Over the course of a career spanning forty (40) years, Thomas Magnetti has provided high quality legal advice and guidance, both oral and written, relating to the application of laws and regulations regarding employment and labor to various federal agencies in successor positions of greater responsibility, to include serving as Senior Counsel for Employment, Employment and Labor Law Division, Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Department of Commerce; as Chief, Employee Relations and Programs Division, Office of Administration, U.S. Government Printing Office; and as Assistant General Counsel, Office of General Counsel and for the U.S. Government Printing Office. For the last fifteen (15) years, Tom has worked as a contracted Subject Matter Expert / Attorney handling labor and employment law matters for federal clients.
The counseling and advice Tom provided to his federal agency clients has included advising them on matters related to HR procedures and actions, reduction in force and early incentive programs and the implementation of new procedures, disciplinary and performance cases (including drafting performance improvement plans), evaluating employees’ responses (oral and written) and recommending processes and procedures that resulted in a reduction of employee claims.
During his career, Tom has handled the full range of issues defending agency actions before administrative and judicial bodies and performed all tasks necessary for the successful adjudication of disputes. Tom has represented agencies in mediations and other alternative dispute resolution proceedings (ADR) and represented multiple agencies in the EEO (formal and informal) and MSPB processes from the Administrative Judge level to the EEOC Office of Federal Operations and the full MSPB adjudicatory process, including the full range of discovery (including taking/defending depositions), motion practice (Motion for Summary Judgments, Motions to Dismiss, Motions for Sanctions, etc.), representing agencies at hearings, including the preparation of witnesses. At client direction, he has conducted settlement negotiations, drafted and executed binding settlements which protected management. Tom has never lost a case before the EEOC and has a near perfect record before the MSPB.
Tom has also conducted and supervised investigations into whistleblowing allegations and represented agencies in Individual Right of Appeal actions; and investigations (Faragher-Ellerth) into alleged sexual harassment claims including taking sworn statements, drafting investigative reports,and providing advice and guidance on sexual harassment claims.
For the last fifteen (15) years, Tom has built on his stellar work as agency counsel as a contracted Subject Matter Expert / Attorney, handling, all aspects of overflow EEOC, MSPB and other employment law related advice and litigation matters for federal clients, including Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board, Federal Housing Finance Agency, National Endowment for the Arts, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Service.
