Employment Law and Labor Relations
Workers' Compensation
Medical Marijuana
Premises Liability
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of Virginia
US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Widener University School of Law
J.D., 2005
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
M.A., 1999
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
B.A., magna cum laude, 1997
Robert J. Baker focuses his practice on the defense of general employment and workers’ compensation matters. He routinely represents employers in labor and employment matters, including PHRC/EEOC litigation. He has handled a myriad of human resources including hiring, firing, progressive discipline, payroll, compensation and benefits, OSHA/risk management and training and development.
Before joining the firm, Rob was corporate director of human resources for PHI/Presbyterian Homes, Inc., a continuing care retirement community, where he was responsible for employment law compliance, employee relations, workers’ compensation management of insured and self-insured programs and other human resources issues. This experience helps him guide his clients through any issues that might arise, having handled them first hand in his clients position himself.
Some of Rob's significant accomplishments include the coordination of WARN, reductions in force, successful OSHA investigations resulting in zero deficiencies, management of transition of multiple employee benefits programs from insured to self-insured status, management of welfare and retirement plan documents and summary plan descriptions, and discontinuing retirement plans with the implementation of replacement programs. He has also handled matters before the PHRC and EEOC.
Rob is a frequent writer and lecturer with respect to all aspects of employment law. He is a course planner/presenter for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, and routinely presents at the Pennsylvania Business Workers Compensation Conference as well as the Pennsylvania Governor’s Occupational Safety and Health Conference.
American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Dauphin County Bar Association
Society for Human Resource Management
Human Resource Professionals of Central Pennsylvania
CLM, Workers' Compensation and Cannabis Committee, member 2020
NATSO
Virginia State Claims Association
Selected to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® (2018-2023)
Selected to Pennsylvania Rising Stars® (2012-2015)
"Can Legislative Intent Clarify the Status of Medical Marijuana," page 7, The Legal Intelligencer "Cannabis Law," May 2023
“Prescribing a Recommendation: The Compensability of Medical Marijuana in Workers’ Compensation,” page 12, CLM Magazine, September 2021
“How to Navigate COVID-19 Layoffs and Furloughs,”balance TRAK, June 2020
“Case Study: Employment Law Interaction with Workers’ Compensation Administration,” PA Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Conference, June 2, 2023
“Case Study: Employment Law Interaction with Workers’ Compensation Administration,” PA Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Conference, June 7, 2022
“Answers to Truckstop and Travel Center Questions About OSHA’s Temporary Standard (ETS),” The Truck Stops Here, NATSO Podcast, December 9, 2021
Indiana County Area SHRM Biennial Conference, “Medical Marijuana,” October 2019
Indiana County Area SHRM Biennial Conference, “Interaction Between Workers’ Compensation and Employment Law,” October 2019
PBI Course, “Handling the Worker’s Compensation Case,” March 15, 2012
PA SHRM Conference, “The Relationship Between ADA, FMLA, WC and UC.” September 24, 2012
Captive Resources, “The Relationship Between ADA, FMLA and Workers’ Compensation,” September 7, 2010
Churchill Casualty/MAC Casualty Pennsylvania and New Jersey Focus Group, "Pennsylvania and Human Resource Professionals of Central Pennsylvania” and “Legal Implications of Technology in the Workplace,” August 24, 2010
New Jersey Workers' Compensation and ADA Interplays, August 4, 2010
Human Resource Professionals of Central Pennsylvania Fall Conference, “I9/Immigration Law Update,” October 27, 2009
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, “Workers’ Compensation Cost Containment,” October 2008
Robert J. Baker focuses his practice on the defense of general employment and workers’ compensation matters. He routinely represents employers in labor and employment matters, including PHRC/EEOC litigation. He has handled a myriad of human resources including hiring, firing, progressive discipline, payroll, compensation and benefits, OSHA/risk management and training and development.
Before joining the firm, Rob was corporate director of human resources for PHI/Presbyterian Homes, Inc., a continuing care retirement community, where he was responsible for employment law compliance, employee relations, workers’ compensation management of insured and self-insured programs and other human resources issues. This experience helps him guide his clients through any issues that might arise, having handled them first hand in his clients position himself.
Some of Rob's significant accomplishments include the coordination of WARN, reductions in force, successful OSHA investigations resulting in zero deficiencies, management of transition of multiple employee benefits programs from insured to self-insured status, management of welfare and retirement plan documents and summary plan descriptions, and discontinuing retirement plans with the implementation of replacement programs. He has also handled matters before the PHRC and EEOC.
Rob is a frequent writer and lecturer with respect to all aspects of employment law. He is a course planner/presenter for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, and routinely presents at the Pennsylvania Business Workers Compensation Conference as well as the Pennsylvania Governor’s Occupational Safety and Health Conference.
American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Dauphin County Bar Association
Society for Human Resource Management
Human Resource Professionals of Central Pennsylvania
CLM, Workers' Compensation and Cannabis Committee, member 2020
NATSO
Virginia State Claims Association
Selected to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® (2018-2023)
Selected to Pennsylvania Rising Stars® (2012-2015)
"Can Legislative Intent Clarify the Status of Medical Marijuana," page 7, The Legal Intelligencer "Cannabis Law," May 2023
“Prescribing a Recommendation: The Compensability of Medical Marijuana in Workers’ Compensation,” page 12, CLM Magazine, September 2021
“How to Navigate COVID-19 Layoffs and Furloughs,”balance TRAK, June 2020
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