Joy Jaeger Ehlers

Joy provides day-to-day advice and counseling to employers to help them work through workplace issues in creative ways that serve business needs while minimizing risk. Joy has employment law experience as a litigator in private practice as well as serving as an in-house attorney for a national retailer.

“My philosophy is that clients are better served if I can help them avoid the stresses and uncertainties of litigation. My approach is to work with clients to create solutions that make business sense and that treat employees fairly. I help businesses figure out what constitutes the right thing to do at the end of the day.”

Areas of Practice

• Counsel employers on employment-related issues, including: harassment, discrimination, retaliation, disability accommodation, leaves of absence, employee classification, hiring, performance management and termination

• Trained workplace investigator

• Create company policies, procedures and handbooks

• Respond to Charges of Discrimination filed with state and federal administrative agencies

• General business advice and strategic planning

• Develop and provide training for Human Resources on managing performance issues, conducting investigations, accommodating employees with disabilities, hiring work authorized employees (E-Verify and Form I-9), classifying employees and administering leaves of absence

• Provide sexual harassment training for management and supervisors

Bar Admissions

• Colorado, 2011

• California, 2004

• Member, Colorado Bar Association

• Member, California Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section

Education

• Juris Doctor, University of San Francisco School of Law, 2004

• Bachelor of Arts, University of California at Los Angeles, 1997

 Interests

Joy relocated from San Francisco, California to Durango after marrying her husband Trevor. She enjoys spending time with her family, including her mini Aussie Bodhi, outdoor activities, traveling, cooking and live music.