Michael J. Staebell
MICHAEL J. STAEBELL
mstaebell@dickinsonlaw.com | 515-246-4547
Introduction
Mike Staebell retired from the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (WHD), in December 2015 after 33 years of enforcing various federal employment laws. That included 17 years of direct investigation experience, followed by 11 years supervising other investigators. In his final five years with the agency, he served as District Director for the states of Iowa and Nebraska. Under his leadership, the Iowa-Nebraska office was consistently ranked as one of the most productive in the U.S.
Mike was responsible for enforcing all of the laws within the WHD’s jurisdiction, most notably the FLSA, FMLA and Davis Bacon Act. Although not a lawyer, during his tenure at WHD Mike coordinated with the attorneys of the DOL’s Office of the Solicitor to assist in the litigation of significant cases in courts and before administrative tribunals – including the first FLSA child labor death case in the nation prosecuted under the Child Labor Enhanced Penalty Program that was established under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act; FLSA violations involving disabled workers of Henry’s Turkey Service; and FLSA violations involving undocumented workers at Agriprocessors.
Mike is an acclaimed trainer and speaker. He has a keen understanding of the laws enforced by WHD, a practical perspective, the ability to speak to each audience’s interests and make the complex understandable, an easy-going style, and a sense of humor that put him in high demand both publicly and within the agency itself. Mike created courses and trained WHD investigators throughout the U.S., including three-week Basic Training classes and sessions regarding new statutes and regulations. Mike presented to WHD’s 2014 National Managers Meeting on worker classification issues. He has given literally hundreds of presentations to the public on statutes enforced by WHD and is a popular presenter to professional and industry associations throughout the Midwest and the country. Groups that have benefited from Mike’s presentations include associations of human resources professionals, payroll administrators, bankers, CPAs, municipalities, counties, cooperatives, attorneys, grocers, and construction companies. Mike has trained managers and non-managers for employers and educational entities, as well as the staff of labor unions and worker advocacy groups.
With such extensive experience enforcing federal wage and hour laws, Mike brings unique skills and accomplishments that distinguish the Labor and Employment Section of Dickinson Law.
Things Mike Can Do
As a Compliance Specialist, Legal Paraprofessional, Mike works under the supervision of Dickinson’s attorneys to help our clients understand and comply with the law. And because his knowledge is in federal law, he can serve clients anywhere in the nation. Mike can:
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Perform preventative internal audits
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Review policies, procedures, practices, job descriptions, reports, and forms to identify and help resolve issues regarding worker classifications (employee/independent contractor; exempt/non-exempt), timekeeping, overtime, youth employment, FMLA, prevailing wages, immigration labor standards, and more
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Help employers prepare for and weather external investigations conducted by WHD and by related state agencies, such as Iowa Workforce Development
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Consult regarding “What Would WHD Do?”
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Provide litigation support on WHD-related claims
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Provide expert witness testimony on WHD-related claims
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Make presentations and conduct training sessions on WHD-related topics
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Monitor DOL/WHD activities to provide alerts and assist in preparation regarding key developments
Education:
B.A., Westmar College, Le Mars, Iowa, 1975
Honors & Awards:
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2009 – Secretary’s Distinguished Career Services Award, chosen by the Secretary of Labor for sustained outstanding contributions to the Agency’s mission
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2007 – National team award for revamping WHD’s Basic Training program for new Investigators
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(involved a 13-week pre-class curriculum, plus three weeks of classroom training – that model is still used today by WHD)
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2005 – Team award for creating WHD’s first-ever national enforcement initiative (health care industry)
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2001 – Award for national team that created and conducted training for all of WHD on total quality management principles
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1988 – Second award for additional productivity team successes
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1987 – Award for team that worked on productivity issues for the Midwest Region of WHD
Areas of Knowledge:
For 33 years, Mike enforced statutes under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, including the following:
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Fair Labor Standards Act (regarding minimum wages, overtime, recordkeeping and youth employment standards)
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Family and Medical Leave Act (regarding unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons)
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Davis Bacon Act and Related Acts (regarding wages and benefits required of contractors and subcontractors on federally-funded or assisted construction and repair contracts on public buildings or public works)
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Service Contract Act (regarding wages and benefits required of contractors and subcontractors performing services on prime federal government contracts)
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Migrant and Seasonal Worker Protection Act (regarding wages, housing, transportation, disclosure and recordkeeping standards for migrant and seasonal agricultural workers)
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Sections H1-B and H2-A of the Immigration and Control Reform Act
Articles & Presentations:
- Author, It's Complicated -- A Primer on Paying Non-Exempt Employees for Travel Time Under the FLSA, Iowa Labor and Employment, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Law Blog, August 28, 2018
