m Judge Dismisses Former UberBlack Drivers' Employment Dispute Following Second Hung Jury By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 01 Aug 2024 20:20:36 +0000 Robert W. Pritchard comments on the dismissal of a longstanding dispute between Uber and its former drivers. The Legal Intelligencer View (Subscription required) Full Article
m BIPA claim accrual changes signed into law By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 08 Aug 2024 14:58:22 +0000 Orly Henry discusses BIPA reform and applying the law to pending cases. Chicago Daily Law Bulletin View (Subscription required) Full Article
m Illinois Extends Statute of Limitations for Filing Discrimination Claims Under Illinois Human Rights Act, Adds Protected Classes, and Clarifies AI Use in Employment Decisions By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:59:49 +0000 Last week, Governor JB Pritzker signed into law several bills that significantly amend the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA). As a result of these amendments, Illinois employers should expect an uptick in discrimination cases proceeding through state courts and agencies. Longer Statute of Limitations Period Full Article
m Hawaii's New ‘Captive Audience’ Law: What Employers Need to Know By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:01:35 +0000 Judy Iriye, Kate Pitzak and Chase Parongao discuss Hawaii’s Captive Audience Prohibition Act (SB 2715), which restricts employers from requiring employees to attend employer-sponsored meetings. SHRM View (Subscription required) Full Article
m The Artificial Intelligence Angle: Loper Bright’s Impact on Federal and State AI Legislation, Regulations, and Guidance By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 04 Sep 2024 18:04:34 +0000 The Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright may serve to limit federal agencies’ guidance on an employer’s use of AI in the workplace. State and local laws and regulations governing AI, on the other hand, may proliferate. Whether federal agencies will rely on more formal rulemaking processes or on less-formal guidance documents as they respond to Loper Bright remains uncertain. Full Article
m DOL Issues Guidance on the American Rescue Plan Act COBRA Subsidy By www.littler.com Published On :: Fri, 09 Apr 2021 21:21:17 +0000 On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that contains a new, temporary COBRA subsidy. Full Article
m Philadelphia Expands Protections for Security, Janitorial, Maintenance, Food and Beverage, Hotel, and Health Care Employees Whose Jobs are Outsourced By www.littler.com Published On :: Mon, 26 Apr 2021 14:36:14 +0000 The Philadelphia Protection of Displaced Contract Workers Ordinance offers job protections to workers providing security, janitorial, building maintenance, food and beverage, hotel service, or health care services who are employed by service contractors, and are displaced when the service contract is terminated and awarded to another service contractor.1 A recent amendment to the Ordinance significantly expands its scope to impose obligations on a business that decides to no longer utilize its Full Article
m IRS Issues Guidance on the American Rescue Plan Act COBRA Subsidy By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 26 May 2021 16:48:57 +0000 On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that contains a new, temporary COBRA subsidy. The ARPA COBRA subsidy requires employers to cover 100% of an employee’s cost of continuing group health coverage under COBRA from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021 for those who lost their health care coverage on account of a reduction of hours or an involuntary termination. Full Article
m West Hollywood, California Adopts Comprehensive Hotel Worker Ordinance with Right to Recall By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 05 Aug 2021 22:07:19 +0000 Over the past few years, cities have started to implement workplace regulation, an area previously reserved to federal and state governments. The hotel industry, which often is one of the primary drivers of a local economy, has been a particular focus. Full Article
m Clearing the Way to Compliance: Hindsight Is So 2020 By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Sep 2021 15:12:44 +0000 Full Article
m Here We Go Again! California's Latest Crop of Employment Laws By www.littler.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Oct 2021 20:17:09 +0000 California is at it again – adopting a host of new labor and employment laws that will further regulate and complicate business operations in the Golden State. Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute has been tracking these bills as they worked their way through the legislature and been signed into law by Governor Newsom. The new California laws are summarized briefly below. Also, please join us at our annual webinar on October 19, 2022, in wh Full Article
m California Further Restricts "Non-Disparagement" Provisions in Employment Settlement and Severance Agreements By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Oct 2021 18:43:48 +0000 In 2019, California adopted several laws that restricted “non-disclosure" provisions in employment-related agreements. Those laws, passed in the wake of the “me too” movement, limited non-disclosure provisions in settlement agreements for lawsuits and administrative agency charges involving allegations of sexual harassment.1 They also limited the use of non-disclosure provisions in exchange for a raise or a bonus, or as a co Full Article
