Employment

April 09, 2025
Oracle Inks $15.5M Deal In Sales Representatives' PAGA Suit

Oracle America will pay $15.5 million to over 5,000 current and former sales representatives who filed a Private Attorneys General Act case in California state court alleging Oracle delayed commission payments, bringing the decade-long wage fight closer to its end, according to a settlement agreement announced Wednesday.
April 09, 2025
9th Circ. Judge Says New AB 5 Args 'More Nails In The Coffin'

A Ninth Circuit judge appeared skeptical Wednesday of a renewed challenge to California's A.B. 5 independent contractor test bought by a trucking association, telling an attorney his client's previous arguments were "better before" and the new ones may just be "more nails in the coffin."
April 09, 2025
Split 11th Circ. Denies Rehearing In Ga. Tech Title IX Case

A sharply divided Eleventh Circuit refused Tuesday to grant a full-court rehearing of a panel decision ending a sex discrimination suit from Georgia Tech's longtime women's basketball coach, prompting a rebuke from the court's Democratic-appointed judges who said the court has "just failed to learn the lesson" that educators deserve a right of action under Title IX.
April 09, 2025
Hollywood Filmmaker Owes $1.7B For Sex Assault, Jury Says

A New York state jury held Wednesday that Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director James Toback must pay $1.68 billion to 40 women he sexually assaulted over the course of four decades, according to an announcement from the victims' lawyers.
April 09, 2025
Justice Explores 'Reasonableness' In Worker Contract Case

Michigan's Supreme Court on Wednesday weighed the possibility of reintroducing a judicial test — abolished 20 years ago — to consider whether employment contracts that shorten the time frame within which a worker can sue are reasonable as an employee urged a finding that such contract terms weaken workers' civil rights protections.
April 09, 2025
Furniture Co. Will Pay $1.5M Over PPP Loan Fraud Charge

A North Carolina leather furniture supplier has agreed to a nearly $1.5 million deal ending government claims that it used manipulated payroll numbers to meet requirements for loan forgiveness under the COVID-era federal Payment Protection Program.
April 09, 2025
Revived Burger King No-Poach Case Survives Dismissal

A Florida federal judge Wednesday denied Burger King's bid to toss proposed class action claims over the fast-food chain's past use of no-poach provisions in its franchise agreements, finding the workers' antitrust and fraud claims could proceed.
April 09, 2025
AIG Unit Seeks $3.7M Clawback In Whistleblower Murder Row

A tree service company, subsidiary and certain former employees can't be covered in two civil suits alleging an employee was murdered for reporting the company's use of undocumented labor, an AIG unit told an Ohio federal court, seeking nearly $3.7 million in coverage reimbursement.
April 09, 2025
Mass. Justices Asked To Raise Bar For Pension, Benefit Loss

Massachusetts' highest court was asked on Wednesday to adopt a more expansive interpretation of what constitutes cruel or unusual punishment or an excessive fine in the case of a former state trooper whose $1 million public pension and healthcare benefits were forfeited after his conviction in an overtime fraud case.
April 09, 2025
Apple Agrees To Revise Some Worker Policies In NLRB Deal

Apple will revise some parts of its confidentiality agreement and other worker policies as part of an unfair labor practice settlement at the National Labor Relations Board, according to the deal, which requires the tech giant to put up a post indefinitely on a public-facing website.
April 09, 2025
Tire Co. In Talks With EEOC To Resolve Harassment Case

The owner of a Massachusetts scrap tire facility and the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission are in the process of drafting an agreement to resolve allegations that Hispanic workers faced harassment and threats on the job, then were fired in retaliation for striking, according to a Wednesday filing.
April 09, 2025
LA DA Demoted Prosecutors Over Menendez Work, Suits Say

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has been sued by two former top prosecutors who say they were demoted in retaliation for advocating to have Erik and Lyle Menendez released from prison after serving more than 35 years for murder.
April 09, 2025
Home Health Co. Fails To Pay Aides' Travel Time, Worker Says

A home healthcare company requires aides to travel to various patients' homes throughout their workdays but fails to compensate them for this time spent traveling, a proposed class and collective action filed Wednesday in Ohio federal court said.
April 09, 2025
Twitter Seeks To Strike Arbitrations In Severance Fight

Fifteen individual arbitration awards don't add anything to workers' claims seeking additional severance payments from X, the social media platform argued, urging a Delaware federal court to strike them from the docket.
April 09, 2025
Judge Lets NIL Fraud Suit Against UF Boosters Move Forward

A Florida federal judge on Tuesday declined to dismiss the lawsuit of college quarterback Jaden Rashada, who accused University of Florida boosters of luring him with fraudulent promises that cost him a deal with another school, saying his claims of fraud and negligence are detailed enough to proceed.
April 09, 2025
Seattle Hospital Agrees To Pay $16M To End Meal Break Suit

Seattle Children's Hospital has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a proposed class action brought by hospital workers who say they were denied required meal breaks in violation of Washington wage and hour laws.
April 09, 2025
Trial Court Too Tough On Laundromat Bias Suit, 2nd Circ. Says

The Second Circuit reinstated a Black laundromat worker's suit claiming she was fired for complaining that her supervisor made racist comments and for requesting working adjustments due to a broken thumb, ruling Wednesday a lower court improperly tanked the case based on her "self-serving" testimony.
April 09, 2025
Ga. Beverage Co. Worker Says Pregnancy Got Her Fired

A former operations manager for a Georgia commercial beverage service company sued the company for pregnancy discrimination Tuesday, making good on an alleged invitation by her boss to "file a claim" if she had a problem with her abrupt firing last year.
April 09, 2025
Florida Won't Hire Law Firms With DEI Initiatives, AG Says

