John Cernelich is a Partner and Co-Chair of Calfee’s Labor and Employment practice group, representing employers in all workplace-related issues, as well as in employment litigation in both state and federal court.
John counsels employers with both unionized and non-union workforces on every aspect of the employment relationship, including discipline and termination issues, medical leaves of absence, wage and hour compliance, workplace safety concerns, drug/alcohol in the workplace and in conducting internal investigations. John offers guidance regarding non-discrimination laws and addresses claims of discrimination based upon race, sex, national origin, age, religion and other protected characteristics.
John serves as a resource for clients involved with claims of sexual or other discriminatory harassment and provides practical guidance responsibly to address and resolve such claims. He has significant experience assisting employers in accommodating persons with disabilities and otherwise complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He defends claims of unlawful retaliation based upon employees pursuing civil rights claims. John also provides guidance to clients on a regular basis as to rights and obligations under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
He has appeared in appellate courts throughout Ohio, as well as before the Sixth Circuit and D.C. Courts of Appeals in federal cases.
John assists employers in drafting and promulgating restrictive covenants designed to avoid unfair competition, such as non-compete, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements.
He regularly handles administrative proceedings before the Wage & Hour Office, the OFCCP regarding affirmative action obligations, OSHA, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He defends employers and management representatives sued in court by former employees claiming “wrongful termination” on a variety of grounds.
John’s experience representing employers with unionized workforces includes extensive involvement with the National Labor Relations Board, including counseling employers in representation elections and as to unfair labor practice charges. He has extensive first-chair experience negotiating labor contracts for several employers involving many different unions, including the Teamsters, UAW, IBEW, and the Steelworkers Union. John regularly counsels employers as to contract administration and interpretation and successfully has arbitrated many grievances involving both disciplinary actions and contract interpretation.
Since 2013, John has been recognized by Chambers USA in Labor & Employment in Ohio. Most recently, John was ranked in the Chambers USA 2025 Guide in Band 3. He also has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® (2013-2026) in the areas of Employment Law – Management and Labor Law – Management. He is ranked by Benchmark Litigation as a “Labor & Employment Star – U.S. (National), Midwest, and Ohio" (2019-2024). He has an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in Cleveland’s Top-Rated Lawyers Guide.