Michael Karst
Advising Business Owners and HR Professionals on Workplace Issues
Michael P. Karst is an associate attorney at Kastner, Westman & Wilkins, LLC. Michael devotes his practice to representing employers in workplace disputes involving a wide range of labor & employment laws including:
* Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA);
* Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);
* Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA);
* Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII); and
* Ohio Revised Code Section 4112
He also counsels employers on day-to-day employment matters, including leave management, wage/hour issues, terminations, severance packages, non-compete obligations, and employment agreements.
Each year since 2017, Michael has been named a Super Lawyers “Rising Star”, a distinction that recognizes less than 2.5% of attorneys in Ohio. He is an active member of the Akron Bar Association and other professional groups.
Michael graduated cum laude from the University of Akron School of Law. While in law school, Michael traveled the country competing as a top advocate on the Akron Law Mock Trial Team. Upon completion of his coursework, Michael was awarded a Certificate in Litigation for recognition of his achievements in litigation.
In his free time, Michael is an avid basketball fan (Butler Bulldogs, Utah Jazz) and enjoys exploring all that Northeast Ohio has to offer. Michael prides himself on the personal attention given to each of his clients. He strives to return calls and e-mails within 24 hours and ensures that his client's questions are always answered before they leave the office.
- Employment Law
- Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination, ERISA, Overtime & Unpaid Wages, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination
- Ohio
- Supreme Court of Ohio Office of Attorney Services
- ID Number: 91020
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- English
- Associate Attorney
- Kastner, Westman & Wilkins, LLC
- - Current
- Associate Attorney
- Jeffries, Kube, Forrest & Monteleone Co., L.P.A.
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- University of Akron
- J.D. (2013) | Law
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- Honors: Cum Laude
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- Butler University
- B.A. (2010) | Electronic Media and Political Science
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- Rising Star
- Super Lawyers
- Selected to Rising Stars: 2017 - 2022
- Committee Chair of the Year Award
- Akron Bar Association
- Recognized for chairing the Akron Bar Association's Membership Committee.
- Akron Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: Board of Trustees ex-officio Member, Labor & Employment Section Officer, New Lawyer Section Chair, Membership Committee Member, Human Resource Committee Member, Bar Trends Taskforce, Leadership Academy Graduate
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- Akron Bar Association
- Vice President of Membership
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- Activities: Oversee the membership recruitment and retention efforts of the Association. Serve as Chair of the Membership Committee of the Association’s Board of Directors.
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- Ohio Association for Justice
- Board of Trustees
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- Manufacturers Meet-Up, Akron, Ohio
- ConxusNEO
- Preparing for the next HR challenge: the COVID-19 vaccine, Akron, Ohio
- HR Leadership Group of Northeast Ohio
- Labor & Employment Law 101, 2018 New Lawyer Training, Akron, Ohio
- Akron Bar Association
- Confronting Sexual Harassment in the Chemistry Laboratory, Cleveland, Ohio
- Iota Sigma Pi
- Employee Relations: Legal Solutions for Sensitive Workplace Issues, Human Resource Bootcamp, Youngstown, Ohio
- National Business Institute
- Website
- Kastner, Westman & Wilkins, LLC
- Q. Besides legal aid and EEOC (time expired for legal aid and less than 15 employees so EEOC cant) Who can help me?
- A: I am sorry to hear about your experience. To directly answer your question, you may consider filing a charge with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission ("OCRC") for a potential violation of Ohio law. You will find that the OCRC and EEOC are very similar; the OCRC investigates violations of Ohio laws, while the EEOC looks at federal laws. One big difference is that the OCRC will investigate smaller companies - those employing four or more people - compared to the 15 required by the EEOC. That being said, your situation may involve claims other than retaliation such as breach of contract or unjust enrichment if your employer was improperly withholding commissions. It is a good idea to speak with an attorney about this situation. There are many that may be able to assist you on a contingency fee. Good luck.
- Q. recd 1st letter while on STD position eliminated/severance on 12/31/18 company closure 2nd lett terminated same day LTD
- A: Without reviewing your short-term and long-term disability policies, it is difficult to say whether your employer went about things correctly. Assuming you are an at-will employee, an employer may terminate your employment at any time and for any legal reason (with a few exceptions). That is still true even if you are out on disability leave. You may want to speak with a qualified attorney regarding your severance package. The law typically requires an employer to provide you with a minimum of 28 days to review a severance package, discuss it with an attorney, and decide whether to sign or not. Good luck.