The state of Florida will no longer hire law firms with diversity, equity and inclusion programs to serve as outside general counsel, according to a new memo from Attorney General James Uthmeier.
April 09, 2025
Roberts Pauses Rehiring Of Fired NLRB, MSPB Members

Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily paused an en banc D.C. Circuit's order reinstating two fired members of the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board on Wednesday, in a dispute that challenges a 90-year-old U.S. Supreme Court ruling protecting certain government officials from presidential removal.
April 09, 2025
Female Teachers Must Identify Specific Men In Pay Bias Case

A Pennsylvania federal judge on Wednesday refused to grant a posttrial win to two female teachers who accused a school district of paying women less than men and told the women to identify more specific male counterparts for the forthcoming second trial.
April 09, 2025
Ex-Qualcomm Executive Convicted Of $180M Fraud

A federal jury in San Diego has found a former executive at Qualcomm guilty of defrauding the chipmaker by creating a fake company, concealing his connection to it and selling it to Qualcomm for $180 million.
April 09, 2025
5th Circ. Backs LSU's Win In Fired Director's Retaliation Suit

The Fifth Circuit said an ex-football director for Louisiana State University isn't owed a new trial in her suit claiming she was fired for complaining that an assistant coach exposed himself to her, saying she couldn't overcome the university's position that a new head coach just wanted to clean house.
April 09, 2025
5th Circ. Pauses Contractor Rule Challenge Amid DOL Review

The Fifth Circuit halted a group of companies' challenge to a Biden-era independent contractor rule determining workers' classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act after the U.S. Department of Labor said it was reconsidering the rule.
April 09, 2025
Dinsmore Labor Duo Moves On To Greenspoon Marder

Greenspoon Marder LLP has hired a labor and employment duo from Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, which they had joined in December after leaving a firm that one of them helped launch in 2022, the firm has announced.

Expert Analysis

What To Expect In Higher Ed Enforcement Under Trump

Colleges and universities should prepare for shifting priorities, as President-elect Donald Trump is likely to focus less on antitrust cases and more on foreign relations policy, while congressional oversight of higher education continues to increase, say attorneys at Steptoe.
Series

NY Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q4

In 2024's final quarter, the New York State Department of Financial Services published guidance on mitigating the rising cybersecurity risks of artificial intelligence and remote technology workers with North Korean ties, and the state attorney general launched an antitrust investigation into Capital One's proposed Discover merger, say attorneys at Haynes Boone.
How Trial Attys Can Wield Amended Federal Evidence Rules

Trial lawyers should assess recent amendments to four Federal Rules of Evidence and a newly enacted rule on illustrative aids to determine how to best use the rules to enhance pretrial discovery and trial strategy, says Stewart Edelstein, former litigation chair at Cohen & Wolf.
Series

Exercising On My Peloton Bike Makes Me A Better Lawyer

While I originally came to the Peloton bike for exercise, one cycling instructor’s teachings have come to serve as a road map for practicing law thoughtfully and mindfully, which has opened opportunities for growth and change in my career, says Andrea Kirshenbaum at Littler.
Lessons From United's Axed Win In Firing Over Online Pics

In Wawrzenski v. United Airlines, a California state appeals court revived a flight attendant’s suit over her termination for linking photos of herself in uniform to her OnlyFans account, providing a cautionary tale for employers navigating the complexities of workplace policy enforcement in the digital age, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.
3 Factors Affecting Retail M&A Deals In 2025

Retailers considering mergers and acquisitions this year face an evolving antitrust environment, including a new administration under President-elect Donald Trump, revised merger guidelines and a precedent set last year by a canceled $8.5 billion handbag merger, say attorneys at DLA Piper.
How Trump Admin May Approach AI In The Workplace

Key indicators suggest that the incoming Trump administration will adopt a deregulatory approach to artificial intelligence, allowing states to fill the void, so it is critical that employers pay close attention to developing legal authority concerning AI tools, say attorneys at Littler.
Top 10 Legal Issues This Year For Transportation Industry GCs

General counsel must carefully consider numerous legal and policy challenges facing the automotive and transportation industry in the year to come, especially while navigating new technologies, regulations and global markets, says Francesco Liberatore at Squire Patton.
Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.
What 2024's Noncompete Turmoil Means For Banks In 2025

A look back at the most significant legal challenges to the enforceability of various restrictive covenants like noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements in 2024 can help financial institutions address the use of these critical tools this year, say attorneys at Maynard Nexsen.
Lessons Learned From 2024's Top FMLA Decisions

Last year's major litigation related to the Family and Medical Leave Act underscores why it is critical for employers to understand the basics of when leave and accommodations are required, say attorneys at Dechert.
New Year, New Risks: 8 Top Cyber Issues For Finance In 2025

As financial institutions forge ahead in 2025, they must strike a delicate balance between embracing technological innovation and guarding against its darker threats, which this year could include everything from supply chain vulnerabilities to deepfakes, say attorneys at Baker Donelson.
Lessons Learned From 2024's Top ADA Decisions

Last year's major litigation related to the Americans with Disabilities Act highlights that when dealing with accommodation requests, employers must communicate clearly, appreciate context and remain flexible in addressing needs, say attorneys at Dechert.
Series

Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.
Lessons From The SEC's 2024 Crackdown On AI Washing

AI washing was the subject of increased scrutiny from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 2024 following a surge in the commercial adoption of generative artificial intelligence technologies in 2023, highlighting the importance of transparency, accuracy and accountability when communicating about AI, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.