In today's episode, Michael Schmidt provides an update on the Trump 2.0 initial activity in the DEI area, and is joined by Donna Hughes of Hughes Solutions to discuss the administration's DEI activity and the nature of, and...more
It's another new year, and like prior years, today's episode identifies the 5 biggest labor and employment questions and issues that employers should be watching in 2025....more
This past Friday, November 15, 2024, a federal court in Texas struck down on a nationwide basis the U.S. Department of Labor's 2024 regulations that significantly increased the minimum salary thresholds for federal law...more
Where are things right now with the injunction decisions on the FTC’s non-compete ban and the DOL’s new overtime exemption regulations? Today’s new episode provides the latest updates, while also discussing the Supreme...more
In this second part of a two-part series, Michael Schmidt discusses the FTC's new ban on non-competes from yesterday, the DOL's new overtime exemption rule from yesterday, and OSHA's recently-released "walkaround rule." Hear...more
In this first part of a two-part series, Michael Schmidt of Cozen O'Connor discusses significant recent employment law developments coming out of the primary federal agencies: The U.S. Department of Labor, the EEOC, the FTC,...more
Michael Schmidt is joined by Hope Pordy, Esq., a Partner with the law firm of Spivak Lipton in New York, who represents employees and unions in a wide range of labor and employment matters. Hope provides insight on the...more
In today's new episode, Michael Schmidt interviews high-level officials from the United States Department of Labor (Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda), the United States EEOC (Commissioner Andrea Lucas), and the NLRB (General...more
Today's episode is the first of two parts wrapping up the big developments and trends coming out of the Summer of 2023. In this Part 1, we discuss the United States Department of Labor's proposed new overtime exemption rule:...more
Today's new episode discusses what you may have missed during the Summer of 2022, including COVID-19 and Monkeypox updates, unlawful dress codes, an ADA first, and brand new guidance from the EEOC and DOL....more
As we approach the unofficial start to Summer 2022, today's new episode addresses the 10 issues that should be on the radar of all employers....more
5/31/2022
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Arbitration Agreements ,
Caregivers ,
Civil Service Reform Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Federal Employees ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Ads ,
Over-Time ,
Paid Leave ,
Pay Transparency ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Religious Discrimination ,
State Labor Laws ,
Title VII ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour
On January 13, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court re-issued a stay prohibiting the federal government (OSHA) from enforcing its ETS that required large employers to either mandate COVID-19 vaccines or weekly testing. Today's new...more
1/14/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Biden v Missouri ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Lack of Authority ,
National Federation of Independent Business v Department of Labor and OSHA ,
OSHA ,
SCOTUS ,
Stays ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
In today's new episode, Michael Schmidt talks about social media and schools (and what that means for employers generally), spousal claims against employers for getting COVID-19 at home, the withdrawal of the independent...more
5/17/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
First Amendment ,
Free Speech ,
Health and Safety ,
Independent Contractors ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Regulations ,
Masks ,
Misclassification ,
New Guidance ,
Preemption ,
Public Schools ,
School Policies ,
Sick Employees ,
Social Media Policy ,
Spouses ,
Students ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
The past several weeks have seen significant action from the major federal agencies involved with employment law: EEOC, NLRB, DOL, and OSHA. In today's new episode, Mike Schmidt will highlight the direction these agencies...more
4/20/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employee Incentive Plans ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
OSHA ,
Protected Concerted Activity ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
This episode addresses significant changes from OSHA and the DOL, the new and expanded FFCRA, and the first state to require paid leave to get vaccinated....more
3/22/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Paid Leave ,
State Labor Laws ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
In today’s new episode, Mike Schmidt addresses three quick hits for the holiday week: (1) the implications of Congress’ failure to extend the expiring FFCRA requirements; (2) a federal court preliminarily striking down...more
In today’s new episode, Michael Schmidt is joined by a panel of five partners in Cozen O’Connor’s Labor and Employment Department to discuss the likely impact of a President Biden administration on key labor and employment...more
11/16/2020
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Diversity ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Gig Economy ,
Health and Safety ,
Independent Contractors ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Regulations ,
Misclassification ,
Relief Measures ,
Reverse Discrimination ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Just weeks before the Presidential election, the United States Department of Labor has issued a proposed new rule to define "independent contractors" for purposes of federal law. In today's new episode, Mike Schmidt is joined...more
In today’s new episode, Mike Schmidt analyzes the new regulations issued by the United States Department of Labor on Friday, September 11, 2020 in response to the federal court’s August 2020 decision invalidating portions of...more
9/14/2020
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Child Care ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
EFMLA ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Intermittent Leave ,
New Regulations ,
Paid Leave ,
Remote Working ,
Required Documentation ,
Sick Employees ,
Sick Leave ,
Trump Administration ,
Work Availability Requirement
Today’s new episode analyzes this morning’s federal court decision that invalidates four separate (significant) portions of the U.S. Department of Labor’s regulations implementing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act...more
8/4/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Intermittent Leave ,
Labor Regulations ,
Paid Leave ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Required Documentation ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour
If you missed today's telephone briefing held by the United States Department of Labor (4-23-20), this new episode summarizes the key points made by Secretary Scalia and other senior DOL officials on today's call to discuss...more
BREAKING: The U.S. Department of Labor just issued its regulations to implement the new federal Covid-19 obligations on Paid Sick Leave and FMLA. In this episode, Mike Schmidt tells you how the new regulations answer the 10...more
This special weekend episode (Part 1 of 2) summarizes brand new emergency legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representatives over the weekend that will provide immediate changes to the FMLA and paid sick leave laws for...more
3/15/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
New Legislation ,
OSHA ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Public Health ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
In this first new episode of 2020 (Season 4), we look at the 15 hot topics your company should have on your list to think about....more
1/10/2020
/ #MeToo ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Independent Contractors ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Salary ,
Misclassification ,
Over-Time ,
Paid Leave ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Quickie Election Rules ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State Labor Laws ,
Union Elections ,
Unions ,
Unpaid Leave ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions
Host Michael Schmidt is joined by Rebecca Nathanson, the Director of the Anti-Retaliation Unit and Counsel to Labor Standards at the New York Department of Labor to discuss issues ranging from the Department’s investigation...more