Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins’ partner Thomas M. Melody and associate Troy P. Wallace will lead a session for municipal HR professionals at the 2026 Illinois Public Employer Labor Relations Association (IPELRA) Annual Training Conference on Tuesday, October 6, in Galena, Illinois.

In “Managing Your Frequent Flyers,” Tom and Troy will give attendees a framework for working with employees who are prone to challenging employment situations, while staying mindful of legal requirements. The 10:45 a.m. session will also look at real-world examples of how these situations were addressed.

The session will cover:

• A framework for managing challenging employees within legal requirements
• How complaints can escalate into retaliation and discrimination claims, and strategies for containing them
• Potential red flags in employees and applicants
• Current policies and procedures to limit legal exposure
• Real-world examples of how challenging situations were handled

Learn more here.

Tom’s practice spans the firm’s Library, Municipal, School and Corporate Law groups, with particular focus on labor and employment matters. He has negotiated many collective bargaining agreements and represents employers in all facets of labor and employment law, including contract administration and grievance arbitration, compliance with State and Federal labor and employment laws, and employment litigation in both State and Federal courts and administrative agencies.

Troy’s practice spans Real Estate, Municipal, Construction and Labor and Employment law. He has extensive experience in both residential and commercial real estate matters, including sales and lease transactions, property management, property valuation analysis, marketing, and client generation and retention.

The Illinois Public Employer Labor Relations Association is an organization of public sector labor relations professionals charged with representing management with respect to collective bargaining and labor relations matters. The Association serves as a resource and advocate, providing top-quality training, information, networking opportunities and support for legislative initiatives that further management’s interests in effective labor relations.