m France: Role of the Social and Economic Committee in the Context of a Restructuring or Downsizing By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 01 Dec 2021 16:00:11 +0000 In addition to the information and consultation obligations linked to their general responsibilities,1 Social and Economic Committees (“Comité Social et Economique” or "CSE") in French workplaces, which replace and merge all the employee representative bodies, staff representatives, works council, and health, safety and working conditions committee, must be informed and consulted in the event of a “restructuring and downsizing.”2 What is their scope of intervention? Cases Requiring Consultation Full Article
m Five Key Questions to Formulate a Top-Down Strategy for APAC Layoffs By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 05 Jan 2022 23:03:29 +0000 Isha Malhotra, Trent Sutton and Nancy Zhang offer guidelines for in-house counsel when advising a business on a restructure in APAC. ACC Docket View Full Article
m New Jersey Enacts Last-Minute Bill Tying the Hands of Successor Hotels By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 18 Jan 2022 18:22:17 +0000 On January 18, 2022, Governor Philip D. Murphy signed NJ A6246 / S4295, which significantly restricts the business discretion of successor hotels. The New Jersey Senate and General Assembly passed this bill by an overwhelming majority on the final day of the previous legislative session. Full Article
m Restructuring Your Workforce in APAC: War Stories from the Trenches By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:50:47 +0000 Full Article
m Puerto Rico Supreme Court Favors Employers on Business Reorganization and Unjustified Dismissal By www.littler.com Published On :: Mon, 18 Apr 2022 20:02:15 +0000 In a recent case issued by the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico (“the Court”), the Court addressed the standard and level of proof that must be presented by employers when raising as an affirmative defense a corporate reorganization. In Segarra Rivera vs. International Shipping Agency, 2022 T.S.P.R. 33, 208 D.P.R. ____ (Mar. Full Article
m Fifth Circuit Rules that COVID-19 Pandemic Did Not Trigger the “Natural Disaster” Exception to WARN Notice Requirements By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 22 Jun 2022 17:50:15 +0000 In the first such decision from a federal appellate court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has ruled the COVID-19 pandemic is not a “natural disaster” that exempts employers from providing advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closures under the WARN Act. The court also opined that the natural-disaster exception requires proof of proximate causation, not but-for causation.1 Full Article
m Ontario, Canada: Availability of Deemed IDEL Ended on July 30, 2022 But Unpaid and Paid IDEL Still Available to Eligible Employees By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 10 Aug 2022 18:53:50 +0000 Deemed IDEL No Longer Available Full Article
m New Jersey Edges Closer to Implementing Landmark WARN Law By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 08 Dec 2022 18:15:52 +0000 A bill advancing in the New Jersey Legislature would expedite the implementation of significant changes to the state’s WARN law. Back in January 2020, Governor Philip D. Murphy signed into law Senate Bill 3170, which radically expanded employers’ advance notice and severance pay obligations under the Millville Dallas Airmotive Plant Job Loss Notification Act—otherwise known as NJ WARN. Full Article
m Signed, Sealed, Delivered: New Jersey Implements Long-Delayed Landmark WARN Law By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Jan 2023 23:11:39 +0000 On January 10, 2023, Governor Philip D. Murphy signed into law S3162 / A4768, which makes the 2020 amendments to NJ WARN effective 90 days from his signature, irrespective of whether a State of Emergency still exists. As previously reported, under these amendments: Full Article
m Key UK Employment Law Trends for 2023 By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 26 Jan 2023 19:01:33 +0000 Some significant employment law developments are on the horizon for UK employers. Bills in parliament that could advance this year include those addressing flexible work arrangements, pregnancy and family leave protections, carer’s leave, neonatal care leave, diversity and inclusion, among others. Full Article
m Making Redundancies in the UK By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 14:27:24 +0000 Redundancies continue to increase in the UK. US employers carrying out global RIFs need to plan for overseas consultation obligations, which can take considerable time and preparation. UK has a statute similar to US WARN that is triggered at 20 layoffs but individual consultation is still required for any number of layoffs. Full Article
m UK Government Issues New Draft Code of Practice on Dismissal and Re-engagement By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Feb 2023 15:44:32 +0000 In late January 2023, the UK Government published a draft Code of Practice on Dismissal and Re-engagement. The trigger for the draft Code was the increased attention on the use of dismissal and re-engagement (also known as “fire and rehire”) by employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full Article
