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Employment
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July 30, 2024
Fed. Circ. Backs Ga. ALJ's Firing For 'Unbecoming' Conduct
The Federal Circuit has upheld the removal of a Georgia administrative law judge over a pattern of "deficiencies" uncovered in his rulings, insubordination, and a workplace tirade in which he reportedly told a supervisor she was "worse than a Nazi," the court said Tuesday.
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July 30, 2024
Worker Says Liberty University Fired Her For Being Trans
A transgender woman slapped Liberty University with a lawsuit in Virginia federal court, accusing the Christian school of firing her when she came out as trans and signaled that she wanted to change her name.
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July 30, 2024
Lewis Brisbois Settles One LA Bias Suit, Another Continues
Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP has ended a former partner's race and disability bias suit, announcing a settlement in Los Angeles Superior Court, while continuing to push for arbitration in a separate discrimination suit, also filed in Los Angeles, where a former equity partner has accused the firm of gender discrimination and "unethical billing."
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July 30, 2024
4th Circuit Sends Fees Math In OT Cases Back To Va. Court
A Virginia federal court didn't support its decision to award nearly $420,000 in attorney fees and costs in two consolidated suits seeking unpaid overtime from a healthcare company, the Fourth Circuit ruled, sending the cases back.
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July 30, 2024
Baker Sterchi Expands Northwest In Merger With Seattle Firm
Regional firm Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC is expanding outside the Midwest as it takes on Seattle-based Christie Law Group PLLC on Sept. 1, the firm announced Tuesday.
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July 30, 2024
NLRB Says Judge Protection Arg Can't Tank Injunction Bids
A Michigan hospital can't use the argument that National Labor Relations Board judges are unconstitutionally protected from presidential removal to tank a federal injunction bid linked to an agency case, a board official told a Michigan federal court.
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July 30, 2024
Fla.'s Workplace DEI Training Rules Get Permanently Blocked
A Florida federal judge made permanent a ban on a state law provision that prevents employers from promoting various sex- and race-based concepts in diversity training sessions after the state said it wouldn't challenge an Eleventh Circuit ruling upholding a preliminary injunction on the measure.
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July 30, 2024
Virginia Appeals Court Tosses Record $2B Trade Secrets Verdict
The Court of Appeals of Virginia on Tuesday reversed Appian Corp.'s $2 billion trade secrets judgment against competitor Pegasystems Inc., saying that the trial court made a series of errors on its way to the biggest jury award in state history and that a new trial was warranted.
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July 29, 2024
Calif. High Court Says Co-Worker's Slur Can Be Harassment
The California Supreme Court on Monday revived a race bias suit brought by a longtime employee of the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, finding that her co-worker's one-time use of a racial slur may indeed have been so severe that it created a hostile work environment.
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July 29, 2024
Wells Fargo Can't Escape Investors' Sham Diverse Hiring Suit
A California federal judge refused to throw out a proposed securities class action against Wells Fargo alleging it conducted sham interviews to meet diversity targets that triggered a stock drop when the truth came to light, finding Monday that the investors had plausibly alleged the bank's ill-will.
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July 29, 2024
FTC, Challengers, Their Backers Vie For Noncompetes' Fate
The fate of the Federal Trade Commission's noncompete ban is on the line as the agency trades blows with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other challengers spread across three different federal courts, all now grappling with a decision last week providing important backing to the FTC's rulemaking authority.
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July 29, 2024
9th Circ. Axes Limit On DOL Denying Calif. Agencies Grants
The U.S. Department of Labor can shut California transit agencies out of a federal grant because of a conflict between a state pension law and a federal transit law, with the Ninth Circuit lifting a ban Monday on the agency denying grant applications because of that conflict.
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July 29, 2024
Railroads Ask 11th Circ. To Void New Train Crew Size Rule
Rail giants have told the Eleventh Circuit that the Federal Railroad Administration overstepped with its new two-person train crew rule, saying rail labor costs would surge if "one of the most consequential rulemakings in the history of American railroading" were allowed to stand.
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July 29, 2024
BofA Mortgage Loan Officers Get Conditional Cert. In OT Suit
A group of mortgage loan officers who accused Bank of America of misclassifying the employees as overtime-exempt has cinched conditional collective certification, with a North Carolina federal judge rejecting the bank's arguments that their job duties were too different to merit certification.
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July 29, 2024
'Simpsons' Creator Owes Pay, Ignored Harassment, Suit Says
"The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening and his wife, Agustina Picasso, didn't do anything to stop the sexual harassment their former house manager told them she faced, while also cheating her out of wages, the worker said.
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July 29, 2024
SEIU Escapes Hospital Worker's Harassment Suit
A New York federal judge tossed a hospital worker's claims alleging a Service Employees International Union local failed to help address harassment she faced on the job, saying the claims against the union are preempted by federal law.
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July 29, 2024
Panera Franchisee Ends Pagan Worker's Religious Bias Suit
A Panera franchisee and a former employee alerted a Pennsylvania federal court Monday that they've agreed to resolve the ex-worker's suit claiming she was harassed out of her job when she disclosed that she practiced neopaganism.
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July 29, 2024
Texas Judge Blocks NLRB Suit Over ALJ Removal Protections
A Texas federal judge blocked the National Labor Relations Board on Monday from prosecuting claims that an energy company unlawfully transferred and fired a worker who complained about safety issues, saying the agency's in-house judges are unconstitutionally insulated from removal.
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July 29, 2024
Amazon Defeats Class Status Push In Military Leave Suit
A Washington federal judge refused Monday to greenlight a class action accusing Amazon of demoting or firing workers who took time off for military service, saying they hadn't shown the thousands of would-be class members had enough in common.
