Now that vaccines are slowly beginning to roll out, and at least some landlords in major metropolitan areas are predicting a more ramped-up return to work in June or July, COVID related EPLI claims are a rising concern for employers. Elan Kandel of Bailey Cavalieri LLC, Tanner Hackett of Yourcounterpart, Michelle Gordon of Markel, Jaime LaPlante of Bailey Cavalieri LLC, and Tom Sheridan of Mitsui discuss sources of potential EPLI claims, trends with EPLI claims, return to work issues, vaccine related issues and accommodations, and more in this podcast.

Listen to the podcast episode below, or on the PLUS Connect App:

Elan Kandel represents insurance companies with respect to all aspects of claims involving directors and officers liability, employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, professional liability and commercial general liability policies.

Michelle Gordon is Claims Manager of the Management Liability team at Markel Service, Incorporated. Michelle is responsible for overseeing a team of claims examiners located across the US. Her team handles employment practices liability, directors and officers liability, and errors and omissions claims for private and public institutions. Prior to joining Markel Service, Incorporated, Michelle practiced law as an insurance defense attorney in New York, focusing on professional and general liability. She received her bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University and her law degree from Hofstra University School of Law. She is currently President-Elect of the New York City Association of Insurance Women.

Jamie A. LaPlante is experienced in all aspects of management-side employment and labor law at the state and federal levels. She defends employers in a variety of litigation matters under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and other state and federal laws and regulations, as well as breach of contract, whistleblower claims, workers’ compensation retaliation, and public policy violations.

Tom Sheridan is the Specialty Lines Claims Manager at Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group (“MSIG”) where he supervises the handling of Management Liability (D&O, EPLI and Fiduciary), Cyber, certain complex GL and Excess claims as well as oversight of MGA and TPA-handled claims.  Prior to joining MSIG, Tom was a litigator at the law firm of Riker Danzig in Morristown, New Jersey. 

Tanner Hackett is the co-founder of multiple businesses including, Lazada Malaysia, which was purchased by Alibaba, and Button, which is recognized as one of the best place to work by Inc. Magazine, Fortune, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Crain’s