m NLRB Decision Addresses Interaction between Confidentiality and Nondisparagement Provisions in Severance Agreements and Section 7 Rights By www.littler.com Published On :: Mon, 27 Feb 2023 16:20:22 +0000 In McLaren Macomb, the NLRB overturned two decisions that had permitted employers to include confidentiality and nondisparagement provisions in severance agreements. “Mere proffer” of a severance agreement that conditions receipt of benefits on the “forfeiture of statutory rights” violates the NLRA. This Insight includes key takeaways from the Board’s decision and answers to common employer questions. Full Article
m Littler Survey: Economic Uncertainty Creates New Workforce Challenges for Employers By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Mar 2023 17:01:26 +0000 Survey of more than 450 employers reveals critical insights on layoffs, hiring practices and more (March 8, 2023) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has released the results of its latest Employer Pulse Survey Report: 2023 Economic Outlook, based on responses from more than 450 in-house lawyers, C-suite executives and human resources professionals across the United States. Full Article
m Steps Employers Can Take Before a Reduction in Force to Help Protect Trade Secrets By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Mar 2023 16:11:09 +0000 Layoffs may create an increased risk of trade secret misappropriation. Employers can take certain steps in advance of a reduction in force to help mitigate against this risk. Full Article
m Ontario, Canada Proposes ESA Amendments Relating to Remote Workers and New Hires By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 15 Mar 2023 19:26:19 +0000 On March 13, 2023, Ontario announced that it is proposing two amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) and related regulations. Employees Who Work Solely from Home to Become Eligible to Receive Enhanced Notice in Context of Mass Termination Full Article
m Ontario, Canada Court of Appeal Addresses How Employers Can Preserve Right to Unilaterally Lay Off Employees Without Being Found to Have Constructively Dismissed Them By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 18 May 2023 21:13:06 +0000 In Pham v. Full Article
m WARNing: Amendments to the New York WARN Act Regulations are Now in Effect By www.littler.com Published On :: Mon, 26 Jun 2023 18:08:45 +0000 Compliance with the New York Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (NY WARN) Act just got harder (again). On June 21, 2023, the New York Department of Labor’s amendments to the NY WARN regulations took effect and some of the changes are sweeping. Employer Coverage Under the amended regulations, the definition of a covered employer is expanded to count not just employees at a single site of employment in the state, but also employees who work remotely but are “based at the employment site.” New Notice Content Requirements Full Article
m New Jersey Adopts Changes Affecting Service Employees During Changes in Ownership By www.littler.com Published On :: Fri, 15 Sep 2023 22:11:53 +0000 Governor Philip D. Murphy recently signed Assembly Bill 4682 / Senate Bill 2389, establishing various employment protections for specific “service employees” during changes of ownership. This bill goes into effect on October 22, 2023—90 days from signing. Full Article
m New Jersey Adopts Law Affecting Service Employees During Changes in Ownership By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 04 Oct 2023 16:05:48 +0000 Amber Spataro and David Ostern examine New Jersey’s new Assembly Bill 4682, which establishes various employment protections for specific "service employees" during changes of ownership. SHRM Online View (Subscription required.) Full Article
m As employers consider strategies for adapting the size of their workforces to meet changing business demands and technologies, what guidance should be top-of-mind? By www.littler.com Published On :: Fri, 10 Nov 2023 17:21:34 +0000 Full Article
m Ontario, Canada: Amending Regulation Supports Bill 79’s Changes to ESA’s Mass Termination Provisions By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:45:35 +0000 On November 25, 2023, O. Reg. 340/23: TERMINATION AND SEVERANCE OF EMPLOYMENT made under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) (Regulation), amending O. Reg. Full Article
m What are some key issues for HR or legal to be aware of when implementing a restructure in Asia? By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 20 Dec 2023 22:26:31 +0000 For In-house Counsel or HR professionals in Asia, what are some key issues to be aware of when implementing a business restructure? There are some key areas you will want to focus on when restructuring a business operation in the APAC region. Full Article
m UK: New Regulations Will Extend Current Redundancy Protections for Individuals Who Are Pregnant or on Maternity, Adoption, or Shared Parental Leave By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 22:12:23 +0000 Currently, employees in the UK on statutory maternity, adoption or shared parental leave who are at risk of redundancy have priority rights to be offered a suitable alternative vacancy (but only where such a vacancy exists). New regulations have been introduced to extend redundancy protections, both before (for pregnant employees only) and after the return to work. These regulations arose in response to research that found that mothers returning from maternity leave still faced discrimination in the workplace after returning from leave. Full Article
