Jody Kahn Mason

Jody Kahn Mason is a Principal in the Chicago, Illinois, office of Jackson Lewis P.C., and has been with the firm since 2011. She has extensive litigation experience and regularly defends employers in employment disputes pending before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Ms. Mason has significant jury-trial experience and is a member of the Trial Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Ms. Mason partners with employers to minimize workplace disputes by providing practical advice, proactive strategies, and creative solutions to potential issues with employees. When litigation is unavoidable, Ms. Mason has successfully litigated cases on behalf of employers accused of harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation, tortious interference, breach of contract, and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) violations, and other alleged wrongful conduct.

Ms. Mason routinely counsels employers regarding the laws which protect sick and injured employees, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and FMLA, and helps employers navigate complex disability, health, and leave management issues. Ms. Mason frequently guides employers through the ADA’s interactive process and helps employers ensure compliance with the technicalities of the FMLA. Ms. Mason also regularly provides guidance to employers regarding the complexities of the Chicago and Cook County Earned Sick Leave Ordinances. Ms. Mason speaks and writes frequently regarding disability and leave management issues. She strives to help employers avoid litigation entirely, or if that is not possible, to mitigate the risks and costs inherent in litigation.

Additionally, Ms. Mason routinely counsels employers regarding a multitude of employment issues such as the implementation of reductions in force, drafting employee handbooks, negotiating separation agreements, compliance with the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), and the enforcement of restrictive covenants. As a member of the Jackson Lewis Higher Education Industry Group, Ms. Mason also has experience defending denial of tenure cases and providing counseling regarding high profile or sensitive faculty matters, including leave management advice against the backdrop of an educational setting. Ms. Mason also has wide-ranging experience both conducting investigations of employee complaints and advising clients regarding internal investigations. She regularly conducts workplace training on a number of topics to help employers identify and prevent possible workplace disputes.

Prior to joining Jackson Lewis P.C., Ms. Mason worked at a Chicago-based litigation boutique where she represented a number of companies involved in complex litigation, including product liability, pharmaceutical, medical malpractice, environmental, and general tort litigation.

Published Works

•“Recruiting Update: Make Sure Your Hiring Practices Comply With Current Law,” Illinois Banker (February 2016) [Co-Author]

Jody Kahn Mason In the News

Jody Kahn Mason, Kathryn Montgomery Moran and Shavaun Taylor Author Chicago City Council Passes COVID-19 Anti-Retaliation Ordinance

June 4, 2020 • SHRM

Jackson Lewis' Recently Elevated and Promoted Attorneys Spotlighted

April 28, 2020 • Law360

Jackson Lewis Announces 43 Newly Elevated Principals

January 3, 2020 • Jackson Lewis

Jody Kahn Mason Publications

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Chicago City Council Passes COVID-19 Anti-Retaliation Ordinance

May 28, 2020

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Actual Harm Not Required to Sue Under Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Law

January 25, 2019

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Chicago Adopts ‘Hands Off Pants On’ Law to Protect Hotel Workers from Sexual Harassment, Assault

October 30, 2017

Jody Kahn Mason Blog Posts

COVID-19 Workplace Law Advisor

Chicago City Council Passes COVID-19 Anti-Retaliation Ordinance

June 2, 2020
Disability, Leave & Health Management

Chicago City Council Passes COVID-19 Anti-Retaliation Ordinance

June 2, 2020
Disability, Leave & Health Management

Ninth Circuit Dodges the Question of Whether Morbid Obesity is an “Impairment” Under the ADA; EEOC Says Yes

August 28, 2019