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Joshua D. Steele

Member

jsteele@harrisbeachmurtha.com
D: (585) 419-8846  
- Long Island, NY Office
- Rochester, NY Office

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Joshua Steele
Profile
Representative Matters
Resources
Distinctions

Josh represents private and public sector employers in a wide range of employment law matters, from wage and hour class action lawsuits to litigation and administrative proceedings under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and the New York Labor and Human Rights Law.

In addition to employment discrimination litigation, Josh counsels clients on various issues including wage and hour laws, employee benefits, civil service issues, contract negotiations, grievances, arbitrations hearings, and administrative proceedings before the Public Employment Relations Board, the NLRB, and the Department of Labor.  He also counsels municipalities, public benefit corporations, and contractors on numerous issues that arise during public works projects, including compliance with federal and state prevailing wage laws, project labor agreement negotiations, and audits and enforcement investigations by the U.S. and NY Departments of Labor.

He frequently delivers presentations to employers and organizations on a variety of labor and employment related topics, including employee discipline, employee benefits, prevailing wage, and non-discrimination policies.

Josh also counsels employers, health insurance consortiums, and other plan sponsors on various areas of employee benefits compliance, including the New York Insurance Law, the Affordable Care Act, HIPAA, and the Internal Revenue Code.

  • Represented clients on various aspects of large public works projects such as negotiation of project labor agreements, U.S. and NY DOL audits and investigations, and/or jurisdictional disputes, including: Unity Hospital of Rochester FHA Project, Del Lago Casino, Ulster County Family Court renovation, and various Genesee County Economic Development Center projects.
  • Perrin v. Canandaigua City School District (U.S. District Court): Discrimination, free speech, and equal protection claims dismissed in favor of the district.
  • Kenney v. Genesee Valley BOCES (U.S. District Court): First Amendment and New York State Constitutional free speech claim by employee dismissed in favor of employer.
  • Newman v. LeRoy Central School District (U.S. District Court): New York State Human Rights Law claims were dismissed in favor of the district for failure to file timely notice of claim.
  • Levine v. Greece Central School District (U.S. District Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court): Claims under the IDEA, ADA, and the Rehabilitation Act dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies. Dismissal was upheld by the Second Circuit and request for review by the Supreme Court was denied.
  • Bonilla v. Monroe BOCES #1 (U.S. District Court): Summary judgment obtained for employer in disability discrimination case.
  • Quinn v. Brockport Central School District (N.Y.S. Supreme Court): Article 78 Petition challenging termination of civil service employee dismissed in favor of the district.
Insights
July 8, 2026

No Contractual Workaround: New York Court of Appeals Confirms Prevailing Wage Obligations Apply by Operation of Law

NY high court confirms prevailing wage applies by law. Attorneys explain impact for contractors and projects.
June 17, 2026

Court Blocks Enforcement of NY’s Off-Site Custom Fabrication Prevailing Wage Law

Contractors, subcontractors, owners and fabricators should monitor the litigation and be prepared to adjust if the injunction is lifted.
December 13, 2024

New York Requires Registration for Contractors and Subcontractors

Beginning Dec. 30, 2024, all contractors and subcontractors submitting bids or performing construction work on public projects, or certain
February 8, 2021

Paycheck Protection Program – Common Questions and Updated Guidance

The Paycheck Protection Program has been seen as a lifeline for many businesses nationwide. Josh Steele, a partner in the Harris Beach Labor
January 21, 2021

SBA Issues Guidance on Next Round of PPP Loans, But Questions Remain

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has released updated Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) interim final rules which implement and provi
December 15, 2020

SBA Issues Loan Necessity Questionnaires to PPP Recipients; Signals Next Step in Loan Compliance Investigations

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has begun to issue loan necessity questionnaires to Payroll Protection Program (PPP) borrowers,
December 3, 2020

PPP Loan Forgiveness Applications and Increase in Federal Investigations Pose Risks for Small Businesses

A significant part of the March 2020 CARES Act, the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provided a lifeline for hundreds
June 12, 2020

PPP Flexibility Act Interim Final Rules Provide Some Clarification, but Leave Important Questions Unanswered

On June 11, 2020, the Small Business Administration issued amending key provisions of its April 2, 2020 Interim Final Rules on the Paycheck
News
August 20, 2026

123 Harris Beach Murtha Lawyers Recognized as 2027 Best Lawyers® Award Recipients; 10 Earn “Lawyer of the Year” Recognition

Best Lawyers honorees are selected through a peer-review process evaluating professional excellence within specific practice areas and geogr
August 21, 2025

More Than 100 Harris Beach Murtha Lawyers Recognized as 2026 Best Lawyers® Award Recipients; 11 Earn “Lawyer of the Year” Recognition

Best Lawyers provides trusted, peer-reviewed recognition of top legal professionals, helping clients find credible, experienced counsel.
January 12, 2021

Investigations of PPP Loan Forgiveness on the Rise

As organizations begin filing requests for forgiveness of loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, they may face additional scrutiny fro
Events

2025 Labor and Employment Series: Wage and Hour and the Status of Non-Competes

September 25, 2025
Join us for discussion of critical labor and employment law developments during our annual webinar series.

2024 Labor and Employment Series: Harassment Law and Discrimination/Investigations

September 26, 2024
Join us for discussion of critical labor and employment law developments at our annual webinar series.

