S. McKinley Gray, IIILabor and Employment AttorneyWard and Smith, P.A.Websitewww.wardandsmith.comOrganization ProfileFull ProfileConnectEmail252-672-5476 Professional Biography Ken leads the Labor and Employment practice. His practice experience encompasses various areas of employment-related litigation. He advises clients and litigates cases involving all forms of employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, and breach of employment contracts from small start-up companies to Fortune 500 corporations. Ken is a frequent lecturer on employment discrimination, workplace retaliation, workers' compensation, and wage and hour law issues. He has been rated by his peers as being "preeminent" in his fields of law and serves in leadership roles with various legal and civic organizations. Ken is a former president of the Craven County Bar Association, a former two-term president of the Board of Directors for the United Way of Coastal Carolina, and Chairman of the Deacons of First Baptist Church of New Bern. More Legal and Business Bylines From S. McKinley Gray, III Key Employment Law Issues Employers Need to Watch in 2025 - (Posted On Tuesday, January 14, 2025) Part 1 in Heatwaves of Drama: A Case Study in "What Not to Do" for Southeastern HR Professionals - (Posted On Friday, December 13, 2024) Turning Back Overtime – Texas Judge Strikes Down Salary Threshold Increase - (Posted On Tuesday, November 19, 2024) Legal Showdown Continues: FTC Appeals Court Ruling Against Non-Compete Ban - (Posted On Thursday, October 24, 2024) Having the Talk: How Employers Should Prepare for Difficult Disciplinary Situations - (Posted On Tuesday, May 14, 2024) Raising the Rate: DOL Expands Overtime Protections to Millions of Workers - (Posted On Wednesday, April 24, 2024) The EEOC Issues a Proposed Rule Regarding the Pregnant Workers' Fairness Act - (Posted On Friday, September 15, 2023) NLRB Turning Up the Heat Over Employee Handbooks - (Posted On Monday, August 14, 2023) Employers Take Note: New Laws Provide Protections for Pregnant and Nursing Employees - (Posted On Wednesday, March 08, 2023) Confidentiality and Non-Disparagement Agreements with Non-Supervisory Employees: New Limitations from the NLRB - (Posted On Wednesday, March 01, 2023) Pagination Page 1 Next page Next › Current Legal Analysis HHS Job Cuts: FDA, CDC, NIH and CMS Impacted Amidst Significant Restructurings by: James W. Kim , Ryan B. Thurber D.C. Federal Court Judge Blocks Efforts to Dismantle the CFPB by: A.J. S. Dhaliwal , Mehul N. Madia SEC Shows Leniency on Filing Deadline in Granting Whistleblower Award by: Mary Jane Wilmoth US State AI Legislation: Virginia Vetoes, Colorado (Re)Considers, and Texas Transforms by: Liisa M. Thomas , Kathryn Smith California Bill Proposes Expanding False Claims Act to Include Tax-Related Claims by: Shail P. Shah , Nikki E. Dobay CFTC Unveils Replacement Penalty Mitigation Policy Focused on Self-Reporting, Cooperation, and Remediation by: Mark N. Mallery , Zachary V. Zagger Illinois Federal Judge Blocks DOL From Enforcing Termination, Certification Provisions in Trump DEI-Related EOs by: T. Scott Kelly , Zachary V. Zagger What’s Changing to H-1B Cap Gap for F-1 Students? by: Amy L. Peck Upcoming Events Apr 30 2025 Workplace Horizons 2025 Apr 2 2025 How Employers Can Prepare for Immigration Audits and Visits Apr 3 2025 Defense Counsel: Obligations to Insured Clients and Insurers Apr 3 2025 Defense Counsel: Obligations to Insured Clients and Insurers Print
