News & Insights

Practice Area: Employment

OSHA PROPOSES WORKPLACE HEAT SAFETY RULE

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) announced a proposed rule in July 2024 to regulate heat-related hazards in the workplace. According to OSHA, heat is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and the proposed rule seeks to protect employees who work in warm climates from hazards associated with high…
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SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON ADA RIGHTS FOR FORMER EMPLOYEES

On June 24, 2024, the United States Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of a retired Florida firefighter who argued that the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) allows a former employee to sue over discrimination with respect to post-employment benefits that the former employee earned during their employment.  In the case of Stanley v….
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ELEVENTH CIRCUIT UPHOLDS INJUNCTION STOPPING FLORIDA’S ANTI-WOKE LAW

In 2022, Florida enacted the Individual Freedom Act, which Governor Ron DeSantis called the “Stop WOKE Act” (“the Act”). Specifically, the Act prohibited Florida employers from requiring employees to attend any training or activity that “espouses, promotes, advances, inculcates, or compels” an individual to believe certain prohibited “concepts” relating to race, color, sex, or national…
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SHIFTING LANDSCAPE OF NON-COMPETE AGREEMENTS

Historically, non-compete agreements were utilized to safeguard a company’s trade secrets, proprietary information, and customer relationships. Non-compete agreements served as critical tools for protecting business interests. However, over the past few years, there has been a recent legislative priority to limit or ban the use of restrictive covenants. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed an…
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EEOC LAUNCHES NEW REACH INITIATIVE FOR 2024

In January 2024, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) launched its REACH initiative designed to “enhance outreach to vulnerable workers and underserved communities.” The initiative was implemented by Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal for the purpose of ensuring EEOC’s outreach and education efforts reach workers who are less likely to seek the agency’s assistance.  Through the…
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ANNOUNCES NEW INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR RULE

On January 9, 2024, the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) released its final rule that revises the DOL’s determination of whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). The final rule goes into effect on March 11, 2024. The new rule replaces the Trump Administration’s Independent…
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NLRB’s Request To Drop The Adverse Action Requirement In Some Cases May Expand An Employer’s Vulnerability To Unfair Labor Charges

Most, if not all, labor and employment statutes require an employee to show some kind of adverse action on behalf of the employer to prevail, especially when seeking monetary compensation. While what constitutes an adverse action can often get murky, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has clarified that an “adverse employment action” includes, but is…
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NLRB Expands Joint Employer Rule

On October 26, 2023, the National Labor Relations Borad (“NLRB”) issued a new standard for determining when two employers are considered “joint employers” under the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”).  While the standard was issued in regard to the NLRA, businesses should expect that plaintiffs will use the new standard with regard to claims outside…
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