The SEC continues to review non-disclosure agreements and other confidential business information provisions of publicly traded companies to ensure whistleblowers are not restricted from freely communicating with the agency...more
10/18/2023
/ Cease and Desist Orders ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Confidential Information ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Rule 21F-17 ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations ,
Separation Agreement ,
Whistleblowers
After over 25 years of proposals and negotiations among key stakeholders—including Ohio employers and their supporting associations, the Ohio plaintiffs’ employment law bar, and various employee-rights advocates—on December...more
Largely overshadowed by the rise in COVID-19 deaths and the January 6, 2021, siege on the Capitol, the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act of 2019 (“the Act”) became law on December 23, 2020. See 15 U.S.C. § 7a-3....more
1/15/2021
/ Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Antitrust Violations ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Criminal Liability ,
Criminal Penalties ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Whistleblower Protection Policies ,
Whistleblowers
On Thursday, April 30, 2020, Ohio’s Director of the Department of Health, Dr. Amy Acton, signed a “Stay Safe” Order, which lifts certain restrictions from Ohio’s prior “Stay-at-Home” Orders. The Order sets out a plan to start...more
5/6/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Essential Workers ,
Operators of Essential Services ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Screening Procedures ,
Social Distancing ,
Workplace Safety
The following scenario is more common—and more troubling—than ever before. A high ranking employee who has signed an agreement to preserve the confidentiality of business plans, financial information, and trade secrets...more
5/15/2018
/ Confidential Information ,
Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Former Employee ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Misappropriation ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Qui Tam ,
Risk Management ,
Trade Secrets ,
Whistleblowers
Unlawful sexual harassment, long a problem in the workplace, has become the most visible employment issue in corporate America. Victims of sexual harassment are emboldened to speak up, as they should. ...more
On September 15, 2016, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released new policy guidelines for its review of private settlement agreements presented to the agency for approval in whistleblowing...more
9/20/2016
/ BlueLinx Holdings ,
Cease and Desist Orders ,
Confidentiality Agreements ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Government Investigations ,
OSHA ,
Popular ,
Sarbanes-Oxley ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Severance Agreements ,
Whistleblower Awards ,
Whistleblower Protection Policies ,
Whistleblowers ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety
Long awaited in Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) whistleblower circles, on October 9, 2014 the U. S. Department of Labor's Administrative Review Board (ARB) issued a split 2-1 panel decision in Fordham v. Fannie Mae, ARB No. 12-061,...more