John Gerak

Managing Director | Cleveland

John Gerak focuses his practice on employment counseling, including employment policies and practices, reductions in force, executive hires/terminations, and issues arising out of mergers and acquisitions. John also has significant experience handling complex employment litigation, including class and collective action litigation and non-compete matters.

More About John Gerak

Experience

Education & Admission

Professional Activities

Speeches

Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Executives Gone Wild—and the Crisis Management That Follows” – Las Vegas – April 25, 2025
Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “The Crisis at Your Doorstep: Navigating Unfavorable Coverage When Your Company Is in the Spotlight” – Colorado Springs – September 23, 2022
Mployer Advisor Webinar – “COVID-19 Compliance in the Workplace: Strategies for Success in Uncertain Times” – February 9, 2022
WRC-SHRM – “The Return to Work: Lifting COVID-19 Restrictions” – Boardman – July 13, 2021
Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “COVID Concerns: Vaccines, Masks, and Return to Work” – Austin – June 25, 2021
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “COVID-19 Litigation Unmasked: Diagnosing and Quarantining Claims Before They Happen” – October 7, 2020
Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “20/20 Vision—A Look Ahead to 2020 and the Top Challenges for In-House Counsel” – New Orleans – November 14, 2019
Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Eye on the Buckeye State: What Employers in Ohio Need to Know” – June 5, 2019
WRC-SHRM – “Wage and Hour Compliance” – Warren – March 12, 2019
Northeast Ohio Safety Expo – “Navigating Difficult Leave, Light Duty, and Return to Work Issues Intersecting the Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Workers’ Compensation and Company Policy” – Warren – October 12, 2018
Ogletree Deakins August Seminar – “Engaging Team Members to Drive Business Results” – Cleveland – August 16, 2018
Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber – “Supreme Court Issues Pro-Employer Ruling on Class Action Waiver Issue” – Youngstown – July 12, 2018
Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “The Life of a Discrimination Claim—From Allegation Through Trial” – Phoenix – May 9, 2018
WRC-SHRM – “Crisis & Scandal: What Companies Can Learn From Today’s Headlines” – Youngstown – March 13, 2018
Warren-Trumbull County Public Library HR Group SHRM – “Ban the Box, Ban the Background Check? Dos and Don’ts for Employers” – Westlake – February 23, 2018
Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber – “From Water Coolers to Snapchat: Preventing Harassment in a Modern Workplace” – Youngstown – February 1, 2018
Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “Acquisition and Integration: Harmonizing New Voices Into One Chorus” – Boca Raton – November 10, 2017
Western Reserve Chapter of SHRM – “How the Election Could Affect Employers” – Canfield – January 10, 2017
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Mental Health, Drug, and Alcohol Issues in the Workplace” – Cleveland – August 18, 2016
Riverside HR Forum – “Pressing Issues in Labor & Employment Law” – Cleveland – May 17, 2016
Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues in the Workplace” – Chicago – May 5, 2016
Western Reserve SHRM Meeting – “What to Expect in 2016” – Warren – March 8, 2016
Nathaniel R. Jones Inn of Court – “Acting Up – Workplace Discrimination and Harassment” – Youngstown – January 20, 2016
Ohio Association for Justice Winter Convention – “Avoiding Abuse & Misuse of the FMLA” – Cleveland – December 4, 2015
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “The Evolution of the Problem Employee” – Cleveland – November 18, 2015
Ogletree Deakins Exclusive Corporate Labor & Employment Seminar – “Supreme Court Updates” – Phoenix – November 12, 2015
Human Resources Association of Central Ohio Columbus – “Legal Update” – Columbus – October 13, 2015
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Getting the Right People for the Right Jobs: Behavioral-Based Interviewing & Job Advertisement Creation” – Cleveland – August 20, 2015
Nathaniel R. Jones Inn of Court – “Are You Cloud Competent?” – Youngstown – May 20, 2015
Riverside HR Forum – “HR Hot Topics” – Cleveland – May 19, 2015
Ogletree Deakins Manager Training Seminar – “Wage & Hour Law: What Constitutes Hours Worked” – Youngstown – May 18, 2015
Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Avoiding Abuse and Misuse of the FMLA” – San Antonio – May 14, 2015
Western Reserve SHRM – “HR Week of Worry” – Youngstown – January 13, 2015
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce Webinar – “Inclement Weather Policies” – December 11, 2014
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Employees Behaving Badly: Curbing FMLA Abuse” – Cleveland – November 20, 2014
Federal Bar Association Annual State of the Court Seminar – “Risk v. Reward: The New Pros and Cons of Arbitration Agreements and Class Action Waivers” – Cleveland – September 8, 2014
