Dorothy “Dottie” Parson McDermott is a principal in the Indianapolis, Indiana, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. She concentrates her practice in the defense of complex ERISA litigation, single plaintiff ERISA cases, civil rights and employment-related claims.

Dottie defends ERISA 401(k) Plan class actions. She also has experience defending and dealing with defined benefit plan administration and complex Taft-Hartley-multi-employer plan issues. She has litigated sophisticated ERISA preemption issues and defended benefit claims in the LTD Plan, welfare plan, and pension plan areas. Her ERISA clients include fiduciaries, trustees, service providers, ERISA plans, plan administrators, claim administrators, third-party service providers, managed care entities, Taft-Hartley-multiemployer funds, and employers in a wide variety of employee benefits litigation issues nationwide. She additionally advises employers and plan administrators regarding administration of qualified retirement and welfare benefit plans, particularly processing internal claims and appeals. She is a member of the Employee Benefits Committee, Section of Labor & Employment Law, ABA. She is also a member of the ERISA focused DRI Life, Health and Disability Committee. Finally, she is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association.

Dottie also defends employers and management in federal and state courts and before administrative entities (EEOC, Indiana and U.S. Department of Labor, and similar state agencies) in matters ranging from ADA, ADEA, COBRA, FMLA, Title VII, Section 1981, the Indiana Wage Payment and Claims statutes, covenant not to compete/trade secret, and wrongful termination claims. Additionally, she participates in internal FLSA audits on behalf of employers, and the defense of FLSA class action litigation. Dottie further advises employers and management on human resource issues, reductions in force, employee handbooks, policies, severance agreements, EEO training, and workplace violence prevention restraining orders. She also leads internal corporate investigations regarding claims of sexual harassment and discrimination. Moreover, she provides analysis and guidance regarding drug testing laws and medical marijuana/marijuana-related legislation impacting employers in numerous states across the United States.