Sidney F.
Lewis, V
- Position
- Partner
- Office
- New Orleans
Sid Lewis is a partner and leader of the Labor & Employment Practice Group, where he consults and advises management and human resources personnel with respect to employment and labor laws.
Sid advises clients throughout the United States in all industries, including retail, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, and service industries. A majority of his work involves general advice to employers on a variety of employment situations, including discipline, terminations, applications, leave requests, transfers, noncompete agreements, trade secret information, wage payments, wage and hour laws, family and medical leave, disabilities, workers' compensation, discrimination complaints, workplace harassment, internal investigations, documentation, policy reviews, preventative counseling, supervisor training, and early litigation negotiation. He frequently presents training and educational seminars for supervisors, centering primarily on federal and state employment laws, as well as effective supervision techniques designed to avoid litigation.
Sid has successfully defended hundreds of lawsuits involving federal and state employment claims. He regularly handles Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and National Labor Relations Board charges on behalf of employers.
In the labor sector, Sid has represented companies throughout the United States as labor counsel and/or chief spokesman in contract negotiations and has handled union elections and labor arbitrations in a variety of industries.
Sid is a frequent speaker and moderator for personnel associations and trade groups throughout the Southeast.
Noteworthy
- The Legal 500 United States, Labor and Employment – Labor-Management Relations (2023); Labor and Employment – Workplace and Employment Counseling (2023, 2024)
- New Orleans Magazine, Top Lawyer (listed annually since 2013)
- Louisiana Super Lawyers, Employment & Labor (listed annually since 2007)
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management (listed annually since 2006) and Litigation - Labor and Employment (2025)
- Chambers USA, Labor & Employment (listed annually since 2003)
- AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating in Martindale-Hubbell
-
New Orleans Bar Association, Past Co-Chair, Labor & Employment Committee
Publications
- "Louisiana Amends Final Pay Law," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, July 25, 2024
- "DOL's Final Rule Increases Compensation Threshold for Exempt Employees," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, May 1, 2024
- "Safer Seas Act: Sexual Assault and Harassment Compliance for Shipping," Maritime Executive, January 24, 2024
- "USCG Provides SASH Guidance on Posting and Surveillance in November 2023 Policy Letters," Jones Walker LLP Maritime Client Alert, December 20, 2023
- "Employment Law Update: A Year in Review," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, December 19, 2023
- "To Fight Sexual Assault and Harassment, Vessel Owners and Operators Must Comply with Heightened Reporting Requirements," Marine News, August 14, 2023
- "Religious Accommodation Requirements Just Took a Turn," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, July 10, 2023
- "Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment on Vessels: the Safer Seas Act and Legal Implications on Vessel Owners and Operators," Jones Walker LLP Maritime Client Alert, June 29, 2023
- "Louisiana: Trends and Developments," Chambers Global Practice Guide, US Regional Employment, 2022
- "Take note of recent spike in union organizing activity," HRLaws.com, First Quarter of 2022
- "Employers Should Take Note of Recent Union Organizing Activities," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, April 6, 2022
- "Life After OSHA Withdraws Vaccine Mandate," Occupational Health & Safety, February 3, 2022
- "OSHA ETS 'Vaccine or Test' Mandate for Private Employers (100 or more employees) Is Back in Play," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, December 21, 2021
- "Louisiana Enacts New Pregnancy Accommodation Law," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, August 4, 2021
- "Employment Law Update: A Year in Review," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, December 16, 2020
- "Beyond the Blog - COVID-19 Recap - August 23, 2020," Jones Walker LLP Disaster Prep & Recovery Client Alert, August 23, 2020
- "DOL Issues New FMLA Forms," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, August 18, 2020
- "COVID-19: Back-To-Work Toolkit," Jones Walker LLP Disaster Prep & Recovery Client Alert, May 18, 2020
- "COVID-19: A Weekly Recap — March 29, 2020" Jones Walker LLP Disaster Preparedness & Recovery Client Alert, March 29, 2020
