Benjamin E. Stockman

Subscribe to Benjamin E. Stockman's Posts

Ben Stockman has experience in all areas of labor and employment law. Ben represents employers and executives in a range of legal matters involving restrictive covenants, wage and hour issues, employment discrimination, equal pay, family and medical leave, disability, and employee discipline and termination. He counsels employers on day-to-day employee relations matters and conducts internal investigations. He also handles traditional labor matters, including proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and collective bargaining negotiations. He has a bicoastal practice and represents employers in all phases of trial and appellate litigation in federal and state courts.

Contact:Read more about Benjamin E. Stockman

One of the key elements in the White Paper from the Industry-wide Labor-Management Safety Committee Task Force is the agreement among producers and unions to have an “autonomous” COVID-19 Compliance Officer for each production. The Compliance Officer will not be above-the-line talent, but will nonetheless play a starring role.

The White Paper defines the role of the Compliance Officer as an autonomous designee whose principal responsibilities will include overseeing and monitoring physical distancing, symptom monitoring and testing, disinfecting protocols, and PPE education, protocols, and adherence on set. Officers will be accessible at all times during work hours and will undergo specialized training on health and safety precautions, policies and procedures related to infection prevention, surface disinfection, and the use of PPE. Given the volume of federal, state, local, and now industry-specific pandemic safety laws and guidelines, coupled with the unique demands of Hollywood productions, the training is expected to be rigorous and time-consuming. 
Continue Reading As the Entertainment Industry Gets Back to Business, COVID-19 Compliance Officers to Have a Starring Role

Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom raised some eyebrows when he announced that state government officials anticipated publishing guidelines for the reopening of Hollywood production facilities by Memorial Day. The Governor’s announcement took many in the industry by surprise, given that producers and unions continue to wrestle with the legal obligations and operational complexities involved in safely reopening film and television productions with the ever-present threat of COVID-19. Faced with this monumental task and the fluid nature of the pandemic, most production houses do not anticipate any return to work before July 1. Regardless of the precise timing of Hollywood’s return to work, the various union collective bargaining agreements (Basic Agreements) are clear that producers and unions will share responsibility for ensuring a safe and healthy workplace for industry employees. Given the outsized roles that the Hollywood Guilds play in shaping industry employment policy, strategic labor relations will be key to the success or failure of producers’ reopening plans.
Continue Reading Back to Business: Hollywood Producers Navigate the Choppy Waters of Reopening Plans and Labor Relations