Jeana Goosmann
CEO, Founding and Practicing Attorney
Employment Law Guidance for Employers
Workplace complaints can move fast. A discrimination claim, harassment allegation, retaliation concern, or hostile work environment complaint can affect your people, your culture, your reputation, and your business.
Goosmann Law Firm helps employers respond with clarity, confidence, and the right record. We advise businesses, public employers, executives, human resources leaders, and organizations across Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and the greater Midwest on workplace harassment, discrimination, retaliation, accommodation, and employment compliance issues.
As a Midwest-based, certified woman-owned law firm and proud member of NAMWOLF, we understand the importance of fair workplaces, diverse perspectives, equal opportunity, and legally sound decision-making. We help employers prevent legal problems where possible and respond effectively when issues arise.
Preventing Legal Problems Before They Become Claims
The best employment disputes are the ones that never become disputes. Employers can reduce risk by building clear policies, training leaders, documenting decisions, responding to concerns early, and treating complaints seriously from the start.
Our attorneys help employers strengthen workplace practices involving:
- Anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies
- Employee handbooks and reporting procedures
- Supervisor and management training
- Complaint intake and response protocols
- Internal investigations and documentation
- Discipline, termination, and corrective action planning
- Reasonable accommodation and interactive process issues
- Retaliation prevention and risk management
- Equal employment opportunity compliance
- Workplace culture, leadership, and communication practices
Good process matters. When an employer can show that concerns were taken seriously, investigated appropriately, and addressed consistently, the organization is in a stronger position.
Responding to Harassment and Discrimination Complaints
When a complaint is made, the first response matters. Employers need to move quickly, preserve information, protect against retaliation, identify the right decision-makers, and determine whether an internal investigation is needed.
We help employers respond to workplace complaints involving sexual harassment, race discrimination, sex discrimination, age discrimination, disability discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, religious discrimination, national origin discrimination, retaliation, hostile work environment allegations, and related employment claims.
Not every workplace conflict is unlawful harassment or discrimination. But every complaint deserves a thoughtful, documented response. We help employers separate personality conflict, poor management, performance issues, policy violations, and legally actionable claims so leadership can make sound decisions.
EEOC Charges and State Civil Rights Agency Complaints
When an employee or former employee files a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or a state civil rights agency, deadlines matter. So does the story the employer tells through its documents, witnesses, policies, and response.
Our attorneys help employers navigate agency complaints from start to finish, including charge review, document preservation, internal investigation strategy, position statements, responses to requests for information, mediation preparation, settlement evaluation, and next steps if the matter moves toward litigation.
The goal is to respond carefully, avoid unnecessary admissions, protect the business, and put the employer in the strongest position based on the facts and the law.
Hostile Work Environment Complaints
A hostile work environment complaint can disrupt trust inside an organization quickly. Leaders may be dealing with employee concerns, witness interviews, leave requests, performance issues, discipline decisions, confidentiality questions, and pressure to act immediately.
We help employers evaluate the facts, determine the right process, and respond in a way that supports a respectful workplace while protecting the organization. That may include investigation planning, witness preparation, review of text messages and emails, credibility analysis, corrective action, leadership coaching, policy updates, and documentation of the final decision.
The response should be prompt, fair, and defensible. We help employers get there.
Public and Private Employer Considerations
Employment decisions can look different depending on whether the employer is a private business, public employer, city, county, school-related entity, nonprofit, or regulated organization. Public employers may face additional constitutional, statutory, open records, meeting, due process, civil service, or collective bargaining considerations.
Goosmann Law Firm helps employers understand those differences before taking action. Whether the issue involves discipline, termination, leave, accommodation, investigation, employee speech, workplace conduct, or an elected or appointed official, we help leadership evaluate risk and make clear decisions.
Workplace Investigations
A workplace investigation must be more than a conversation. The process needs to be planned, consistent, confidential where appropriate, and documented. Employers need to know who should investigate, what questions should be asked, what documents should be reviewed, and how findings should be communicated.
Our attorneys assist with internal investigations and outside investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace misconduct, executive conduct, policy violations, ethics concerns, employee complaints, and sensitive personnel issues.
We help employers protect the process so the final decision is grounded in the facts and supported by the record.
Employment Claims We Help Employers Address
Our employment attorneys help employers address a wide range of workplace claims and compliance issues, including:
- Employment litigation and dispute resolution
- Workplace harassment complaints
- Sexual harassment allegations
- Hostile work environment claims
- Discrimination claims
- Retaliation claims
- Wrongful termination allegations
- EEOC charges and agency complaints
- State civil rights agency complaints
- Disability accommodation and interactive process issues
- Pregnancy and religious accommodation issues
- Leave-related employment issues
- Employee discipline and termination risk
- Internal workplace investigations
- Supervisor and manager conduct issues
- Employee handbook and policy review
When Should an Employer Call an Attorney?
The earlier an employer involves counsel, the more options the organization usually has. Employers should consider calling Goosmann Law Firm when:
- An employee reports harassment, discrimination, or retaliation
- A supervisor is accused of misconduct
- A complaint involves a protected class or protected activity
- An employee has requested leave or an accommodation
- A termination or discipline decision may be high-risk
- An EEOC charge or agency complaint is received
- A workplace investigation needs to be planned or reviewed
- A policy, handbook, or reporting procedure may need to be updated
- Leadership needs a clear strategy before taking action
Early legal guidance can help preserve evidence, prevent retaliation claims, protect the record, and reduce the risk of a workplace issue becoming a larger legal problem.
Meet Our Team
Wendy Kloeppner
Partner
Paul D. Lundberg
Of Counsel
Beth A. Roesler
Sioux Falls Managing Partner
Aaron D. Adams
Partner
Contact
Connect with us today to speak with lawyers experienced in harassment and discrimination cases.
Harassment and Discrimination Law FAQ
What is a hostile workplace?
Not all difficult workplaces are illegal. Poor communication, inconsistent leadership, or personality clashes often fall outside the legal definition of a hostile workplace unless tied to a protected characteristic. We help employers distinguish between the two, respond appropriately, and take steps to improve culture while reducing liability.
What should I do if an employee files an internal complaint?
Take every complaint seriously, document all steps, avoid retaliation, and start a prompt, impartial investigation. Our attorneys can help guide investigations to ensure compliance and fairness.
How can businesses prevent harassment and discrimination claims?
Strong policies, regular training, clear reporting procedures, and consistent enforcement are key. We help organizations build frameworks that support positive culture and reduce legal exposure.
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