Alicia J. Samolis
Partner
Alicia is the Chair of the Firm’s Labor & Employment Practice. She represents businesses and management in labor & employment litigation and compliance matters. Alicia defends employers in disputes in state and federal court, the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, federal and state wage and hour agencies, and other mediation, arbitration and administrative proceedings. On the compliance side, Alicia advises management at all stages of the employment relationship, regularly counseling senior management, human resource professionals and business owners on applicable employment laws and pending legislation.
Alicia’s expertise includes a broad range of employment issues, such as wage and hour compliance and defense, employment discrimination issues, employee handbooks, manager training, noncompetition enforcement and defense, executive employment agreements, and individual and group terminations. Prior to joining Partridge Snow & Hahn, Alicia served as law clerk to the Honorable Justice Francis J. Darigan, Jr., Providence County Superior Court.
Education
- Roger Williams University School of Law, J.D., cum laude
- Member, Roger Williams University Law Review
- Member, Law School Honors Program
- Rhode Island College, B.A., summa cum laude
Bar Memberships & Admissions
- Rhode Island
- Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court, Rhode Island
- U.S. District Court, Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit
Practice Areas
Honors
- Benchmark Litigation, 2021 Labor & Employment Star
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2022 Edition in the area of Litigation: Labor & Employment
- PS&H Article Among Law360's Most-Read Employment Law Expert Analysis of 2018, Law360, December 21, 2018
- Providence Business News 2015 Woman to Watch in the Professional Services Industry
- Named a "Rising Star" in Rhode Island Super Lawyers, 2009 - 2015
- Providence Business News 2010 40 Under Forty Honoree
Professional Affiliations
- CHIEF member (2022)
- Rhode Island Bar Association
- Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association
- Emeritus Committee 2017-2019
- Board of Directors 2007-2013
- President 2011-2012
Boards
- Rhode Island Historical Society
- Board of Trustees
- Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island
- Board of Directors (2007 – 2014)
- Chair, Personnel Committee (2007 – 2014)
Representative Publications
- Rhode Island Employers can No Longer Discipline Employees for Out-of-Work Recreational Weed Use
June 21, 2022 - MASSACHUSETTS WAGE UPDATE: SJC OVERTURNS YEARS OF PRECEDENT AND FINDS THAT EMPLOYERS MUST AUTOMATICALLY PAY TRIPLE DAMAGES IF WAGES ARE PAID EVEN ONE DAY LATE
April 8, 2022 - New Court Decision will Increase Employee Claims Brought in the First Circuit
February 15, 2022 - Congress Moving Forward To Limit Employers' Right to Arbitrate Sexual Harassment Claims – A Slippery Slope
February 11, 2022 - Supreme Court Rescues Large Employers from the OSHA ETS Vaccine Mandate
January 18, 2022 - OSHA Releases Rule for Private Employers
November 4, 2021 - Federal COVID Action Plan Announced
September 10, 2021 - Employer-Side Lawyers Parse Pay Equity Law (And Urge Action Sooner Rather Than Later)
As seen in Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, August 2, 2021 - Remote, Out-of-State Work Requires Tax, Corporate and Employment Law Compliance
As seen in Providence Business News, July 2021 - EEOC Guidance Provides Small But Odd Change to Vaccine Practices in the Workplace
As seen in Providence Business News, June 2021 - Massachusetts Mandatory Emergency Paid Sick Leave Starts Now
June 7, 2021 - IRS FAQ Expands Free COBRA Entitlement
May 28, 2021 - COVID-19 Is Going To Get Your Company Sued for Retaliation
As seen in The Anchor, April 2021 - Employers Should Brace Themselves for the ARPA's Burdensome Paid COBRA Mandate
March 29, 2021 - New FFCRA Leave Starts April 1, 2021
March 23, 2021 - The End of Mandatory COVID-19 Related Leave (For Now)
January 20, 2021 - Anticipating COVID Vaccine, Employers Ponder Best Course