Ohio State Bar Association Webinar – “Wage & Hour Trends for 2014 and Beyond and Commonly Misunderstood Areas” – September 3, 2014
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Bundles of Joy – Pregnancy and Postpartum Issues in the Workplace” – Cleveland – August 21, 2014
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Bundles of Joy – Pregnancy and Postpartum Issues in the Workplace” – Columbus – August 20, 2014
2014 Arizona Bar Association Annual Convention – “Lessons from Employment Law: Learning from the Past and Looking Toward the Future” – Tucson – June 13, 2014
Columbus Manager Training – “Wage & Hour Law, Managing Discipline & Discharge and Medical Information in the Workplace” – Columbus – May 27, 2014
Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Workplace Bullying” – Las Vegas – May 9, 2014
Cleveland Employment Lawyers Association Seminar – “Damages 360” – Cleveland – December 6, 2013
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Reductions in Force” – Cleveland – November 21, 2013
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Manager Training” – Youngstown – November 14, 2013
Crain’s Cleveland Business General and In-House Counsel Summit – “Contemporary Employment Issues: From Your Boss to the Loading Dock” – Cleveland – November 13, 2013
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “How an EEOC Charge Becomes an ‘Expanded’ EEOC Lawsuit” – Elyria – October 22, 2013
Ohio State Bar Association, Midwest Labor Conference – “The Changing Legal Landscape for LGBT Issues in the Workplace” – Columbus – October 4, 2013
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Workplace Accommodations” – Cleveland – August 15, 2013
Ohio State Bar Association, CLE Program-Advanced Employment Law Course – “Wage & Hour Litigation Trends” – Columbus – July 26, 2013
Construction Employers Association – “Employment Law Update” – Cleveland – June 19, 2013
Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce – “Background Checks” – Akron – May 23, 2013
Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “AOK, AOL, or SOL? Employees’ Use and Abuse of FMLA, ADA, Workers’ Comp, and Military Leaves” – New Orleans – May 8, 2013
Penn State University Department of Labor Studies and Employment Relations 70th Anniversary Dinner and Professional Symposium – “Leave of Absence Playbook” – University Park – April 13, 2013
Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Background Checks in 2012” – Youngstown – March 26, 2013
Riverside 2013 HR Forum – “Key Employment Law Changes and Trends for 2013” – Orlando – March 14, 2013
Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Employment Law Changes and Trends for 2013” – Youngstown – February 27, 2013
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “Rules of Engagement: When Employees Take a Leave of Absence” – Elyria – December 20, 2012
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Workplace Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation” – Youngstown – November 20, 2012
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “Retaliation – A Risk on the Rise” – Elyria – November 15, 2012
Association of Corporate Counsel Seminar – “Accessing Your Employee’s Digital Communications” – Cleveland – October 25, 2012
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “How to Strike the Right Balance Between Not Hiring an Axe Murderer, Not Becoming Big Brother and Not Running Afoul of the EEOC” – Elyria – October 18, 2012
Ohio State Bar Association, Midwest Labor Conference – “ADR: Mandatory Arbitration Agreements and Other Dispute Resolution Options” – Columbus – October 11, 2012
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Wage & Hour Essentials” – Youngstown – September 25, 2012
ACC – Sports & Entertainment Webinar – “Exempt Classifications in “Sales” Departments of Sports and Entertainment Entities” – September 18, 2012
Western Reserve SHRM Meeting – “Criminal/Background Checks for Employment Purposes” – Boardman – September 11, 2012
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Navigating Difficult End of Leave Issues Under the ADA, FMLA, and Workers’ Compensation Laws” – Cleveland – August 30, 2012
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Save the Drama for Your Mama” – Youngstown – May 22, 2012
Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Why Should You Care About Wage & Hour Compliance” – Phoenix – May 12, 2012
28th Annual Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Introduction to Health Care Law or Health Law Institute – “Social Media” – Cleveland – April 27, 2012
Cleveland Employment Inn of Court – “Deposition Practice Skills” – Cleveland – March 8, 2012
Riverside 2012 HR Forum – “Medical Information in the Workplace” – Las Vegas – February 16, 2012
Northeast Ohio Chapter of ACC – “The Social Media Revolution: Employee Privacy vs. Employee Rights” – Cleveland – November 30, 2011
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “How to Avoid Ethical Traps for Employment Lawyers” – Cleveland – November 17, 2011
Toledo Human Resource Association – “The Social Media Revolution: Employee Privacy vs. Employee Rights” – Toledo – November 3, 2011
