Perspectiva General

Robert W. Pritchard is co-chair of the firm’s Wage and Hour Practice Group. He represents employers in complex wage and hour litigation, with an emphasis on class, collective and hybrid actions, in state and federal courts throughout the United States. In addition, Rob counsels employers on wage and hour compliance, audits payroll practices and evaluates classification determinations. Rob has successfully defended employers in jury trials involving alleged misclassification of employees, as well as alleged nonexempt pay practice violations. Rob is a founding member of the firm’s Strategic Review Committee, which provides guidance to class and collective action case teams throughout the firm. In 2022, Rob was named to The BTI Consulting Group’s Client Service All-Stars, the second time he received this recognition for his dedication to outstanding client service.

Early in his career, Rob served as a law clerk for the Hon. Carol Los Mansmann, Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Rob’s appellate practice includes oral arguments in wage and hour cases at four U.S. Courts of Appeals and four state Supreme Courts. Rob’s appellate successes include:

  • Representing a health and nutrition retail company before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, which upheld the right of employers to use of the fluctuating workweek method of calculating overtime even when employees are also paid variable incentive compensation.
  • Representing a leading culinary and hospitality company before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which upheld the application of the amusement or recreational services exemption to concessionaires at sports stadiums.
  • Representing a global technology platform before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which upheld the settlement of a conditionally-certified nationwide collective action under the Fair Labor Standards Act over the objections of an opt-in plaintiff, clarifying that traditional class action rules do not apply to the settlement of an FLSA collective action.
  • Representing a leading online and mobile delivery marketplace before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which held that its drivers were not “transportation workers” exempt from the Federal Arbitration Act and were therefore subject to binding individual arbitration.

As the Pennsylvania liaison for Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute, Rob focuses on legislative and regulatory developments within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In 2020, Rob spoke at a hearing of the Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Committee on rules issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry to amend regulations pertaining to overtime. Rob authors comments to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry on proposed regulations, including in 2021 on proposed regulations pertaining to the tip credit and the regular rate, and in 2018 on proposed regulations pertaining to overtime exemptions. In 2016, Rob spoke before a Joint Hearing of the Pennsylvania Senate Appropriations and Labor and Industry Committees on the impact of the U.S. Department of Labor’s overtime rules on Pennsylvania employers and proposed amendments to the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act.

Reconocimiento

Named, The Best Lawyers in America®

2013-2025

Named, Lawyer of the Year

The Best Lawyers in America©

2019

Named, BTI Consulting Group

Client Services All-Star Team for Law Firms

2022 and 2005

News, Analysis & Press

6th Circ. Ruling Raises Bar For Reimbursing Drivers' Costs

Law360 Employment Authority

March 26, 2024

3 Things To Know About New Tipped Worker Regs In Pa.

Law360 Employment Authority

August 4, 2022

Pennsylvania Raises Exempt Salary Threshold

SHRM Online

October 9, 2020

Discussion of New Federal Overtime Rules

Pennsylvania Senate Appropriations Committee

June 21, 2016

Rob Pritchard Points out Significance of Rules to Prevent Client Discord

BNA's Employment Discrimination Report

August 30, 2006

Libros & Capítulos

  • The National Employer, LexisNexis and Littler Mendelson, Chapter 22, Federal Compensation Law, Chapter Editor

Speaking Engagements

Everything Old is New Again: A Wage & Hour Retrospective with an Eye Towards AI and Beyond

Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ

May 9, 2024

Autopsy of a Wage and Hour Class Action

Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ

May 10, 2023

Where in the USA is Erin Winnebago... Causing Your Next Wage and Hour Compliance Challenge?

September 28, 2022

Pennsylvania Rule on Calculating Overtime Takes Effect August 5. Are You Ready?

August 2, 2022

Where in the U.S.A. Is Erin Winnebago... Causing Your Next Wage and Hour Compliance Challenge?