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July 29, 2024
Ex-Worker Says Ga. Facility Support Co. Fired Her Over Race
A facility support services company was sued Sunday in Georgia federal court by a Black former employee who alleged she was fired so that a white worker could take her job supervising cleaning staff on the night shift at a Hyundai plant.
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July 29, 2024
Medical Co. Fights To Reboot Arbitration Bid At 9th Circ.
A private-equity owned medical product maker urged the Ninth Circuit on Monday to reverse a finding that a truck loader's proposed class wage claims are exempt from federal arbitration law, arguing that the court erred in finding that she engaged in interstate commerce based on "super flimsy evidence" and is exempt.
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July 29, 2024
Wells Fargo Accused Of Race Bias By Bangladeshi Director
A Bangladeshi man who worked as a director for Wells Fargo until he was fired last year is suing the bank for race discrimination and retaliation, saying his manager was "openly uncomfortable" with his ethnicity and was brazen in her mistreatment of him as a result.
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July 29, 2024
Immigration Firm Wants Injunction In Trade Secret Fight
A Washington-based immigration law firm is arguing that a Colombian ex-employee helped a Houston immigration law firm poach its offshore employees in Colombia and copy its business model for building a large-scale firm, and that the court must declare a preliminary injunction to stop "irreparable harm."
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July 29, 2024
DeSantis Wants To Ax Suit Over Fla. Prosecutor Suspension
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis moved on Friday to dismiss an amended complaint regarding his suspension of elected prosecutor Monique Worrell, arguing that voters have no right to see an elected official serve an entire term.
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July 29, 2024
Cardiologist Hits Mass. Hospital With Equal Pay Suit
A cardiologist at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital says a less experienced male colleague whom she helped train is being paid $95,000 more, in violation of the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act, according to a lawsuit filed in state court.
Expert Analysis
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What Makes Unionization In Financial Services Unique
Only around 1% of financial services employees are part of a union, but that number is on the rise, presenting both unique opportunities and challenges for the employers and employees that make up a sector typically devoid of union activity, say Amanda Fugazy and Steven Nevolis at Ellenoff Grossman.
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A Guide To Using The DTSA For Misappropriation Recourse
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Nicholas Armington at Mintz explains the ins and outs of drafting a misappropriation complaint under the Defend Trade Secrets Act, and how and why companies should think strategically about federal and state law when filing a claim.
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6th Circ. Bias Ruling Shows Job Evaluations Are Key Defense
In Wehrly v. Allstate, the Sixth Circuit recently declined to revive a terminated employee’s federal and state religious discrimination and retaliation claims, illustrating that an employer’s strongest defense in such cases is a documented employment evaluation history that justifies an adverse action, says Michael Luchsinger at Segal Mccambridge.
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How Cos. Can Protect IP In Light Of FTC Noncompete Rule
While several groups are challenging the Federal Trade Commission’s recently approved rule banning noncompetition agreements, employers should begin planning other ways to protect their valuable trade secrets, confidential information and other intellectual property, says Thomas Duston at Marshall Gerstein.
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Navigating Harassment Complaints From Trans Employees
The Eleventh Circuit's recent decision in Copeland v. Georgia Department of Corrections, concerning the harassment of a transgender employee, should serve as a cautionary tale for employers, but there are steps that companies can take to create a more inclusive workplace and mitigate the risks of claims from transgender and nonbinary employees, say Patricia Konopka and Ann Thomas at Stinson.
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Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert
As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.
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What To Expect From The DOL's Final Overtime Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor's final overtime rule dramatically increases the salary threshold for white collar workers to be exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act, so employers should prioritize identifying the potentially affected positions and strategically consider next steps, say Leslie Selig Byrd and Deryck Van Alstyne at Bracewell.
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Data Shows H-2B Wages May Be Skewed High By Sample Size
Occupational Wage and Employment Statistics wage data from April illustrates that smaller sample sizes from less populated areas may be skewing prevailing wages for H-2B visas artificially high, potentially harming businesses that rely on the visa program, says Stephen Bronars at Edgeworth Economics.
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Series
Walking With My Dog Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Thanks to my dog Birdie, I've learned that carving out an activity different from the practice of law — like daily outdoor walks that allow you to interact with new people — can contribute to professional success by boosting creativity and mental acuity, as well as expanding your social network, says Sarah Petrie at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
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Employer Considerations Before Title IX Rule Goes Into Effect
While the U.S. Department of Education's final rule on Title IX is currently published as an unofficial version, institutions and counsel should take immediate action to ensure they are prepared for the new requirements, including protections for LGBTQ+ and pregnant students and employees, before it takes effect in August, say Jeffrey Weimer and Cori Smith at Reed Smith.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic
Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals
Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.
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Compliance Strategies To Mitigate 3 New Areas Of AI Risk
The era of artificial intelligence-assisted corporate crime is here, but several concrete mitigation strategies can allow companies to address the new, rapidly evolving threats posed by deepfakes, information barrier evasion and AI model manipulation, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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Refresher On Employee Qualifications For Summer Interns
Before companies welcome interns to their ranks this summer, they should consider the extent to which the interns may be entitled to the same legal protections as employees, including the right to be paid for their hours worked and to receive at least minimum wage and overtime, says Kate LaQuay at Munck Wilson.
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Opinion
The FTC's Noncompete Rule Is Likely Dead On Arrival
The Federal Trade Commission's April 23 noncompete ban ignores the consequences to the employees it claims to help — but the rule is unlikely to go into effect provided the ideological makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court remains the same, say Erik Weibust and Stuart Gerson at Epstein Becker.