Megan Van Pelt

Megan is an associate in Taft’s Indianapolis office and represents employers in labor and employment litigation matters, including preventative advising and counseling.

She has experience representing employers in individual, class, and collective employment actions brought in state and federal court, including cases involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, failure to accommodate disabilities, breach of contract, wage and hour and a variety of other statutory and common law claims. In addition, Megan represents employers before state and federal agencies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, the Fort Wayne Metropolitan Human Relations Commission, the South Bend Human Rights Commission, and the Indiana Workers’ Compensation Board. Megan devotes a portion of her practice to defending employers in Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) and Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) class and collective actions. Megan also handles workplace trainings, OSHA investigations, and has experience defending workers’ compensation claims.

While attending law school at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Megan served as the Executive Notes Editor of the Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies and served as the executive judge coordinator of the Trial Advocacy Board. In addition, Megan was selected as a member of the Order of the Barristers for her commitment to oral advocacy. She was honored as a finalist in the Indiana University Trial Competition and the Indiana State Bar Association Law Student Conclave. Megan finished law school in the top of her class receiving the CALI Excellence for the Future award in Pre-Trial Litigation.

As an undergraduate at Indiana University, Megan was a Division 1 student athlete honored with the 2013 Hoosier Award while earning her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in education.

Publications

• “The EEOC’s Final Rule on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and Tips for PEOs,” PEO Insider (September 2024).
• “The PUMP Act Requirements and Considerations for PEOs,” PEO Insider (April 2024).
• “Pay Transparency Continues to Gain Momentum in 2024,” PEO Insider (February 2024).
• “The Evolving Employee Handbook: Tips for Updates in a Post-Vaccine World,” PEO Insider (October 2021).
• “Manufacturer Operations and Workplace Safety in the Age of Drones,” Jackson Lewis Blog (April 2021).
• “Workers’ Compensation Laws: Indiana,” Thomas Reuters Practical Law (October 2020).
• “I Just Lost—So Now What? Options to Address Adverse Orders, Judgments, and Verdicts,” Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum (February 2019).
• “Insurance Impact of Autonomous Vehicles,” Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum (October 2018).

Speeches

• “The EEOC’s Final Regulation and Interpretive Guidance on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act,” Taft Annual Employment Law Update (Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 15, 2024).
• “Getting to the Bottom of It: A Practical Guide to Workplace Investigations,” Indiana Chamber of Commerce (Indianapolis, Ind., May 2024).
• “Employment Law Update for the Region,” NAPEO Leadership Council Forum (Indianapolis, Ind., April 23, 2024).
• “2022 to 2023 United States Supreme Court Employment Law Updates,” Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum (Indianapolis, Ind., Dec. 7, 2023).
• “2023 Expanding and Evolving Employment Laws,” Jackson Lewis Breakfast Briefing (Carmel, Ind., Dec. 5, 2023).
• “Employment Law 101: Defense Perspective,” IndyBar (Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 29, 2023).
• “Effective Workplace Communications and Positive Employee Relations,” (Indianapolis, Ind., July 20, 2023).
• “The Push for Great Pay Transparency,” (Indianapolis, Ind., May 2, 2023).
• “Hiring and Selection: Do’s and Don’ts,” (Indianapolis, Ind., April 20, 2023).
• “COVID-19 Issues in the Workplace,” Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum (Indianapolis, Ind., Dec. 20, 2022).
• “Mock Trial,” Kosciusko County SHRM (Warsaw, Indiana, Oct. 6, 2022).
• “Religion in the Workplace: Discrimination and Accommodation Under Title VII,” Indiana Chamber of Commerce (Indianapolis, Ind., May 2022).
• “Common Mistakes that May Lead to Employment Litigation” (Indianapolis, Ind., March 2022).
• “Managing Mental Conditions Under the ADA and FMLA,” Indiana Chamber of Commerce (Indianapolis, Ind., June 2021).
• “I Just Lost—So Now What? Options to Address Adverse Orders, Judgments, and Verdicts,” Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum (February 2019).