Stephen W. Jones

About Steve's Practice

Stephen W. Jones uses his former experience as a personnel director and concentrates his practice in the areas of employment discrimination, civil rights, and labor relations. In addition to counseling clients, Mr. Jones is licensed to practice in the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, Western District of Wisconsin, United States Court of Appeals, Seventh and Eighth Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. He is listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers as well as Who's Who in American Law and Who's Who in the World. Mr. Jones is also a member of the American Bar Association in the Labor, Litigation, and Practice Development sections.

Education

• University of Arkansas at Little Rock, J.D., with high honors, 1978
  - Editor-in-Chief, U.A.L.R. Law Journal (1977-1978)
• Hendrix College and University of Illinois, A.B., with high honors, 1969

Major Publications & Speaking Engagements

• Editor, Arkansas Employment Law Letter (since 1995)
• Contributing Editor, Midwest Employment Law Letter
• Author, "Failing to communicate policy changes can undo harassment lawsuit defense," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, December 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, December 2, 2021
• Author, "Under USERRA, right to reinstatement in former position not absolute," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, September 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, September 20, 2021
• Author, "Pros, cons of using signing bonuses to attract employees," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, September 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, September 8, 2021
• Author, "Risk of spreading COVID-19 to relatives justifies abandoning work, AR court rules," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, May 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, April 5, 2021
• Author, "3 strikes and you're out! Employee's bias, harassment, retaliation claims all fail," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, December 2020, and HR Daily Advisor, November 9, 2020
• Author, "8th Circuit: Employees may have heavy burden showing disparate treatment," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, October 2020, and HR Daily Advisor, September 7, 2020
• Author, "Arkansas Minimum Wage Going Up--to $10--January 1," HR Daily Advisor, December 9, 2019
• Author, "Giving the boot to kickboxer violated USERRA," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, September 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, December 10, 2018
• Author, "Hour by hour, day by day--how should employees account for PTO?" Arkansas Employment Law Letter, June 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, July 10, 2018
• Author, "Deli dive: No benefits when idiopathic condition caused injury," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, March 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, April 17, 2018
• Author, "Can I have your number? Dealing with changed SSNs," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, March 2018, and Diversity Insight, April 6, 2018
• Author, "Slippin' up: Pay raise after fall precludes PPD benefits," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, February 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, March 5, 2018
• Author, "Slippery situation: No workers' comp benefits for parking lot fall," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, December 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, January 15, 2018
• Author, "Weak in the knee: Employer pays for refusing to reinstate healed worker," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, November 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, December 4, 2017
• Author, "Was boss's unprofessional behavior unwelcome? 8th Circuit has the answer," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, October 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, November 10, 2017
• Author, "Going against the grain: Worker fired after unequal pay complaint," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, September 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, October 27, 2017
• Author, "Have it your way: 8th Circuit sides with labor organizer," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, August 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, September 5, 2017
• Author, "Gender identity: Does Title VII cover dependent's insurance coverage?" Arkansas Employment Law Letter, July 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, August 4, 2017
• Author, "Back at ya: employee's low-back injury compensable," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, February 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, March 29, 2017
• Quoted, "Use of hidden surveillance cameras in workplace comes with pros, cons," HR Hero Line, January 27, 2017
• Author, "8th Circuit won't brush off misconduct: Throwing elbows warrants discipline," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, August 2016, and HR.BLR.com, August 19, 2016
• Author, "Arkansas court: Donning and doffing time must be compensated despite CBA," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, July 2016, and HR.BLR.com, August 1, 2016
• Author, "8th Circuit: Racist language not enough to prove pretext in retaliation claim," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, May 2016, and HR.BLR.com, June 27, 2016
• Author, "Facebook foes: Employee's online comments were not misconduct," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, April 2016, and Technology for HR Blog, June 28, 2016
• Author, "Can't keep on truckin': Driver didn't meet employer's expectations," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, May 2016, and HR.BLR.com, June 20, 2016
• Author, "Sign here, please: Union solicitation doesn't require an authorization card," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, April 2016, and HR.BLR.com, May 2, 2016
• Author, "Let's not do lunch: Suspension with back pay was not adverse action," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, March 2016, and HR.BLR.com, April 4, 2016
• Author, "Overtime exemption: It's what you do, not what they call you," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, February 2016, and HR.BLR.com, March 7, 2016
• Author, "Shoulder to shoulder: Arkansas mechanic not entitled to compensation for subsequent injury," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, January 2016, and HR.BLR.com, February 8, 2016
• Author, "Plenty of ammo: 8th Circuit allows employee's race discrimination claim to go to jury," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, December 2015, and HR.BLR.com, January 18, 2016
• Author, "8th Circuit Court: Not hiring candidate who failed strength test isn't 'regarded as' bias," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, November 2015, and HR.BLR.com, December 7, 2015
• Author, "Don't fire employee over doctor's restrictions on work hours during high-risk pregnancy," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, October 2015, and HR.BLR.com, November 9, 2015
• Author, "How rude! Nurse didn't establish religious discrimination and retaliation claims," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, September 2015, and HR.BLR.com, October 12, 2015
• Author, "No trial and lots of errors: Employee's FMLA claim fails," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, August 2015, and HR.BLR.com, September 14, 2015
• Author, "Rage against the machine: Airline worker sues over failure to get promotion," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, May 2015, and HR.BLR.com, June 8, 2015
• Author, "Deputy prosecutor alleges racial discrimination," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, April 2015, and HR.BLR.com, May 13, 2015
• Author, "8th Circuit: Nanotech researcher's noncompete agreement too restrictive," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, April 2015, and HR.BLR.com, May 8, 2015
• Author, "Wiccan what? Religious accommodations and sincerely held religious beliefs," Arkansas Employment Law Letter, May 2012, and Diversity Insight, March 17, 2014
• Editor, Arkansas Employment Law Deskbook (1996)
• Contributing Author, Schlei & Grossman, Employment Discrimination Law, 2nd ed. (1983)
• Author, "The Attack on Traditional Billing Practices," 20 U.A.L.R. Law Journal 293 (1998)
• Author, "The Supreme Court Reins in the ADA," 22 U.A.L.R. Law Review 183 (2000)
• Presenter, Techshow 99, American Bar Association

Professional Recognition

• Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
• Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America
• Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers
• Listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World
• Received "Writing Excellence Award," Arkansas Bar Foundation
• Received "Best of CLE Award," Arkansas Bar Association (1999-2001, 2003)

Admitted to Practice

Arkansas (1978); U.S. District Courts, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, Western District of Wisconsin; U.S. Courts of Appeals, Seventh and Eighth Circuits; U.S. Supreme Court