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “Workplace Drama of a Different Kind” – Elyria – September 20, 2011
Western Reserve SHRM Annual Meeting – “Hostile Work Environment Harassment” – Girard – September 13, 2011
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Workplace Accommodations” – Cleveland – August 18, 2011
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “How to Develop & Retain Loyal Customers” – Elyria – May 17, 2011
Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Medical Information in the Workplace” – Chicago – May 12, 2011
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “Workplace Bullying” – Elyria – February 15, 2011
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Social Media & the HR Manager” – Boardman – February 14, 2011
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “Workplace Bullying” – Elyria – January 15, 2011
Federal Bar Association – “Confidentiality of Medical Records in the Workplace” – Cleveland – December 6, 2010
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Five Simple Rules for Minimizing the Risk of Employment Litigation” – Cleveland – November 18, 2010
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “Managing Discipline & Discharge” – Elyria – November 9, 2010
Midwest Labor Conference – “Common Wage & Hour Pitfalls” – Columbus – October 14, 2010
North Ridgeville Chamber of Commerce – “How to Develop and to Retain Loyal Customers” – North Ridgeville – September 21, 2010
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “An Update From Capital Hill: Labor and Employment Law Legislation” – Youngstown – September 14, 2010
Healthcare Finance Management Association (HFMA) – “Wage and Hour Laws: Hidden Liabilities for Northeast Ohio Hospitals” – Akron – August 26, 2010
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Wage & Hour Trends From Both Sides of the Bar” – Cleveland – August 12, 2010
Western Reserve Chapter of SHRM – “Workplace Bullying” – Youngstown – July 20, 2010
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Litigation Trends” – Youngstown – July 20, 2010
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Early Signs of Union Organizing Activity” – Youngstown – July 15, 2010
Greater Cleveland Auto Dealers Association – “Social Networking in the Workplace” – Cleveland – July 8, 2010
Western Reserve Chapter of SHRM – “Wage & Hour Pitfalls” – Youngstown – June 15, 2010
Greater Cleveland Auto Dealers Association – “Wage & Hour Pitfalls” – Brecksville – May 21, 2010
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Attendance Policies – One Size Does Not Fit All” – Youngstown – May 18, 2010
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “Wage & Hour Pitfalls” – Elyria – March 30, 2010
Western Reserve Chapter of SHRM – “Evaluating the Independent Contractor/Employee Relationship” – Youngstown – March 23, 2010
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Avoiding Common Wage and Hour Pitfalls” – Youngstown – March 23, 2010
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Employee Discipline – A Necessary Evil” – Youngstown – February 23, 2010
Lorain County 912 Project – “Legislative Update” – Elyria – January 16, 2010
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Retaliation Claims — The Cover-Up is Always Worse Than the Crime” – Youngstown – December 3, 2009
Federal Bar Association – “FLSA Collective Actions” – Cleveland – December 1, 2009
Cleveland SHRM – “Status of Selected Labor & Employment Legislation/ Regulations in 2009” – Cleveland – November 20, 2009
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “Reductions in Force” – Elyria – November 17, 2009
Ashtabula SHRM – “Avoiding ULP’s in Union and Non-Union Environments” – Ashtabula – November 11, 2009
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Documenting Workplace Investigations” – Youngstown – November 5, 2009
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Managing Lifestyle/Expression in the Workplace: Tattoos, Earrings, Sexual Orientation” – Youngstown – October 28, 2009
Lorain County Take Five Breakfast Series – “Employee Disloyalty” – Elyria – October 27, 2009
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Avoiding Unfair Labor Practices” – Youngstown – October 22, 2009
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Avoiding Unfair Labor Practices” – Youngstown – September 22, 2009
Ogletree Deakins Seminar – ““FLSA Collective Actions” – Cleveland – August 13, 2009
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Attendance Policies – One Size Does Not Fit All” – Youngstown – July 9, 2009
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Religious Discrimination and Accommodation” – Youngstown – May 28, 2009
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Avoiding Legal Traps in Workforce Reductions” – Youngstown – April 21, 2009
Ohio State Bar Association – “Identifying, Prosecuting and Defending Section 16(b) Collective Actions” – Columbus – April 17, 2009
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce – “Employee Discipline – A Necessary Evil” – Youngstown – March 25, 2009