* Currently licensed only in Indiana.
Ms. Bengs counsels business clients on various employment and labor issues relating to the ADA, ADEA, FMLA, worker’s compensation, Title VII, unemployment, termination and discipline, labor issues and collective bargaining agreements, FLSA, NLRA, employment policies and handbooks, and other Indiana and Federal employment laws. She strives to assist her clients in determining best practices that conform with the law and with the business’ directives. She also represents clients in employment litigation matters at the local, State, and Federal agency level and in State and Federal court. Finally, she represents clients in ERISA and bad faith litigation including the litigation of pension, life, health, disability, and employee benefits issues. Ms. Bengs speaks on a variety of employment and labor topics for several business associations and also conducts internal training for clients.
Experience
Indiana
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana
U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Professional Activities
- Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors)
- Indiana State Bar Association (Council Member for Employment & Labor Law Section)
- Northwest Indiana Worker’s Compensation Institute
- Flora Richardson Wildlife Foundation (Board of Directors)
- NWI Society of Human Resource Management
- Lake and Porter County Bar Associations
- Indiana Bar Association
- Successfully Handling Employment Matters Seminar (ICLEF) - "Ethics for Attorneys Handling Employment Cases" - Merrillville - November 18, 2011
- Successfully Handling Employment Matters Seminar (ICLEF) - "Workers' Compensation from the Defendant's Perspective / Counseling the Client and Taking the Case to Resolution" - Merrillville - November 18, 2011
- Successfully Handling Employment Matters Seminar (ICLEF) - "Counseling Clients on a Variety of Employment Law Issues from the Employer Perspective" - Merrillville - November 18, 2011
- Business Women United Network's "Lunch & Learn" - "Social Media and the Law: Are You Socially Correct" - Merrillville - October 27, 2011
- Ogletree Deakins' Northern Indiana Employment Law Briefing - "Step Carefully! Before You Discipline an Employee, Know Where the Land Mines Are!" - South Bend - September 7, 2011
- Construction Advancement Foundation - "Understanding Employment Issues In The Construction Industry To Avoid Liability" - Portage - August 5, 2011
- Northern Indiana Human Resource Management Association (NHRMA) - "Knowing You Have Diverse Employees Is Not Enough . . . You Must Also Know the Diverse Employment Laws" - Michigan City - July 26, 2011
- Indiana Continuing Legal Education Foundation - "Adventures in Employment Law" - Merrillville - November 12, 2010
- Indiana Worker’s Compensation Institute, Panel Discussion - "New Case Law for Worker’s Compensation Claims" - Merrillville - October 21, 2010
- Valparaiso Percolator Club - "Labor and Employment Law Update" - Valparaiso - June 17, 2010
- American Society of Safety Engineers, Greater Calumet Chapter - "When an employee reports a work injury - - what must occur and what cannot occur?" - Calumet - May 13, 2010
- NWIBRT Supervisory Training Program - "Construction Law and Contracts" - Portage - April 10, 2010 - April 17, 2010
- American Society of Safety Engineers, Greater Calumet Chapter - "What besides ‘safety’ should safety supervisors know?" - Calumet - January 14, 2010