Legal Blog And Client Alerts

Update aims to ensure stronger protections for workers in New York by increasing employee awareness

A recent case before the Supreme Court challenged the rules governing overtime pay and the classification of exempt employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a rules change to outlaw the use of non-compete agreements between employers and employees. The proposed change is now open to a period of public comment before a final vote is cast.

New law aims to level the playing field for employees seeking new employment opportunities.

Governor Hochul signed an expansion of the current law to take effect January 1, 2023.

Court orders Wal-Mart to pay $4.4 million in case of racial profiling

One of the core philosophies of our law firm is that we are here and ready to vigorously fight for our clients when trouble arises, but we work equally hard to help them avoid trouble before it starts.

Many issues, especially in the area of employment law, arise simply because the rules are complex and ever-changing, and employers may inadvertently run afoul of any number of regulations. 

As we enter our third April under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Mask mandates have been lifted in schools and public buildings, and it is expected that the mask mandate for public transit will soon end. 

Franklin v. Whole Foods Market Group Inc. et al (U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-04935) involves a man who served 23 years in prison following a conviction for second degree murder. Upon his release, he applied for a grocery delivery job at Cornucopia Logistics, which serves Amazon and Whole Foods. Upon discovering that the job applicant, Henry Franklin, had misled the company by answering “no” when asked if he had a criminal record, the company denied him employment, citing the applicant’s untruthful answer as the reason for not hiring him.

On January 13, 2022 the United States Supreme Court ruled on two watershed cases related to the mandatory vaccination of workers in America against the COVID-19 virus. Already the questions have been coming in from employers wondering, ‘what impact does this have on my business operations?’

Each year at this time, we find it valuable to offer a few reminders to our clients and community when it comes to hosting holiday gatherings for your employees.

Last week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) revised its guidelines on religious exemptions to employer vaccine mandates.

The email scandal involving now-former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden offers an opportunity to remind both employers and employees that the “e” in email frequently stands for “evidence.”

Buffalo, New York finds itself the epicenter of a controversial drive by Starbucks workers to unionize. For years, workers at the corporate coffee behemoth have complained about labor practices related to staffing, sick leave, and a general lack of support from management.

Detailed Report out of Albany Serves as Wake-Up Call for Both Public and Private Sector Employers

Ruling affirms right of employer to terminate an employee who refuses the COVID-19 vaccine.

With more than six million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine already administered in New York, employers and employees both face an important question: can a company mandate its employees get vaccinated? 

The new year brings new paid leave requirements to New York employers. New York State established additional rights to paid leave for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers on April 3, 2020.

Employers planning to hold virtual celebrations may want to consider the potential liability before raising a Zoom cocktail with employees

In 2019, Wal-Mart was ordered to pay $6 million to a class of plaintiffs after a lawsuit (Hamilton et al. v. Wal-Mart) alleged the retail giant engaged in unlawful tactics to discourage employees from leaving the building during their state-mandated break and meal periods.   

Though that case is currently being appealed, it sheds light on an area of labor and employment law where it can be common for an employer to be unknowingly in violation.

Social media has been lighting up in recent weeks with stories about life behind the scenes on the Emmy Award-Winning talk show, “Ellen.”

The tales range from stories of rude behavior, to hostile working conditions, racism and sexual harassment. Despite her squeaky clean image as America’s fun-loving, dancing talk show host, current and former staffers report a workplace that is anything but fun-loving.