m Littler Lightbulb: May Appellate Roundup By www.littler.com Published On :: Fri, 07 Jun 2024 14:08:02 +0000 This Littler Lightbulb highlights some of the more significant employment law developments in the federal courts of appeal in the last month. Full Article
m Dear Littler: What are some considerations before implementing our return-to-office policy? By www.littler.com Published On :: Fri, 20 Sep 2024 16:24:18 +0000 Dear Littler, We are a professional services company with employees in various states. During the pandemic we shifted to fully remote work. As the pandemic subsided, we still leaned into remote work to attract and retain talent who preferred remote work. We also shifted our focus almost exclusively to digital services that did not require an in-person presence since our clients were also remote. We kept most of our physical offices intact but downsized some square footage to reduce our overhead. Full Article
m Validation of the labor reform in Congress: litmus test for the credibility of collective bargaining By www.littler.com Published On :: Fri, 28 Jan 2022 15:47:44 +0000 Javier Thibault weighs in on the Spanish parliament’s recent labor reform agreement and its effects on the recovery and the labor market. Confilegal View Full Article
m $15 Minimum Wage For State Employees Gaining Traction By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 03 Feb 2022 18:12:13 +0000 As many states are raising the minimum wage for state employees, Shannon Meade explains that minimum wage increases will differ based on where the employees are located. Law360 Employment Authority View (Subscription required.) Full Article
m New York, Calif. Bills Would Give Nonunion Workers More Say By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 08 Feb 2022 17:58:21 +0000 Michael Lotito weighs in on a New York measure that would establish a policy-making council that would set rules on pay, safety and working conditions "as reasonably necessary" to protect worker welfare. Law360 Employment Authority View (Subscription required.) Full Article
m Employment Law Class Actions in Nevada By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 15 Feb 2022 17:45:27 +0000 Diana Dickinson and Montgomery Paek write about how employers can protect themselves against employment law class actions and discuss a few issues in Nevada that have sparked significant class action litigation and appellate review. Clark County Bar Association View Full Article
m Minimum Wage Fight Is At An Inflection Point By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 24 Feb 2022 20:46:33 +0000 Shannon Meade talks about how the pandemic has upended the labor market, pushing employees to realize the benefits of higher pay and forcing employers to offer better pay and flexibility. Law360 Employment Authority View (Subscription required.) Full Article
m May I Have My Paycheck in Bitcoin?: Crypto Payments Explained By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 16 Mar 2022 17:17:08 +0000 Lisa (Lee) Schreter weighs in on employers paying employees in cryptocurrencies and the legal questions that may raise. Bloomberg Law View (Subscription required.) Full Article
m Generate doubts profit sharing scheme By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 22 Mar 2022 17:29:22 +0000 As a result of subcontracting reform, Jorge Sales Boyoli explains that some companies want to distribute profits under conservative criteria and plan to compensate by distributing an additional bonus. El Diario Mexico View Full Article
m "Violates what is most sacred": X-ray of the initiative that allowed banks to charge themselves Chinese wages By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 31 Mar 2022 19:13:39 +0000 Jorge Sales Boyoli weighs in on a reform that was almost passed in Mexico, which “violates the most sacred thing that a worker has: his salary.” El Heraldo de Mexico View Full Article
m Viewpoint: Bold corporate leadership needed to eliminate Equal Pay Day By www.littler.com Published On :: Thu, 31 Mar 2022 19:20:05 +0000 Jeanine Conley Daves discusses the fact that women still, in the year 2022, are rarely compensated on par with their male counterparts and suggests solutions for workplace parity. Philadelphia Business Journal View (Subscription required.) Full Article
m Profit sharing 2022: everything you need to know about the scenarios for outsourcing reform By www.littler.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Apr 2022 19:59:27 +0000 Jorge Sales Boyoli talks about the outsourcing law came into force last year, who will receive profits and the new challenges that have come with it. El Heraldo de México View Full Article
m Can CERB payment be deducted from wrongful dismissal damage award? By www.littler.com Published On :: Tue, 26 Apr 2022 14:39:58 +0000 Rhonda Levy and George Vassos discuss a recent British Columbia Supreme Court case that directed an employee’s CERB payment to be deducted from wrongful dismissal damage awards. Human Resources Director Canada View (Subscription required.) Full Article
m As Luxury Starts to Embrace Crypto, Are Crypto Wages Coming Next? By www.littler.com Published On :: Wed, 11 May 2022 19:37:44 +0000 Lee Schreter and Justin Brown suggest four practical recommendations for companies that opt to issue crypto outright in connection with employees’ wages. The Fashion Law View Full Article