Frank Del Barto is Chair of the firm’s Employment, Labor & Benefits group. He counsels executives and HR managers on the full range of employment, health and welfare, benefit and retirement plan matters. Frank’s clients, which include domestic and Japanese companies, consistently appreciate his business acumen and practical point of view. Frank’s innate ability to problem-solve by distilling complicated obstacles into key decision points and workable solutions brings his clients back again and again.
An Illinois Super Lawyers “Rising Star,” Frank advises management on employment discrimination, family and medical leave, wage and hour compliance, and employee classification concerns, as well as regarding critical litigation risk reduction strategies. He has negotiated and drafted numerous employment, severance and independent contractor agreements and employment policies and handbooks. Frank has successfully represented clients in administrative matters before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Illinois Department of Employment Security, and the Illinois Department of Labor. He has also successfully counseled clients in employment and wage matters in various state and federal courts.
In addition, Frank advises on the Affordable Care Act, ERISA, COBRA and myriad plan reporting, disclosure and compliance matters. He has represented clients before the U.S. Department of Labor on compliance audits and Form 5500 penalty assessments. As retirement plan compliance has become increasingly difficult, Frank has guided client management teams through complex 401(k) plan corrections with the IRS and has counseled clients on the formation and operation of plan committees to improve plan governance and reduce the risks and potential liabilities of plan sponsorship.
Prior to joining the firm, Frank spent fourteen years in the insurance industry working with Fortune 500 companies and prominent universities. This real-world business experience allows him to bring a unique business-oriented perspective to the legal challenges faced by his clients, ever searching for solutions that fall within his client’s acceptable tolerance for risk.
A former Army officer and graduate of the elite Airborne and Ranger Schools, Frank’s pro bono practice concentrates on assisting military veterans and their dependents appeal disability compensation claim denials with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. A veteran himself, Frank is driven to assist fellow veterans in obtaining compensation for their injuries that are connected to or aggravated by their military service. Notably, Frank has received awards for his pro bono service from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Supreme Court of Illinois.