On September 6, 2022, the U.S. National Labor Relations Board delivered employers a slightly belated Labor Day “present” – a proposal to revise yet again its standard for determining joint-employer status under the National...more
A bill with significant implications for California’s fast food industry is on its way to Governor Newsom’s Desk. On August 29, 2022, the State Senate passed the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act (AB 257)....more
9/1/2022
/ California ,
Employees ,
Fast-Food Industry ,
Food Service Workers ,
Labor Reform ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Standards ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
Over the past few years, cities and counties have gotten into the business of regulating the workplace, an area previously reserved to federal and state governments. Many local jurisdictions have focused particular attention...more
7/26/2022
/ Anti-Harassment Policies ,
California ,
Employee Rights ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Hotels ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Local Ordinance ,
Sexual Assault ,
Sexual Harassment ,
Workplace Safety
Over the past few years, cities have started to implement their own workplace regulations, an area previously reserved to federal and state governments. The hotel industry, which often is one of the primary drivers of a...more
On June 23, 2022, National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo released Memorandum GC 22-06, relating to her efforts “to secure full remedies” in settlements with the Board. This follows on her prior...more
On June 21, 2022, the Biden administration released its Spring 2022 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. These semi-annual regulatory agendas outline federal agency goals for the months ahead. Although the...more
6/23/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Davis-Bacon Act ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRB ,
OSHA ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions
On April 29, 2022, organized labor achieved a long-sought political objective when the Connecticut House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 163, “An Act Protecting Employee Freedom of Speech and Conscience.” Effective July...more
5/4/2022
/ Collective Bargaining ,
Connecticut ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
First Amendment ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Relations ,
Pending Legislation ,
State Labor Laws ,
Union Elections ,
Union Organizers ,
Unions
National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “the Board”) General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo continues to push the Board to take aggressive and unprecedented pro-labor stances, seeking to overturn decades of well-settled...more
4/13/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Collective Bargaining ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Rights ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
NLRB General Counsel ,
Policy Statement ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Union Elections ,
Unions
On April 7, 2022, General Counsel (GC) Jennifer A. Abruzzo released Memorandum 22-04, The Right to Refrain from Captive Audience and other Mandatory Meetings. As set forth in the memorandum, GC Abruzzo will urge the National...more
4/8/2022
/ Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Free Speech ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
NLRB General Counsel ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Section 7 ,
Unions
On March 24, 2022, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) handed down a key ruling that could have a significant impact on franchising across the state. In Patel v. 7-Eleven, Inc., the SJC was asked whether the...more
On March 14, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas delivered a victory for businesses that utilize independent contractors, and for independent contractors themselves, when it held that the...more
3/16/2022
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Definition ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Gig Economy ,
Independent Contractors ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Minimum Wage ,
Over-Time ,
Statutory Violations ,
Wage and Hour
On Monday, February 7, 2022, the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment (Task Force) released its long-awaited Report detailing nearly 70 recommendations for revising our nation’s labor laws and...more
The federal government’s complicated multi-pronged approach to implementing COVID-19 safeguards related to federal contractors has left many confused. ...more
10/1/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Employees ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On September 9, 2021, President Biden released his COVID-19 Action Plan, Path Out of the Pandemic (the “Plan”). The Plan mandates vaccination against COVID-19 for employees working for employers that have 100 or more...more
9/15/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Popular ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
With supporters of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act unable to advance the legislation under the regular rules of the Senate, they are now attempting to move pieces of the legislation by way of special rules...more
9/9/2021
/ Budget Reconciliation ,
Federal Budget ,
Labor Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
Penalties ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Unfair Labor Practices ,
Union Organizers ,
Unions
Introduction Over a year and a half since the pandemic first started to take its toll on the health and welfare of individuals and the economy, the country is still reeling and struggling to recover. Some employers and...more
9/7/2021
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Mandates ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRB ,
OSHA ,
Supply Chain ,
Telecommuting ,
Unions ,
Vaccinations
On September 1, 2021, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), the Department of Labor sub-agency charged with enforcing affirmative action and non-discrimination requirements imposed on federal contractors...more
9/1/2021
/ Affirmative Action ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Data Collection ,
EEO-1 ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Non-Discrimination Rules ,
OFCCP ,
Pay Data ,
Pay Discrimination ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Wage and Hour
On July 29, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden announced new requirements for federal employees and onsite federal contractors regarding vaccination status, masking, and social distancing....more
8/2/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On July 29, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor announced it was formally rescinding regulations issued by the prior administration defining “joint employer” status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). ...more
On July 22, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed rule to implement and enforce Executive Order 14026, “Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors,” was published in the Federal Register. Executive Order...more
On July 9, 2021, President Biden issued his Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy. Earlier in the day, the White House issued a press release announcing that the anticipated order would, “[m]ake it...more
On June 11, 2021, the federal government released its unified federal regulatory agenda for spring 2021, which outlines regulatory and deregulation actions agencies expect to take in the coming months....more
6/17/2021
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Davis-Bacon Act ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Deregulation ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Health and Safety ,
Joint Employers ,
Labor Regulations ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
On May 28, President Biden released his $6 trillion budget proposal for the 2022 fiscal year. While final spending decisions are decided by Congress, the president’s budget submission typically provides a general idea of...more
On May 26, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden nominated Gwynne Wilcox to fill an open seat on the National Labor Relations Board. Wilcox is currently a senior partner at a labor-side labor and employment firm, and is assistant...more
On May 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor formally withdrew final regulations promulgated earlier this year under the prior administration which set forth, for the first time by way of an Administrative Procedure Act...more
5/14/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Definition ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Freelance Workers ,
Gig Economy ,
Independent Contractors ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Wage and Hour