Littler Executive Employer Conference

May 5, 2022

A Practical Primer on Inclusion, Equity & Diversity Programs

Littler Executive Employer Conference

May 4, 2022

Kentucky Wage & Hour Update Live Training

Lexington, KY

March 16, 2022

When Every Day is "Blursday" - Wage and Hour Compliance for a Remote Workforce

September 2, 2021

When Every Day is "Blursday" - Wage and Hour Compliance for a Remote Workforce

July 13, 2021

The Littler Pennsylvania Report: Important Updates for Pennsylvania Employers in 2020

Pittsburgh, PA

February 6, 2020

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Managing Challenges That Arise When the Employment Relationship Ends

Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry 2019 Annual Human Resources Conference, Hershey, PA

December 3, 2019

What Every Employer Needs to Know About Wage and Hour Law to Avoid an FLSA Collective Action

2019 Employment Law Institute West, Pittsburgh, PA

November 20, 2019

Wage and Hour Legal Compliance for America’s Landmen

American Association of Professional Landmen 2019 Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA

June 20, 2019

2019 Philadelphia Regional Employer Conference

Philadelphia, PA

April 2, 2019

Pennsylvania's Proposed Changes to Overtime Exemption Eligibility Regulations

August 8, 2018

Ready or Not…Changes to the White Collar Regulations Expected in 2016: What Should Employers Do Now?

Pittsburgh, PA

January 26, 2016

A More Aggressive DOL – Are you ready for the significant wage and hour regulatory changes and an increased enforcement presence?

Pittsburgh, PA

April 21, 2015

Wage & Hour Issues in the Oil Patch

December 2, 2014

Wage & Hour Issues in the Oil Patch

Houston, TX

October 24, 2014

Department of Labor Wage and Hour Investigations

Client Presentation, Littler Mendelson, Pittsburgh, PA

October 9, 2014

Keeping the 'Independent' in Independent Landman – Understanding the Differences Between Employees and Independent Contractors

2014 Appalachian Land Institute, American Association of Professional Landmen, Washington, PA

October 3, 2014

“Adapt, Armor & Avoid” – New Challenges in Wage and Hour Compliance

Fairport, NY

September 16, 2014

E-Discovery Special Master Program (EDSM) Progress and Perspectives

The FBA E-Discovery Series - Federal Bar Association, Pittsburgh Chapter, Pittsburgh, PA

September 12, 2013

Time to Exhale? Wage Hour Class Action Litigation Results from 2013

The 2013 Executive Employer® Conference

Littler Mendelson, Scottsdale, AZ

May 9, 2013

Determining Compensable Time and Limiting Off-the-Clock Work Exposure

2012 Employment Law Institute West - Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Pittsburgh, PA

November 8, 2012

2nd Annual Wage & Hour Symposium

2nd Annual Wage & Hour Symposium - Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Pittsburgh, PA

September 19, 2012

Basics of Wage and Hour Law: Getting Paid in Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, PA

July 12, 2012

The Wage Hour Update: Critical Developments in Federal and State Laws and Regulations

The 2012 Executive Employer® Conference

Littler Mendelson, Scottsdale, AZ

May 11, 2012

The Wage and Hour Update: Critical Developments in Federal and State Laws and Regulations

Scottsdale, AZ

May 11, 2012

Pre-Work and Post-Work Time Issues Under the FLSA

Pittsburgh, PA

November 17, 2011

Pay Audit and Compliance Issues

Cleveland, OH

October 27, 2011

Wage and Hour Symposium

Pittsburgh, PA

September 20, 2011

Employment Class Actions: The Trends, The Law, and What You Can Do About It

Pittsburgh, PA

May 18, 2011

Wage and Hour Master Class

Phoenix, AZ

April 6, 2011

On the Cutting Edge of Workplace Privacy

March 12, 2010

H1N1 Flu: Preparing the Workplace for a Pandemic

Pittsburgh, PA

October 14, 2009

Punching Employers' Clocks: Top Ten Ways Your Payroll and Timekeeping System Will Be Used Against You in Court

June 4, 2009

Educación

  • J.D., University of Dayton, 1995summa cum laude
  • B.S., University of Notre Dame, 1992cum laude

Admisión de la barra

Pennsylvania

Cortes

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
  • Pennsylvania Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of New York