Yearly Archives: 2024

Feds File First Lawsuit Under Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: 8 Compliance Reminders for Employers

The federal agency that enforces workplace anti-discrimination laws is suing an employer for allegedly failing to accommodate an employee’s known pregnancy-related limitations, the first-ever lawsuit filed under the new federal pregnancy protection law. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claims the employer violated the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), as well as federal civil rights law. ...
Read more

Severe Convective Storms and Associated Insurance Weather Risks

Severe convective storms (SCSs) occur during all seasons in the United States. According to Aon, [1] severe convective storms have accounted for 70% of global insurance losses in recent years, and there continues to be a rise in such losses, largely due to growing exposure. In the US state of Texas alone, between January 1, ...
Read more

Federal Court Vacates FTC’s Non-Compete Rule

As readers of this blog know, this past Spring, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued its final Non-Compete Clause Rule (the “Non-Compete Rule”) in late April 2024, purporting to ban nearly all employment-related non-compete agreements.  Under the Non-Compete Rule, which was scheduled to take effect on September 4, 2024, an employer generally would have been prohibited from entering or ...
Read more

So You Think This COVID Thing Has Ended? Not So Fast! 5 Tips for Employers to Prepare for Cold, Flu, and COVID Season

For many businesses, the pandemic seems like a distant memory, but COVID-19 is not entirely behind us. Indeed, as the cold and flu season approaches, the CDC predicts that COVID-19 cases will increase across the country. Such surges have already started to impact workforces, making now a good time to review and update your COVID-19 ...
Read more

Transparent Connections: Arbitrators, Attorneys, Parties and Social Media Disclosures

Social media plays a crucial role in professional networking and relationships. This raises important questions for arbitrators, who must maintain high standards of impartiality and avoid potential conflicts of interest, as well as for attorneys and parties, who have an opportunity to delve deeper into the suitability of potential arbitrators on their cases. Fostering Trust, Transparency, and ...
Read more

Appeals Court Strikes Down Onerous 80/20/30 Tip Credit Rule: 7 Things Hospitality Employers Should Know About This Win

A federal appeals court just delivered some good news to hospitality employers by blocking the Department of Labor’s infamous 80/20/30 rule, providing immediate relief to employers around the country by vacating the regulations in question. The DOL’s rule — which creates time-keeping and other compliance nightmares — applies to employers that take the tip credit ...
Read more

Recognizing the Warning Signs of Workplace Violence

Workplace violence poses a serious concern for businesses across all industries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), reported that out of the 5,486 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2022, 524 deaths were homicides, an 8.9% increase from 2021. As an employer, understanding the warning signs of potential ...
Read more

Female shopkeeper sitting stressed out at the store entrance frustrated

Restaurant Settles EEOC Lawsuit Based on Denying Cook’s No-Sundays Request: 6 Steps for Handling Religious Accommodation Requests

A North Carolina restaurant franchisee has agreed to pay $40,000 and take other corrective measures to settle a religious discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the EEOC after being accused of denying a cook’s no-Sundays request. While restaurant employers have long been grappling with the challenges of a persistent labor shortage, and staffing becomes even ...
Read more

The Power of Advocacy: Shifting Mindsets for Successful Arbitration

Arbitration’s unique advantages often are squandered when parties’ legal representatives, or advocates, approach it with the same mindset as traditional courtroom proceedings. Advocacy is a vital skill in the legal profession, particularly in arbitration. Arbitration offers a distinct method of dispute resolution that requires advocates to employ a unique set of skills and strategies. Among ...
Read more