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Joseph A. Vater, Jr. is a partner of Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP and a member of the firm’s Employment Law & Employee Benefits Group. Since 1976, Mr. Vater has been involved in Commercial and Employment Litigation. Mr. Vater’s labor and employee benefits litigation has included the defense of age, race and sex discrimination claims, as well as litigation involving claims for benefits and breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA. He has practiced in both the state and federal courts, as well as before state and federal agencies with jurisdiction over employment law and employee benefit issues.Mr. Vater advises employers on personnel issues such as hiring, discipline and terminations, and assists clients in the preparation of employment policies and employee handbooks. He has also counseled employers on substantial reductions in force and has helped to create successful voluntary separation programs. Additionally, Mr. Vater is experienced in representing employers, whose employees are represented by unions, in labor contract negotiations, grievances, arbitrations and NLRB proceedings.Mr. Vater is a Pittsburgh native who attended Gannon College, where he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in History. After service in the United States Navy, Mr. Vater attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, from which he received his Juris Doctor degree and was awarded the Order of the Coif. He was also a member of the Law Review of University of Pittsburgh School of Law.Mr. Vater is a member of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations. He is a member of the Labor Law and Civil Litigation Sections of the Allegheny County Bar Association and the Labor Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Mr. Vater served on the Attorney’s Committee of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans from 2000-2002. He is past President of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Gannon University Alumni Association, and in 1989, he received Gannon University’s Alumni Volunteer Service Award. Mr. Vater is currently the Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania. Mr. Vater has been a frequent lecturer to business groups throughout Western Pennsylvania on various employment law matters, including workers’ compensation, wage and hour laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act, various discrimination laws, sexual harassment, the Family and Medical Leave Act and employee benefit matters. Mr. Vater has made presentations to the Employer Advisory Council for Indiana County involving "Employment Issues Facing Employers," a presentation to the Employer Advisory Council of Clearfield and surrounding counties involving "Hiring Dos and Don’ts" and a presentation to a consortium of contractors’ associations on "Sexual Harassment: An Employer’s Worst Nightmare." | 