Cozen O'Connor - HospitalityLawyer.com®

Protect Against Cyber Attacks: A New Guide to Help Small Businesses

by Cozen O'Connor in Safety & Security, Technology. Posted September 30, 2017

No business is too small to be the victim of a cyberattack. In fact, as larger companies invest more resources in cybersecurity, attackers are beginning to target smaller, less secure businesses. It is important for every small business to understand the risks and be prepared. To help, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) ...

Is Your Company’s Hurricane Plan Ready?

by David Barron in Human Resources, Insurance & Loss Prevention, Legal. Posted July 13, 2017

With the first tropical storm of the season bearing down on the Gulf Coast, it is a good time to dust off your HR Department’s Hurricane Plan and make sure it is up to date. If you don’t have one, it is an even better time to put one together. Attachedis Cozen O’Connor’s HR Guide for ...

TSA Under Pressure from Congress – Again

by Robert Freeman in Legal, Safety & Security, Travel. Posted March 6, 2017

TSA Under Pressure Robert Freeman of Cozen O’Connor reports on the pressure felt by the TSA from Congress. The TSA is facing distrust from a number of “committee members from” the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform regarding their operations. The actions in question include “systematcially classifiying potentially embarassing documents as (SSI) to cover ...

White House Pushes for Ban on Non-Competes

by David Barron in Human Resources. Posted November 11, 2016

The enforceability of employee restrictions on competition has traditionally been up the states, with some, like California, largely banning such agreements, while others, like Texas, allowing them with reasonable limitations. On Tuesday, October 25, the White House took the unprecedented step of calling on state legislatures to ban non-competes […]. A news report on the ...

Limiting Employees’ Hours to Dodge the ACA’s Employer Mandate Could Violate ERISA

by Cozen O'Connor in Legal. Posted April 12, 2016

In a move that brings many employers’ fears closer to fruition, a federal district court recently ruled that an employee may proceed with a class action lawsuit alleging that her employer violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) when it reduced employees’ hours to avoid incurring increased costs under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). ...

The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act’s Impact

by Leigh Ann Benson in Food & Beverage, Safety & Security. Posted August 19, 2015

FDA’s steadfast position against formally addressing “Natural” claims on food products may soon be forced to change if the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, which the House of Representatives passed on July 23, 2015, is enacted. The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (“SAFLA”) serves largely to prohibit state and local governments from enacting ...

DOL Issues Final Rule Providing FMLA Rights to All Workers in Legal Same-Sex Marriages

by Victoria Zeller in Human Resources. Posted March 16, 2015

The Department of Labor issued its Final Rule on Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) rights on February 25, joining the Internal Revenue Service in adopting the “place of celebration”/“state of celebration” test. By virtue of this change, FMLA rights now extend to all workers in legal same-sex marriages regardless of the law of the state ...

How to Avoid the EEOC’s Radar

by Norasha Williams in Human Resources. Posted October 28, 2014

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC’s) statistics about employment discrimination continue to demonstrate a trend of increased charge filing and litigation with the agency. And, in the wake of the EEOC’s increased focus and expanding budget to execute its Strategic Enforcement Plan, the employment discrimination lawsuit trend is expected to continue. The most effective action ...

E-Mails: Don’t think Electronic, think EVIDENCE!

by Michelle Lee Flores in Human Resources, Legal, Technology. Posted October 6, 2014

If there was one thing I wish that every business owner, manager and employee would take away when thinking about this article and the modern workplace, it is that e-mails are forever. And not only are they forever, but they pack a double punch since their impact is instantaneous. All it takes is a simple ...

New Employment Protections for LGBT Employees of Federal Contractors, U.S. Government

by Jason Cabrera in Human Resources, Legal. Posted July 28, 2014

President Obama signed an Executive Order on July 21, 2014 that gave new protections against discrimination to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees of federal contractors and subcontractors, and the federal government. For the federal government, discrimination was already prohibited on the basis of sexual orientation and is now also prohibited on the basis ...

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