available here – PowerPoint presentation available here
- Rhode Island Human Resource Law: What You Need to Know Now– Speaker, National Business Institute Online Seminar, May 26, 2021
- Hiring and Promotions: Tips To Help Employers Avoid Legal Minefields – The Wagner Law Group free webinar, October 26, 2020, 1:00 PM (EDT) – Recording Available Here – PowerPoint Presentation Available Here
- Creating Effective Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives – Co-Presenter with David Gabor, Clear Law Institute webinar, August 24, 2020
- How Employers Can Create Effective Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives – Co-panelist withDavid Gabor, The Wagner Law Group Free Webinar. July 2, 2020, 1:00 PM (EDT) –
- Return-To-Work: Creating a Viable Playbook – Co-panelist with David Gabor, The Wagner Law Group free webinar, May, 14, 2020, 2:30 PM (ET) – Recording available here – PowerPoint presentation available here
- Reducing Legal Risk: Protecting Against Claims Stemming from COVID-19 – Co-panelist with David Gabor, The Wagner Law Group free webinar, April 28, 2020, 1:00 PM (ET) – Recording available here – PowerPoint presentation available here
Education
- Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts
- J.D.
- Honors: Transnational Law Review Journal Honor Board Member
- Honors: National Health Law Moot Court Competition Team Member
- Honors: Student Bar Association Executive Committee Member, Treasurer
- Honors: Dean of Students Advisory Board
- Honors: Health and Biomedical Law Society Member
- Honors: Women's Law Association Member
- Honors: Torts Feedback Committee Section Representative
- Honors: Suffolk University Law School Trustee Academic Scholarship Award
- Bates College, Lewiston, Maine
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts
- Honors: Dean's Advisory Committee
- Honors: Pre-Med track
- Honors: Research Assistant, Philosophy Department
- Honors: Teaching Assistant: Psychology Department Philosophy of Psychology
- Major: Philosophy
- Minor: Psychology
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit
- U.S. District Court District of New Hampshire
Professional Associations
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Boston Inn of Court Membership Committee
- Maine Trial Lawyers Association
- Society for Human Resource Management
- Women’s Bar Association
- The Federal Bar Association
- Boston Inn of Court Executive Committee
Honors
- Super Lawyers - Massachusetts Rising Star, 2020 - 2024
- Labor, Employment & HR Law Lawyer of the Year - Lawyer Monthly Magazine, Women in Law Edition, 2023
- Top Lawyers, Labor and Employment - Boston Magazine, 2022 - 2025
Past Positions
- Honorable Sabita Singh in the Massachusetts District Court Appellate Division, Judicial Intern
- Office of General Counsel at Boston Children’s Hospital, Legal Intern
- Boston Children's Hospital, Clinical Research Coordinator and Data Research Coordinator
Law Alerts
Mandatory Arbitration Prohibited for Sexual Harassment Claims
On February 7, 2022, the House passed H.R. 4445, three days later the Senate also passed the measure, and President Biden has just signed the bill into law. H.R. 4445, titled Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021, will...