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Emily Schifter

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Emily is a partner in the Labor + Employment Practice Group, where she represents clients in a variety of labor and employment-related matters, including employment discrimination, leave, disability accommodation, and wage and hour litigation. Additionally, she counsels employers on many aspects of employment law and human resources issues, including employee handbooks, policies and restrictive covenants drafted under various states’ laws for a variety of circumstances, including as part of mergers and acquisitions.

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In this episode of Hiring to Firing, hosts Tracey Diamond and Emily Schifter examine the evolving issue of weight discrimination in the workplace. Joined by Lynne Wakefield, a partner in Troutman Pepper Locke’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice group, they draw on the medical drama The Pitt to discuss obesity, workplace bias, and legal protections. The discussion explores whether weight or obesity may be protected under federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws, including the unsettled analysis under the Americans with Disabilities Act. They also address key employee benefits considerations surrounding GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. The episode offers practical guidance for employers navigating this complex intersection of workplace fairness and health benefits.