Donald F. Burke

Experience

Donald F. Burke is a principal and Practice Group Leader in the Labor and Employment Law Group of the Baltimore office of Semmes, Bowen & Semmes. His practice involves representation of management in all facets of federal, state and local employment law with particular emphasis on litigation, compliance activities, management labor relations, affirmative action obligations, wage and hour, and Title VII matters. Mr. Burke has successfully represented the interests of both nationwide companies and small employers and governmental entities in federal and state courts, administrative agencies, and arbitration proceedings.

Mr. Burke lectures often on a variety of employment law subjects to numerous national and international professional and commercial groups, including those sponsored by the Maryland State Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the Institute for the Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers and various personnel managers’ associations, and other management and educational groups. He has authored numerous articles on employment relations matters.

Several areas in which Mr. Burke focuses on technology in the workplace include: providing employment law advice to business regarding e-mail and Internet use; the development of interactive multi-media CD-Roms for employment training purposes; surveillance by employers of electronic communications; potential employer liability for technology-based employee misconduct; employer exposure to defamation, discrimination and harassment charges related to technology misuse; use of technology for the distribution of employee handbooks, company policies, and accommodation to disabilities; and advice to employers regarding protection against on-line access to confidential employment information pertaining to personnel records, medical records, customer lists and/or trade secrets.