- Author, Welcome Back, Wage and Hour Opinion Letters, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, May 31, 2018
- Author, Supreme Court Finds Auto Service Advisors Exempt From Overtime, Rejects ‘Narrow Construction’ Principle in Applying FLSA Exemptions, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, May 1, 2018
- Author, Limited Time Offer! DOL Announces Start of Six-Month PAID Pilot Program, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, April 4, 2018
- Author, DOL's Paid Program: Wage and Hour to Supervise Settlement Agreements When Employers Voluntarily Disclose Violations, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, March 15, 2018
- Author, FMLA Issues That Plague Employers and How to Cope With Them, Pt. IV: Exceeding the Frequency of Duration of Intermittent FMLA Leave, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, November 13, 2017
- Author, FMLA Issues That Plague Employers and How to Cope With Them, Pt. III: Failure to Follow Call-In Procedures, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, November 1, 2017
- Author, DOL's Wage and Hour Division Agenda is Moving Forward, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, September 28, 2017
- Author, Texas Court Invalidates FLSA Regulation Raising the Salary Test for White Collar Exemption, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, August 31, 2017
- Author, FMLA Issues That Plague Employers and How to Cope With Them, Pt. II, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, August 23, 2017
- Author, DOL Requests Public Input on FLSA White Collar Overtime Exemptions, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, August 4, 2017
- Author, Another Form I-9? Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, July 19, 2017
- Author, The Return of Wage & Hour Opinion Letters, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, July 3, 2017
- Author, Hiring Teenagers This Summer? Get Up to Speed on Federal Labor Laws, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, June 20, 2017
- Author, FMLA Issues That Plague Employers and How to Cope With Them, Pt. I: Intermittent Leave & Pattern of Absences, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, June 7, 2017
- Author, Will Comp Time Come to the Private Sector? Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, May 15, 2017
- Author, Notice! You May Be Using a Form I-9 With A Major Problem, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, April 27, 2017
- Author, The Tortured Path of the DOL White Collar/OT Regulations, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, April 20, 2017
- Author, Discretionary vs Non-Discretionary Bonuses Under the FLSA: What is the Difference and Why Should I Care? Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, April 13, 2017
- Presenter, "DOL Update/FLSA Issues," Iowa Bankers Association Annual Human Resources Conference, West Des Moines, Iowa, April 12, 2017
- Presenter, "FLSA and FMLA," Iowa Employment Conference, Altoona, Iowa, April 6, 2017
- Author, Paying a Bonus to Your Employees Can Have a Hidden Cost, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, March 21, 2017
- Presenter, "DOL Updates - A Discussion of the Status of DOL Rules & Regulations," Central Iowa Society of Human Resource Management's Legal & Legislative Conference, Altoona, Iowa, February 24, 2017
- Author, USDOL Announces Another Round of Fair Labor Standards Act Civil Money Penalty Increases, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, January 19, 2017
- Author, Employers Should Get to Know the New Form I-9 Before it Takes Effect in January, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, November 30, 2016
- Presenter, "DOL White Collar Regulations," Human Resource Association of North Iowa - Annual Employment Law Conference, Mason City, Iowa, November 1, 2016
- Presenter, "But I Don't Want to Take FMLA Leave! Handling Refusals & the Possibilities for Both Employers & Employees," Employment Law Client Seminar, West Des Moines, Iowa, October 26, 2016
- Presenter, "Are You Ready for December 1st? Salary Test Changes for FLSA White Collar Exemptions," Employment Law Client Seminar, West Des Moines, Iowa, October 26, 2016
- Presenter, "New DOL Regulations for White Collar Exemptions," Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines (October 10, 2016); Central Iowa Society of Human Resource Management (October 11, 2016); Better Business Bureau of Central Iowa (October 13, 2016)
- Author, Two Lawsuits Filed to Stop DOL's New White Collar Regulations, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, September 22, 2016
- Author, DOL's Expanded Joint Employer Standard: You May Have More Employees Than You Think, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, September 15, 2016
- Presenter, "DOL's New White Collar Exemption Rules," 2016 Iowa Banking Law Seminar, West Des Moines, September 7, 2016
- Presenter, "New USDOL Rules for White Collar Exemptions," Iowa Bankers Association, August 25, 2016
- Author, Department of Labor Civil Money Penalties to Increase in August, Wage & Hour Watch, Iowa Employer Law Blog, July 12, 2016
- Presenter, "Complying with the New FLSA Minimum Salary Requirements," Central Iowa Society of Human Resource Management, West Des Moines, June 28, 2016
- Author, Sub Plans and Annualization Under the Davis Bacon Act, Iowa Wage & Hour Watch Law Blog, Iowa Labor and Employment Law Blog, May 26, 2016
- Presenter, Association of Legal Administrators, June 2016
- Presenter, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moinese, June 2016
- Presenter, Law Firm Alliance, May 2016
- Presenter, National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO), June 2016
Past presentations have included the following organizations:
- Society for Human Resource Management (local chapters, state conferences in Iowa and Nebraska)
- American Payroll Association (Iowa state conference)
- Iowa Bar Association
- Nebraska Bar Association
- Polk County Bar Association (Iowa)
- US Department of Justice (What Iowa Lawyers Need to Know about Human Trafficking)
- Iowa State Association of CPAs
- Iowa Institute of Cooperatives
- Iowa Association of School Board Attorneys
- Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association
- Iowa League of Cities
- Iowa State Association of Counties
- Iowa Grocers Association
- Central Iowa Building and Construction Trades Council
- Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council
- Associated Builders and Contractors
- University of Iowa Labor Law Center
- Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
- Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting
- Woodbury County, Iowa
- Pella Corporation
- Vermeer Corporation