Skip to main content
Awareness + approach

Managing the multiple moving parts of a leisure-focused enterprise is anything but restful. That’s just one reason recreational guest-participatory businesses across the United States rely on Jackson Lewis’ Leisure Industry team. We provide the legal and strategic business solutions single operators, multistate chains, franchises and corporate companies need to make their workplaces a successful enterprise. Our team helps employers handle the workforce issues that impact industry-initiative imperatives, from member and employee safety and professional trainer arrangements to wage + hour challenges, privacy compliance and more. This allows leisure activity operators to rest assured as they explore ways to harness technology and other innovations to enhance their guests’ user experience. 

Clients

Our Leisure Industry team of ≈200 attorneys has deep experience with federal, state and local laws and the regulatory concerns impacting businesses in the following sectors.

  • Bowling centers
  • Clubs: Country, sports, yacht
  • Fitness centers
  • Resorts
  • Golf courses
  • Museums
  • Zoos

Key client concerns + core capabilities

Whether counseling on compliance or litigating a workplace dispute, we work with leisure activity operators across the following areas of current concern and challenge to help them better run a business with engaged employees and a growing guest and membership base.

purple icon of two magnifying glasses looping back to each other with arrows. one contains a checkmark and one contains an x.

Workplace Safety + Violence Protection

We develop and review policies and programs that comply with federal and state regulations for keeping employees safe from potential hazards inherent in serving the public, including sexual harassment, fraternization and responses to public emergency declarations. We counsel on all OSHA enforcement and state equivalents, pandemic-era safety expectations, and development of workplace violence prevention policies, including mandated training, reporting systems, provisions for victims and presence of security alarms, panic buttons, and other related emergency devices.

Workplace Safety and Health

icon of magnifying glass searching paper

Workplace Investigations

We help leisure operators successfully maintain safe and respectful work environments in relation to a wide range of employee allegations. We design and execute investigation strategies to help ensure compliance and mitigate risk, and represent clients before federal and state courts and government agencies in class and collective actions, as well as single-plaintiff cases, including whistleblower and FCA claims; defending against wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation, and wage and hour claims; defending privacy claims arising out of employer use of surveillance technologies; handling matters before the NLRB; and all other employment-related business torts.

Employment Litigation
Trials and Appeals

purple icon of two hands holding a raised heart

Accessibility

We advise on the entire range of Title III ADA mandates impacting both brick-and-mortar and virtual sites: Compliance with ADA physical accessibility requirements for existing sites and planned new construction and/or renovations; ensuring online platforms are accessible to the sight and hearing disabled and other users; developing policies and training programs for reasonable accommodations of guests with disabilities and service animals; implementing integrated disability management systems; addressing disability-related complaints from guests and advocacy groups; and defending against single plaintiff and class action disability access lawsuits and noncompliance claims brought by individuals with disabilities, advocacy groups and the DOJ.

ADA Title III
Disability Access Litigation and Compliance

clock icon

Wage + Hour

We handle the complex wage and hour issues operators face such as overtime pay, misclassification of employees, and compliance with all state and local minimum wage laws, including more unique ones around pay frequency statutes and related qualifying “manual worker” definitions. We review related policies and defend against class and collective actions alleging misclassification of workers’ exempt status, overtime pay violations, off-the-clock work, inaccurate time and payroll records, timeclock rounding practices, and related issues nationwide.

Class Actions and Complex Litigation
Wage and Hour

calendar icon

Scheduling, Accommodations + Offerings

Scheduling, Accommodations + Offerings
We provide advice and legal-tech tools for the efficient and effective compliance with the patchwork of federal, state and local leave laws (like FMLA, paid sick leave, and new family leave programs), the added accommodations layer of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, reasonable religious/disability accommodations and more; development and implementation of gender-affirming care and other employee benefits; and employee classification and independent contractor determinations for benefits provision or protections.

Accommodations
Employee Benefits
National Compliance and Multi-State Solutions

purple icon of ruler and a pencil

Retention + Rightsizing

We develop and defend policies and agreements for employees across all levels of the organizational structure, including managing the potentially disproportionate downsizing impact of guests’ diminished discretionary income; advising on and litigating disputes regarding executive and individual employment agreements, employee raiding claims, unfair competition claims and other employment-related business torts; counseling employers on expeditious international transfers and travel strategies for specialized employees.

Restrictive Covenants, Trade Secrets and Unfair Competition
Workforce Restructuring

person and gear icon

Tech Integration + Safe Use

We reviewing and develop enterprise-wide strategies for entire range of workplace and guest data technology use and related privacy issues: Integrating AI in hiring practices and employment decisions, counseling on predictive analytics and other data-driven solutions that comply with applicable workplace laws; safeguarding employee and guest data and maintaining privacy compliance with mandates across the country, from policy inceptions through data breach response.

Artificial Intelligence & Automation
Privacy, Data and Cybersecurity

purple icon of passport

Immigration + I-9 compliance

We guide employers through the full scope of immigration-related compliance, including I-9 audits, preparation and response, as well as support during ICE investigations and searches; advising on E-Verify compliance; counseling on international travel and workforce mobility — helping employers navigate expedited transfers and travel strategies for specialized or critical talent.

Immigration

Talk to a lawyer

Office Managing Principal and Office Litigation Manager, Seattle