- "Recent Clarifications to Families First Coronavirus Relief Act," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, March 25, 2020
- "COVID-19: A Weekly Recap – March 22, 2020" Jones Walker LLP Disaster Preparedness & Recovery Client Alert, March 22, 2020
- "'Families First Coronavirus Response Act': Emergency Paid Leave for Construction Employers with Fewer than 500 Employees," ConsensusDocs Construction Newsletter, March 20, 2020
- "Senate Unveils Stimulus Bill That Affects Employers," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, March 20, 2020
- "Does COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Apply to a Government-Ordered Shutdown of Your Business?" Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, March 19, 2020
- "Senate Passes Coronavirus Bill Requiring Paid Leave," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, March 19, 2020
- "Technical Corrections to House Bill Significantly Change Previous Provisions Regarding Paid Leave," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, March 18, 2020
- "House Bill — Paid Leave Provisions," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, March 16, 2020
- "Employer Preparedness for Coronavirus (COVID-19)," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, March 2020
- "Know Your Rights if Securing EPL Insurance," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, March 2020
- "Maintain Uniformity in Your Enforcement of Uniform Policies," Louisiana Employment Law Letter, Vol. 27, No. 6, September 2018
- "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – The Department of Labor Releases Its Proposed Update to the White-Collar Regulations," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, July 1, 2015
- "The New Union Election Rules," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, April 20, 2015
- "Faulty Background Checks Can Be Very Costly," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, October 28, 2014
- "Recent Board Decision Highlights Serious Threat to Employers," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, July 28, 2014
- "New Health Care Law Poses New Union Organizing Threat," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Client Alert, October 2013
- "Another Pro-Union Decision by the NLRB: Unions Now Allowed to Organize Select Employee Groups Instead of Company-Wide," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment EBulletin, January 2012
- "NLRB's Rescue Plan for Unions - Part One," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment EBulletin, August 2011
- "Department of Labor Launches Smartphone Application for Tracking Hours," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment EBulletin, May 16, 2011
- "Are Employers Properly Protecting Themselves From Harassment Claims?" Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment EBulletin, March 29, 2011
- "Employee Free Choice Act—Overview and Preparation," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment EZine, November 2008
- "Employers: Take Note of Important Changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment EZine, March 27, 2008
- "Precise Employee Handbooks Save Business Headaches," New Orleans CityBusiness, March 23, 2008
- "Employee Wage Laws Present Minefield to Small Businesses," New Orleans CityBusiness, January 29, 2008
- "Provisions of an Effective Employee Handbook," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment EZine, November 1, 2007
- "Provisions of an Effective Employee Handbook," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment EZine, October 8, 2007
- "English-Only Rules and Other Foreign Worker Issues," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment EZine, June 22, 2006
- "The Cap Runneth Over—2007 Quota On H-1Bs Surpassed," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment EZine, June 22, 2006
- "Lie Detector Tests: Revisiting The Polygraph Protection Act," Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, December 15, 2003
- "The Employment Self Audit: Fix It Yourself Before You Are Sued," Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, October 17, 2003
- "The Employment Self Audit: Fix It Yourself Before You Are Sued," Baton Rouge Law Journal, October 1, 2003
- "U.S. Department of Labor Adopts Interim Final Rule Implementing Whistleblower Protection Provisions Of Sarbanes-Oxley Act," Jones Walker LLP Corporate and Securities EZine, August 8, 2003
- "DOL Adopts Interim Final Rule Implementing Whistleblower Protection Provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley Act," Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, July 24, 2003
- "White-Collar Exemption Changes," Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, July 24, 2003
- "Record Retention Requirements (Minimum Requirements) Part II," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Ezine, December 20, 2002