As seen in RI Lawyers Weekly, October 8, 2020 - Rhode Island Minimum Wage Increases to $11.50 Per Hour
September 30, 2020 - New FFCRA Rule Published September 16, 2020
September 16, 2020 - COVID-19 Is Going to Get Your Company Sued for Wage Payment Mistakes
As seen in The Anchor, September 2020 - Solving Staffing Nightmares Created By State Travel Restrictions
August 25, 2020 - FFCRA Update - One Federal Court Strikes Down Portions of the DOL's Final Rule Implementing The FFCRA
August 11, 2020 - Answers To Your Employee's Tricky Return-To-Work Questions
As seen in Providence Business News, June 30, 2020 - Employers At Greater Risk Of Facing Collective FLSA Actions in Remote Forums Under New Ruling
As seen in RI Lawyers Weekly, June 25, 2020 - Legal and Practical Issues Hinder Return to Work
As seen in Providence Business News, May 2020 - New Rhode Island Regulations That Affect Businesses
May 8, 2020 - Employee's Disability Doesn't Shield Her From Termination
As seen in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, April 30, 2020 - Coronavirus Raises Workplace Issues
As seen in Providence Business News, March 6, 2020 - In #MeToo Era, Some Lawyers Fielding More ‘Reverse Discrimination' Queries
As seen in Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, August 26, 2019 - Five Ways The New Rhode Island Noncompetition Agreement Act Could Impact Your Business
August 14, 2019 - Alicia Samolis: Employment and Labor Law
Three Things, July 26, 2019 - One Epic Year Later: Have You Implemented A Mandatory Arbitration Agreement Yet?
May 17, 2019 - New Massachusetts Paid Leave of Absence Law
Partridge Snow & Hahn Client Alert, April 11, 2019 - Employer Liability For Medical Marijuana Bias Is Growing
As seen in Law360, March 22, 2019 - What You Need to Know About the New Mass. Noncompete Law
As seen in Providence Business News, October 26, 2018 - Are You Ready To Steal Employees From Your Mass. Competitors
As seen in Providence Business News, September 28, 2018 - Court of Appeals Upholds Termination of Airport Security Employee
As seen in RI Lawyers Weekly, September 20, 2018 - U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Teacher's Firing
As seen in RI Lawyers Weekly, September 6, 2018 - Court of Appeals Reinstates Bias Suit Involving Claims of Retaliation
As seen in RI Lawyers Weekly, August 23, 2018 - Governor Signs Into Law Game-Changing Massachusetts Legislation
August 10, 2018 - Ex-Employee's Claim For Promised Extra Pay Time-Barred
As Seen in Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, August 2, 2018 - Rhode Island Employers Take Note: Amend Your Paid Time Off Policy Now
June 27, 2018 - Bias Claim Over Transfer Reinstated
As Seen in Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, June 2018 - RI Regs Keep Household Member Definition in Paid Sick Leave Law
Published by Bloomberg Law, The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. , June 8, 2018 - Worker's drug testing suit preempted
As seen in Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly , June 4, 2018 - An Epic Win for Employers Across the Nation: What Employers Should Do To Avail Themselves of the Benefits of the New U.S. Supreme Court Decision
May 24, 2018 - Employee Arbitration Agreement Insights From Rhode Island
As seen in Law360 , May 2, 2018 - It is Not an Early April Fools' Joke: Give Your Employees the Required Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Notice TODAY
March 30, 2018 - Why Your Company Will Be in Violation of the Massachusetts Equal Pay Law on July 1st - And How to Fix It
March 28, 2018 - Proposed Rhode Island Sick Leave Regulations Fail to Provide Clarity and Will Increase Employer Headaches if Finalized
March 14, 2018 - Avoiding The Pitfalls Of Pre-Employment Background Checks
March 7, 2018 - Rhode Island Paid Sick Leave Law Lacks Clarity on Several Key Issues
October 5, 2017 - Massachusetts Employers Take Notice: Evaluate and Comply Now or Risk Paying More Later
August 22, 2017 - Accommodating Medical Marijuana Users: A National Trend?
As seen in Law360 , August 2, 2017 - Massachusetts Supreme Court Ruling will Lead to More Disappointments for Employers who Purchase EPLI Policies
June 26, 2017 - Hairstylist's Non-compete Agreement Deemed Unassignable
Alicia Samolis was quoted in a Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly article, June 22, 2017 - Supreme Court Decision On Arbitration Clauses Could Significantly Reduce Employer Exposure to Class Claims
March 16, 2017 - Looming Effective Dates for New OSHA Recordkeeping Rule: Is Your Company Ready for Public Shaming for Workplace Injuries and OSHA's Unfettered Oversight of Retaliation Protections?
November 1, 2016 - Department of Labor Issues Final Changes to the Overtime Law
May 19, 2016 - How Gov't Contractors Can Avoid Pay Transparency Mishaps
May 4, 2016 - Your [Recently Updated] Handbook May Violate the Law
As seen in the February 29, 2016 edition of the Providence Business News, 29 February 2016 - Outsmart the Pending Changes to the Overtime Law with Advance Planning
November 2015 - RI Employers (Large and Small) Required to Accommodate Healthy Pregnant Workers and New Moms. No, FMLA Leave is Not Enough.
August 2015 - "U.S. Supreme Court Takes Up Major Challenge to Federal Health Reform"
November 2014 - "Health Reform News"
September 2014 - "Dueling Districts on Major Challenge to Federal Health Reform"
July 2014 - "When it Comes to Volunteers and Unpaid Interns There is No Such Thing As a Free Lunch"
June 2014 - "RI Increased Employee Absences (and Headaches) due to the 2014 Temporary Caregiver Leave Law"
January 2014 - "Bi-Weekly Pay in RI - Finally!!"
January 2014 - "Bi-Weekly Pay Update - One Step Closer!!"
December 2013 - "Bi-Weekly Pay – The Devil is in the Details"
December 2013 - "Not Everything in Health Reform is Delayed: Employers Must Send Notices to Employees by October 1"
September 2013 - "Rhode Island Labor Law Changes Passed by Legislation"
July 2013 - "New Background Check Forms Required under the FCRA"
February 2013 - "Employer Beware - Automatic termination policies are illegal. Just ask Sears."
February 2013 - "New Massachusetts Law Prohibits Employers from Asking about Criminal Convictions on Job Applications"
August 2010 - "The "New" Americans with Disabilities Act: What the Employee-Friendly Revisions to the ADA Mean for Employers"
October 2008 - "Protecting Your Company from Negligent Hiring Claims"
June 2007
Representative Speaking Engagements
- Alicia Samolis Presented to Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce
May 25, 2021 - Rhode Island Bar Association COVID-19 Employment Law CLE
December 10, 2020 - PS&H Partner Alicia Samolis Speaks at Health Care Summit
April 1, 2020 - Human Resource Law: The Ultimate Guide
February 5, 2020 - Alicia Samolis To Be Panelist For RWU Law Santoro Business Law Lecture Series
September 26, 2019 - PS&H Partner Alicia Samolis speaks at NBI Seminar on Problem Employees
September 25, 2018 - Employment and Corporate Best Practices Workshop
April 23, 2018 - Nonprofit Strategies to Address New Federal Overtime Regulations
November 28, 2016 - Alicia Samolis Discussed Legal Implications of Employer Use of Criminal History in Connection with State Prisoner Reentry Program
09 May 2016
Recognitions
- Partridge Snow & Hahn Named in Benchmark Litigation's 2022 Rankings and Stars
October 2021 - PS&H Partner Alicia Samolis Elected to the Rhode Island Historical Society Board of Trustees
November 17, 2020 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Named in Benchmark Litigation's 2021 Rankings and Stars
November 2020 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Attorneys Recognized in Professional Excellence Law Issue In Rhode Island Monthly
June 2020 - Benchmark Litigation Recognizes Michael Gamboli and Alicia Samolis As 2019 Labor & Employment Stars
September 25, 2019 - PS&H Article Among Law360's Most Read Expert Analysis
As seen in Law360, March 29, 2019 - PS&H Article Among Law360's Most-Read Employment Law Expert Analysis of 2018
Law360, December 21, 2018