2021 Harris Beach Labor & Employment Series Webinars

September 23, 2021
The Labor and Employment Team at Harris Beach invites you to join us for discussion of critical labor and employment law developments at our

Harris Beach Labor & Employment Series on NY HERO Act, Vaccination Issues and Wage & Hour Law: Webinar Recording

September 23, 2021
On September 23, our Labor & Employment attorneys presented a webinar on the topics of:

Harris Beach Attorneys Presenting Financial Executives International Panel Discussion On Ongoing COVID Issues

February 23, 2021
Attorneys Josh Steele, Tyler O’Reilly and Dan Palermo will present on a panel hosted by the Financial Executives International Rochester Cha

Josh Steele Webinar Recording on The New PPP – Updated Guidance and Next Steps Presented By Orange County New York IDA

January 19, 2021
Josh presented the webinar, “The New PPP – Updated Guidance and Next Steps”, with the Orange County New York Industrial Development Agency o

Workplace Harassment: Updates to the Law & Investigation Techniques Labor Series Recording

September 23, 2020
This recording is of the third session in our 2020 Labor Series.  This webinar covers: An overview of the federal and state laws prohibiti

Update on COVID-19 Labor & Employment Law Issues Webinar

April 9, 2020
Information and legal guidance on how employers should address COVID-19 as it continues to evolve. Listen to our complimentary webinar for a
External Publications

Professional and Civic

  • Monroe County Bar Association
  • Wake Forest University Law Review

Recognition

  • Best Lawyers, Labor Law – Management, 2026
  • Best Lawyers, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, since 2024
Admissions
New YorkNew York Supreme Court - Appellate DivisionU.S. District Court, New York - Eastern DistrictU.S. District Court, New York - Northern DistrictU.S. District Court, New York - Southern DistrictU.S. District Court, New York - Western District
Education

Wake Forest University School of Law

JD 
2006

Hamilton College

BA 
2003

Capabilities

Legal Practices

Leader for:

Member of:

Labor and Employment

Industry Teams

Member of:

Construction
Municipalities and Local Agencies
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Joshua Steele

Joshua D. Steele

Member

jsteele@harrisbeachmurtha.com
Capabilities
People
Harris Beach Murtha Attorneys at Law
Joshua Steele

Joshua D. Steele

jsteele@harrisbeachmurtha.com
D: (585) 419-8846
Long Island, NY Office
Rochester, NY Office

Profile

Josh represents private and public sector employers in a wide range of employment law matters, from wage and hour class action lawsuits to litigation and administrative proceedings under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and the New York Labor and Human Rights Law.

In addition to employment discrimination litigation, Josh counsels clients on various issues including wage and hour laws, employee benefits, civil service issues, contract negotiations, grievances, arbitrations hearings, and administrative proceedings before the Public Employment Relations Board, the NLRB, and the Department of Labor.  He also counsels municipalities, public benefit corporations, and contractors on numerous issues that arise during public works projects, including compliance with federal and state prevailing wage laws, project labor agreement negotiations, and audits and enforcement investigations by the U.S. and NY Departments of Labor.

He frequently delivers presentations to employers and organizations on a variety of labor and employment related topics, including employee discipline, employee benefits, prevailing wage, and non-discrimination policies.

Josh also counsels employers, health insurance consortiums, and other plan sponsors on various areas of employee benefits compliance, including the New York Insurance Law, the Affordable Care Act, HIPAA, and the Internal Revenue Code.

Areas of Expertise

Legal Practices

Leader for:

Member of:

Labor and Employment

Industry Teams

Member of:

Construction
Municipalities and Local Agencies
Please select listing to show.

Admissions

New YorkNew York Supreme Court - Appellate DivisionU.S. District Court, New York - Eastern DistrictU.S. District Court, New York - Northern DistrictU.S. District Court, New York - Southern DistrictU.S. District Court, New York - Western District

Representative Matters

  • Represented clients on various aspects of large public works projects such as negotiation of project labor agreements, U.S. and NY DOL audits and investigations, and/or jurisdictional disputes, including: Unity Hospital of Rochester FHA Project, Del Lago Casino, Ulster County Family Court renovation, and various Genesee County Economic Development Center projects.
  • Perrin v. Canandaigua City School District (U.S. District Court): Discrimination, free speech, and equal protection claims dismissed in favor of the district.
  • Kenney v. Genesee Valley BOCES (U.S. District Court): First Amendment and New York State Constitutional free speech claim by employee dismissed in favor of employer.
  • Newman v. LeRoy Central School District (U.S. District Court): New York State Human Rights Law claims were dismissed in favor of the district for failure to file timely notice of claim.
  • Levine v. Greece Central School District (U.S. District Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court): Claims under the IDEA, ADA, and the Rehabilitation Act dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies. Dismissal was upheld by the Second Circuit and request for review by the Supreme Court was denied.
  • Bonilla v. Monroe BOCES #1 (U.S. District Court): Summary judgment obtained for employer in disability discrimination case.
  • Quinn v. Brockport Central School District (N.Y.S. Supreme Court): Article 78 Petition challenging termination of civil service employee dismissed in favor of the district.

Distinctions

Professional and Civic

  • Monroe County Bar Association
  • Wake Forest University Law Review

Recognition

  • Best Lawyers, Labor Law – Management, 2026
  • Best Lawyers, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, since 2024
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. © 2026 Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC
Content current as of October 6, 2026 7:47 am