- "Record Retention Requirements (Minimum Requirements)," Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, November 27, 2002
- "Union Organizing On The Rise," Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, October 30, 2002
- "Coming Soon To Your Desk: Bad Social Security Numbers and How Far Do You Stretch The Definition Of Employee?" Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, August 30, 2002
- "U.S. Supreme Court Knocks Out FMLA Regulation," "Personal Screensavers A Problem For Employer," "Verified Charge Not Required To Toll EEOC Filing Requirement," "SWAT — The Union," and "Illegal Aliens Can't Recover Back Pay," Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, March 28, 2002
- "What You Don't Know Can Hurt You," Textile Rental, February 1, 2002
- "Whistle Blowers, Retaliation And Employment Torts: What Employers Need To Know To Survive Day-To-Day," Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, November 1, 2001
- "Federal and State Law Primer," Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, July 31, 2001
- "Communication is the Key," Jones Walker LLP Labor Relations and Employment EZine, January 31, 2001
- "Employment Hot Spots for the New Millennium," Textile Rental, Chapter 72, January 1, 2000
Presentations
- "Mid-Year Employment Update – How to End 2024 In Compliance," Association of Corporate Counsel, July 19, 2024
- Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses – Legal Clinic, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 11, 2024
- Louisiana Young President's Organization Program, Ruston, Louisiana, March 7, 2024
- "Labor & Compliance," Northshore Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) February Professional Development Meeting, Mandeville, Louisiana, February 8, 2024
- "Safer Seas Act – Coast Guard Policies to Address Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response on Vessels," Shipping Podcast, February 2, 2024
- "Implications of the Safer Seas Act," Marine Log’s Listen Up! Podcast, October 1, 2023
- "Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment on Vessels," OMSA Fall Regulatory Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, September 20, 2023
- Jones Walker LLP Annual Labor and Employment Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, September 19, 2023
- "Policies, Payroll, and Leave, Oh My!" Netchex Mini-Netconnect, May 11, 2023
- "2023 Employment Law Outlook: Top Five Issues Seen In 2022 Shaping What's to Come," Society for Human Resource Management New Orleans Chapter February Meeting, February 15, 2023
- "Policies, Payroll, and Leave, Oh My!" Netchex Netconnect 2022 Virtual Conference, 2022
- "Old and New Dangers Under the FLSA and Louisiana Law," New Orleans Society for Human Resource Management's April Chapter Meeting, April 20, 2022
- Jones Walker LLP Annual Labor and Employment Seminar, Kenner, Louisiana, October 27, 2021
- "Updating Your 2022 Handbook? Get ready. The Legal Ramifications of Key Employee Handbook Provisions," Louisiana Society for Human Resource Management, September 29, 2021
- "What the New Administration Means for HR," Louisiana Society for Human Resource Management, March 31, 2021
- "FLSA Before, During, and After COVID-19," Louisiana Association of General Contractors Webinar, November 5, 2020
- Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Webinar Series, New Orleans, Louisiana, October 13 & 15, 2020
- "Dos and Don'ts of Employment Agreements," Louisiana Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel Webinar, October 9, 2020
- "Complying with Employment Laws During COVID-19," Construction Management Association of America, August 6, 2020
- "Strategies and Legal Insights on Reopening the Workplace," Commercial Law League of America, May 13, 2020
- "Paid FMLA & Sick Leave & FFCRA (Families First Coronavirus Response Act)," The Leavitt Group Louisiana Webinar, April 14, 2020
- "Medical Marijuana and Other Drug Testing Issues: How Louisiana Employers Can Avoid Liability," Essential Issues Affecting In-House Counsel and Corporate Attorneys CLE Seminar, 2019
- Jones Walker Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Kenner, Louisiana, September 17, 2019
- "Scaling Your Team: Strategies and Pitfalls for Scaling Human Resources in Growing Companies," New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, March 2019
- "The Employee Handbook: Benefit or Liability," Jones Walker LLP Labor and Employment Seminar, September 25, 2018
- "Addressing Harassment & Discrimination in the Workplace," YPO, Louisiana, March 7, 2018
- "The Fair Labor Standards Act: Common Problems," Net Connect 2017, October 26, 2017
- "Federal and State Law Application to Small Businesses," Tulane Family Business Forum, January 27, 2017
- "The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Its Everyday Application," Greater New Orleans Barge Fleeting Association, River and Marine Industry Seminar, April 27, 2016
