Alicia J. Samolis
Alicia is the Chair of the Firm’s Labor & Employment Practice. She represents businesses and management in labor & employment litigation and compliance matters.
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 and harassment issues, employee handbooks, manager trainings, employee leaves of absence, employee use of artificial intelligence in the workplace, compensation systems, noncompetition enforcement and defense and individual and group terminations. Recent compliance matters that Alicia has handled include multi-state employment law compliance stemming from remote work and hybrid work, as well as significantly decreasing employment compliance exposure through the roll out of mandatory individual arbitration agreements and converting independent contractors to employees.
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, Attorney General audits, federal and state wage and hour agencies, state and federal discrimination agencies, and other mediation, arbitration and administrative proceedings. Recent disputes Alicia has worked on include class action law suits for alleged failure to provide lunch breaks, overtime, and keep accurate time records, resolving pre-litigation disputes concerning alleged failure to pay into state disability funds and provide PFML and TCI leave for remote employees working in their home state and representing an employer facing alleged failure to provide night supervision to minor employees in a Massachusetts Attorney General audit.
Prior to joining Partridge Snow & Hahn, Alicia served as law clerk to the Honorable Justice Francis J. Darigan, Jr., Providence County Superior Court.
Practice Areas
Education
Roger Williams University School of Law, J.D., cum laude
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- Member, Roger Williams University Law Review
- Member, Law School Honors Program
Rhode Island College, B.A., summa cum laude
Bar Memberships
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
U.S. District Court, Rhode Island
U.S. District Court, Massachusetts
U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit
Professional Affiliations
- CHIEF member (2022-2024)
- 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)
Recognitions
- PSH Attorneys Recognized in 30th Edition of Best Lawyers in America August 17, 2023
- Rhode Island Monthly Recognizes 23 PSH Attorneys in 2023 Professional Excellence in Law Issue June 14, 2023
- Chambers USA 2023 Recognizes Partridge Snow & Hahn June 5, 2023
- PSH Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers in America August 18, 2022
- PS&H Attorneys Recognized in 2022 Edition of Best Lawyers in America in the area of Litigation: Labor & Employment August 23, 2021
- Partridge Snow & Hahn Named in Benchmark Litigation’s 2022 Rankings and Stars October 22, 2021
- Rhode Island Monthly Recognizes PSH Attorneys in 15 Practice Areas June 11, 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 1, 2020
- Partridge Snow & Hahn Attorneys Recognized in Professional Excellence Law Issue in Rhode Island Monthly June 24, 2020
- Benchmark Litigation Recognizes Michael Gamboli and Alicia Samolis As 2019 Labor & Employment Stars September 25, 2019
- Law360’s Most Read Expert Analysis Law360 March 29, 2019
- 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
Representative Publications
- New Year, New Policy Updates 2024 January 18, 2024
- Judge Upholds $24 Million Verdict Against Thermo Fisher Subsidiary that Discriminated Against Worker with Anxiety Alicia Samolis was interviewed by The Boston Globe, November 10, 2023
- Work Policies May Need Refresh after NLRB Ruling Alicia Samolis was interviewed by Providence Business News October 13, 2023
- The AI Angst: Businesses, Workers Grapple with Navigating Uncharted Tech Territory September 8, 2023
- The Supreme Court Strikes Down Race-Based College Admissions in Landmark Harvard/UNC Decision July 7, 2023
- Supreme Court Clears the Way for an Influx of Religious Accommodation Requests July 5, 2023
- Employers Will Face More Pregnancy Accommodation Requests Under New Federal Law June 23, 2023
- 32-Hour Workweek Law? Not Much Support in R.I. Alicia Samolis was quoted in a Providence Business News article, May 26, 2023
- Massachusetts Employer Forced to Pay $24 Million for Failing to Accommodate an Executive’s Anxiety May 31, 2023
- Blitz for 6: Rhode Island TCI Benefits to Increase to a Maximum of Six Weeks Beginning January 1, 2023 November 22, 2022
- The NLRB is Back at it Again: New Proposal Broadens Definition of “Joint Employer” September 13, 2022
- Alicia J. Samolis was recently interviewed by RI Lawyers Weekly regarding a new First Circuit case August 16, 2022
- 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) Published by Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, August 2, 2021
- Remote, Out-of-State Work Requires Tax, Corporate and Employment Law Compliance Published by Providence Business News, July 2021
- EEOC Guidance Provides Small But Odd Change to Vaccine Practices in the Workplace Published by 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 Published by 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 Published by 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 Published by 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 Published by Providence Business News, June 30, 2020
- Employers At Greater Risk Of Facing Collective FLSA Actions in Remote Forums Under New Ruling Published by RI Lawyers Weekly, June 25, 2020
- Legal and Practical Issues Hinder Return to Work Published by Providence Business News, May 2020
- New Rhode Island Regulations That Affect Businesses May 8, 2020
- Employee’s Disability Doesn’t Shield Her From Termination Published by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, April 30, 2020
- Coronavirus Raises Workplace Issues Published by Providence Business News, March 6, 2020
- In #MeToo Era, Some Lawyers Fielding More ‘Reverse Discrimination’ Queries Published by 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 Published by Law360, March 22, 2019
- What You Need to Know About the New Mass. Noncompete Law Published by Providence Business News, October 26, 2018
- Are You Ready To Steal Employees From Your Mass. Competitors Published by Providence Business News, September 28, 2018
- Court of Appeals Upholds Termination of Airport Security Employee Published by RI Lawyers Weekly, September 20, 2018
- U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Teacher’s Firing Published by RI Lawyers Weekly, September 6, 2018
- Court of Appeals Reinstates Bias Suit Involving Claims of Retaliation Published by 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 Published by 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 Published by 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 Published by 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 Published by 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? Published by 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 Published by Providence Business News, February 29, 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 10, 2014
- Health Reform News September 8, 2014
- Dueling Districts on Major Challenge to Federal Health Reform July 23, 2014
- When it Comes to Volunteers and Unpaid Interns There is No Such Thing As a Free Lunch June 18, 2014
- RI Increased Employee Absences (and Headaches) due to the 2014 Temporary Caregiver Leave Law January 8, 2014
- Bi-Weekly Pay in RI – Finally!! January 3, 2014
- Bi-Weekly Pay Update – One Step Closer!! December 13, 2013
- Bi-Weekly Pay – The Devil is in the Details December 3, 2013
- Not Everything in Health Reform is Delayed: Employers Must Send Notices to Employees by October 1 September 13, 2013
- Rhode Island Labor Law Changes Passed by Legislation July 11, 2013
- New Background Check Forms Required under the FCRA February 25. 2013
Representative Speaking Engagements
- Alicia Samolis Panelist at 2023 SIOP Annual Conference discussing Implication of Automated Employment Decision Laws for I-O Psychologists April 19-22, 2023
- 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
