William "Bill" Wright

For 25 years, Bill has advised employers on all employee-relations matters, including policies and procedures, investigations, workplace audits, confidentiality and restrictive covenants, leave administration, accommodation issues, disciplinary actions, hiring processes, reductions in force, and termination decisions. Bill writes and revises executive employment agreements, bonus and commission plans, performance plans, and other documents relevant to employee relations. He also advises colleges on employee relations issues, including Title IX issues, tenure decisions, and general contract and policy matters.

Bill leads and conducts investigations for large and small corporations, including for-profits, non-profits, and religious organizations. The investigations cover the range of allegations of unethical conduct, violations of policy, and possible illegal conduct.

His advice is informed by decades of experience representing employers in federal and state court proceedings across the country and before federal and state agencies. He has also successfully represented employers in conflicts with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the United States Department of Labor (DOL).

Bill holds a Ph.D. in ethics and is a sought-after speaker and thought leader on employee relations as well as on corporate and human resources ethics.

• Represented a construction firm in resolving benefits-related dispute through filing of an interpleader action.
• Represented a health services firm in resolving claims for benefits under insured employee benefit plans.
• Advised a specialized accounting firm through ADA reasonable accommodation issues for continuing employee.
• Conducted investigation for global religious non-profit regarding allegations of disparate treatment and unconscious bias.
• Conducted investigation into allegations of unethical conduct at religious secondary school.
• Negotiated resolution of charges of discrimination and tort claims against a hospitality company arising from alleged on-site sexual assault.
• Designed creative confidentiality and noncompetition agreements for an accounting firm based on facts of employment, such as deferred compensation, the presence of trade secrets, executive and managerial roles, and sale of equity holdings.
• Advised hospitality and domestic services employers through claims by current employees of misclassification as exempt from overtime premium pay.
• Revised and negotiated cannabidiol (CBD) industry client’s executive agreements, including employment agreements, stay agreements, bonus arrangements, and termination agreements.
• Led third-party IT teams in the investigation of allegations that a nonprofit company’s head of IT breached confidentiality and made personal use of the company’s intellectual property.
• Led third-party IT teams in the investigation for a real estate investment and housing company into allegations that the company’s head of IT breached confidentiality and made personal use of the company’s intellectual property.
• Advised a computer design and manufacturing employer and negotiated agreements on its behalf with the EEOC that resolved class allegations of age discrimination.
• Advised a logistics and transportation firm and negotiated agreements with the EEOC resolving class allegations of age discrimination.
• Approved by the EEOC to conduct a logistics and transportation firm’s employee training as required by consent decree.
• Approved by the EEOC to conduct employee training for a higher-education institution as required by consent decree.

• Speaker, “When a Lawyer Has to Blow a Whistle,” Annual Colorado Labor & Employment Law Seminar (Sept. 2023)
• Speaker, “Is Your Handbook Up to Date?” Annual Colorado Labor & Employment Law Seminar (Oct. 2022)
• Co-Presenter, “Workplace Violence: An HR Guide,” Annual Colorado Labor and Employment Law Conference (June 2021)
• Speaker, “The Supreme Court Redefines Discrimination Law: Practical Responses for Religious Employers,” ECFA Webinar, (Oct. 2020)
• Speaker, “Supreme Court Update,” Annual Arizona Labor & Employment Law Seminar (Sept. 2019)
• Speaker, “EEO-1 Component 2: The EEOC Collects W-2 Data,” Labor & Employment Breakfast Briefing (June 2019)
• Speaker, “Whistleblower Litigation: Scope, Causation, and Standard of Proof,” Annual Colorado Labor & Employment Law Conference (May 2019)
• Speaker, “Pay Data in Your EEO-1,” Annual Colorado Labor & Employment Law Conference (May 2019)
• Speaker, “Ethics in Investigations: Seven Ways to Destroy Privilege,” Annual Colorado Labor & Employment Law Conference (May 2018)
• Speaker, “Online Harassment: Policy, Investigations, and Privacy,” Annual Colorado Labor & Employment Law Conference (May 2017)
• Speaker, “The Colorado General Assembly’s Changes to the Procurement Code in HB 17-1051,” Annual Arizona Labor & Employment Law Conference (April 2017)
• Speaker, “Hold ‘Em/Fold ‘Em: Workplace Accommodations,” Annual Colorado Labor & Employment Law Conference Agenda (May 2016)
• Speaker, “How To Deal With Your Lawyer (Or Client) In Litigation,” Annual Colorado Labor & Employment Law Conference Agenda (May 2016)
• Speaker, “Hold ‘Em/Fold ‘Em: Workplace Accommodations,” Annual Arizona Labor & Employment Seminar (April 2016)
• Speaker, “Waiting for Roberts: Recent and Pending Supreme Court Decisions,” Annual Colorado Labor & Employment Law Conference (April 2015)
• Speaker, “How Do You Spell Ethics? F-M-L-A,” Annual Colorado Labor & Employment Law Conference (April 2015)
• Speaker, “Employee Hotlines,” AZSHRM (Fall 2013)
• Speaker, “Managing Religious Conflict,” AZSHRM (Fall 2012)
• Speaker, “Evaluating Organization Ethics & Codes of Conduct,” AZSHRM (Spring 2012)