- "Union Awareness Training," National Business Institute Employment Law: 2015 Comprehensive Guide Seminar, November 17, 2015
- "The New Union Landscape," National Business Institute Employment Law: 2015 Comprehensive Guide Seminar, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, November 15, 2015
- "Labor and Employment Law Relating to Hiring, Firing, and Terminations," Greater New Orleans Barge Fleeting Association, River and Marine Industry Seminar, April 10, 2015
- "ADA/FMLA," Federal Bar Association, March 1, 2015
- "Fair Labor Standards Act: Common Problems," New Orleans Bar Association, December 10, 2014
- Jones Walker LLP Annual Labor & Employment Seminars for Management Professionals, New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, October 16, 2014
- "Human Resources Legal Update," PIAA's Technology, Human Resources, and Finance Workshop, September 12, 2013
- Gulfport Labor & Employment Seminar, Great Southern Club, Gulfport, Mississippi, August 22, 2013
- Jones Walker LLP Annual Labor and Employment Seminar, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, June 25, 2013
- "Goldman Sachs, 10,000 Small Businesses – Legal Clinic," New Orleans, Louisiana, May 30, 2013
- New Orleans Labor & Employment Seminar, Jones Walker LLP New Orleans Offices, May 8, 2013
- "Internal Investigations and HR Audits," Federal Bar Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, May 4, 2013
- "Social Media, Protected Activity and the National Labor Relations Board," New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, December 28, 2012
- "Goldman Sachs, 10,000 Small Businesses – Legal Clinic," New Orleans, Louisiana, May 30, 2012
- "The Essential Guide to Maintaining a Union Free Workshop," 17th Annual Mississippi Human Resources Conference and Expo, Biloxi, Mississippi, April 4, 2012
- "Compliance 101: How to Stay in Business...and Out of Hot Water," Birmingham, Alabama, October 26, 2011
- "Compliance 101: How to Stay in Business...and Out of Hot Water," Mobile, Alabama, October 25, 2011
- "Mid-Term Congressional Elections Mean Changes, But Not Necessarily The Changes You Want," Jones Walker LLP Annual Labor & Relations Conference, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, June 9, 2011
- "Goldman Sachs, 10,000 Small Businesses – Legal Clinic," New Orleans, Louisiana, May 30, 2011
- "Mid-Term Congressional Elections Mean Changes, But Not Necessarily The Changes You Want," Jones Walker LLP Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 12, 2011
- "The Times They Are A-Changing: Change is What the Obama Administration Promised, and Change is What We've Got," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Seminar, Lafayette, Louisiana, October 27, 2010
- "The Times They Are A-Changing: Change is What the Obama Administration Promised, and Change is What We've Got," Jones Walker LLP Labor & Employment Seminar, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, June 3, 2010
- "The Times They Are A-Changing: Change is What the Obama Administration Promised, and Change is What We've Got," Jones Walker LLP Annual Labor and Employment Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 11, 2010
- "Employee Discharge and Documentation," Lorman Education Services, Metairie, Louisiana, May 14, 2009
- "Louisiana Employment Law from A to Z," Lorman Education Services, November 7, 2008
- "Louisiana Employment Law from A to Z," Lorman Education Services, November 4, 2008
- "Everything You Need to Know to Keep You Out of Trouble," Lorman Education Services, July 24, 2008
- "Employee Discharge and Documentation," Lorman Education Services, May 9, 2008
- "Employment Law Overview," 2008 Human Resource Conference & Expo, Society for Human Resource Management, April 24, 2008
- "Louisiana Wage and Hour and Self-Auditing for Legal Compliance," Lorman Education Services, April 23, 2008
- "Wage and Hour Law Update," Louisiana Society of Certified Public Accountants, January 8, 2008
- "Louisiana Employment Law from A to Z," Lorman Education Services, November 7, 2007
- "ADA Master Class," New Orleans, Louisiana, October 16, 2007
- "Employee Discharge and Documentation in Louisiana," Lorman Education Services, New Orleans, Louisiana, May 9, 2007
- "U.S. Supreme Court Update: Retaliation & Discrimination," Lorman Education Services, October 1, 2006
Memberships
- Louisiana State Bar Association
- New Orleans Bar Association
Education
- Tulane University Law School
JD, 1985 - University of Alabama
BA, with honors, 1982
Bar Admissions
- Louisiana
Court Admissions
- US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
- US District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
- US District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
- US District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi