Kay Oskvig

Kay Oskvig delivers practical, efficient advice focusing on employment and corporate matters. Kay counsels businesses, governmental entities, and nonprofit organizations on a wide range of workforce issues including non-competition covenants, civil rights complaints, hiring, discipline, terminations, investigations, reasonable accommodations, and compliance with leave laws and wage and hour matters. She drafts executive and independent contractor compensation agreements, separation and release agreements, and policies and procedures.

Kay’s practice involves assisting clients with issues relating to a variety of federal and state laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA),  Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, and the Iowa Civil Rights Act. She also leads management-side labor issues, negotiating collective bargaining agreements and handling grievances.

While Kay predominately works to help clients prevent and avoid litigation, she routinely defends agency complaints and advocates for clients in contested matters. She regularly advises corporate clients on a variety of risk management topics and corporate governance matters, including buy-sell agreements and cybersecurity issues. She provides on-site and virtual training to clients and frequently presents to community and industry groups.

Kay has served on nonprofit boards across the state of Iowa and is actively involved in the Iowa State Bar Association and American Bar Association. To schedule time to talk with Kay, you can access her online appointment calendar.  

Affiliations

• American Bar Association; Delegate, House of Delegates
• Iowa State Bar Association
  • Past Chair, Public Relations Committee
  • Past Chair, Administrative Law Section Council
  • At-Large Representative, Young Lawyers Division
  • Member, Commercial and Bankruptcy Law Section Council
• Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys
• Polk County Bar Association
• Polk County Women Attorneys
• Young Professionals Connection

industry and Community Involvement

• Junior League of Des Moines
  • Board Member
  • Fund Development Manager
  • Training and Education Manager
• Leadership Fairfield
• Leadership Siouxland
• Junior League of Sioux City
  • Board Member and Officer
• Carry On Bags
  • Board Member and Officer

Presentations and Publications

• Presenter, “Preferred Pronouns in Litigation,” Whitfield & Eddy Labor & Employment practice group and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee meeting, July 2021
• Presenter, "COVID-19 Employer Update: Vaccines, Employee Turnover, and the Latest Guidance," Client Presentation, July 2021
• Moderator, "Lightning Round Q&A," Whitfield & Eddy Virtual Labor & Employment Client Seminar, May 2021
• Presenter, "COVID-19 Employer Update," Whitfield & Eddy Virtual Labor & Employment Client Seminar, May 2021
• Co-Presenter, "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - Legal Requirements," Whitfield & Eddy Virtual Client Seminar, May 2021
• "Divorce, Custody, and Family Law Issues – What’s a Council To Do?" Iowa Extension Council Association, April 2021
• "Employment Issues and COVID-19," Polk County Bench and Bar CLE Presentation, March 2021
• “Advising Clients on COVID-19 Issues," Whitfield & Eddy Law Practice Group Meeting, February 2021
• "Vaccinating Your Workplace" ALFA International Labor & Employment Practice Group webinar, February  2021 
• "New Year, New Rules: COVID-19 and Your Business in 2021," Client Presentation, February 2021
• "Furloughs, Reductions in Force and Layoffs," Iowa State Bar Association Webinar, December 2020
• “Custodian of Public Record and Open Records Requests,” Client Presentation, December 2020
• "Practical Guidance for Employers: Winter 2020/2021," Client Presentation, November 2020
• "Shielding Lawyers and Banks: Client Representation and Legalized Marijuana," Polk County Bar Association, November 2020
• "Layoffs and RIFs," Client Presentation, October 2020
• "FFCRA Updates for Healthcare Organizations," Client Presentation, October 2020
• "Vaccines, Mental Health, and Relocating Employees," Client Presentation, September 2020
• "Top Five COVID-19 Employment Issues," Client Presentation, August 2020
• "COVID-19 Employer Update Webinar," Client Presentation, August 2020

• “Public Records and Open Meetings: Legal Custodian Training,” Client Presentation, July 2020

• “Infection Control Policies: Best Practices,” Client Presentation, July 2020

• "The PPP Flexibility Act and Other CARES Act Loan Programs," Client Presentation, June 2020
• "COVID-19 Employer Liability Issues," Client Presentations, June 2020
• "COVID-19 Employer Update," Client Presentations, May 2020
• "Emerging COVID-19 Legal Issues," CLE Presentation, May 2020
• "COVID-19 Employer Update: Keeping up with the Regulators Webinar," Iowa Motor Truck Association, April 2020
• "Keeping up with the Regulators (OSHA, EEOC, and more)," Client Presentations, April 2020
• "COVID-19 Employer FAQs," Client Presentations, March 2020

• "ISU Extension Council Town Hall Meeting," Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, March 2020

• "Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Update," Client Presentation, March 2020

• "People's Law School: Employment Law Basics," Iowa State Bar Association, February 2020

• "Keeping Discrimination & Harassment Out of Your Workplace," Client Presentations, 2019—2020

• "ABCs of Employment Law," Client Presentations, 2019
• "Young Lawyers Division Report," Welcome to the Bar ISBA CLE, October 2019

• “Anatomy of an Unemployment Appeal,” CLE Presentation, October 2019

• "Hot Topics: Employment Law Update" Employers' Council of Iowa, September 2019
• "You’re How Old?? Managing a Multigenerational Workforce," Employers' Council of Iowa, July 2019

• “Hiring and Managing Student Interns and Law Clerks,” CLE Presentation, June 2019

• "Hiring and Managing Student Interns and Law Clerks," Lincoln Inne of Court, April 2019

• “OSHA 101,” CLE Presentation, April 2019

• "Cybersecurity: Ethical Requirements and Professional Obligations for Law Firms," CLE Presentation, April 2019
• "Employment Law & Practices," Iowa Extension Council Association Conference, March 2019