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Employment
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September 04, 2024
4th Circ. Sets Legal Hemp Standard In THC Firing Case
A split Fourth Circuit panel on Wednesday set a standard for the legality of hemp products, although it still found that a real estate company worker claiming she was illegally fired for testing positive for a THC substance didn't back her disability bias claims.
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September 04, 2024
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren Facing Recall Petition
A committee focused on removing Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren from office has filed a recall affidavit with the tribe's election administration – a move those behind the effort described as the first of its kind for the nation — amid allegations of breach of fiduciary duty and misconduct, among others.
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September 04, 2024
Marathon Faces Wrongful Death Suit Over Refinery Explosion
The family of a Texas machinist who burned to death in a refinery explosion is suing Marathon Petroleum Co. and others, claiming their shoddy build, maintenance and management of the facility caused the catastrophic failure.
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September 04, 2024
UBH Wins On Parity In Family's Mental Health Benefits Fight
A Utah federal judge has handed mixed results to United Behavioral Health and a father whose child was partially denied coverage for mental health treatment at two residential treatment centers.
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September 04, 2024
3rd Circ. Revives Machinery Worker's Disability Bias Suit
The Third Circuit reopened a former machinery worker's lawsuit alleging he was fired because he requested light-duty assignments following an on-the-job back injury, saying Wednesday a trial court used an outdated standard to conclude that federal law didn't consider his temporary pain a disability.
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September 04, 2024
Warner Music, Atlantic Beat Suit Over Alleged Abuse In 1980s
A New York state judge released Warner Music Group and Atlantic Records from a suit claiming their negligence allowed Atlantic's then-CEO to sexually assault the plaintiff in the 1980s and that they violated their duty of care by failing to fire him, finding the entities didn't exist at the time.
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September 04, 2024
Ex-CEO Sues Ferry Co.'s Private-Equity Buyer
The former CEO of a company that operates a ferry service has told a Michigan federal court that he was wrongly terminated and then badmouthed by the company's new private-equity owners.
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September 04, 2024
NC Biz Court Bulletin: Blackbeard IP Fight, Firm Data Breach
As summer winds down, the North Carolina Business Court tackled usage rights pertaining to footage and artifacts from Blackbeard's shipwreck while grappling with uncovering the details of a cyberattack that exposed the data of Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP. In case you missed those and others, here are the highlights.
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September 04, 2024
LinkedIn Speech Not Covered By Labor Law, 5th Circ. Told
A logistics company told a Fifth Circuit panel during oral arguments Wednesday that an employee who was fired for allegedly disparaging comments made over LinkedIn wasn't protected under labor law, although the panel pointed out that an employee can take protected wage complaints to outside parties.
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September 04, 2024
Amazon Says Too Many Differences Among Driver Class
Amazon urged a Washington federal court to reject class certification in a delivery driver's lawsuit alleging he was misclassified as an independent contractor, saying there are too many differences among these drivers to warrant class treatment.
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September 04, 2024
Ex-Twitter Worker Class Conditionally Certified In Age Bias Suit
A California federal judge has conditionally certified a collective action on behalf of former Twitter workers aged 50 and older who were fired after Elon Musk acquired the company, saying while this isn't the stage "to weigh the evidence," the complaint shows "beyond mere speculation" Twitter may have discriminated against older employees.
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September 04, 2024
Polsinelli Adds Ex-Alston & Bird Litigator To LA Office
Polsinelli PC announced Tuesday that it is continuing to expand its litigation bench by adding an experienced trial attorney as a principal to the firm's Los Angeles office.
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September 04, 2024
2nd Circ. Hears Unvaxxed NY Judge's 'Exile' Challenge
A Second Circuit panel on Wednesday voiced some skepticism of a bid to revive a New York state judge's lawsuit over his "exile" after he failed to get a religious exemption from the court system's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
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September 04, 2024
4th Circ. Says Trade Secrets Verdict Wrongly Based On Va. Law
The Fourth Circuit wants a Virginia federal court to take another crack at a trade secrets dispute brought by an industrial equipment supplier against a former employee who founded and operated two competitors while working for it, concluding a jury's verdict was based on the wrong laws.
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September 04, 2024
Ex-NFLers Seek Class Cert. To Challenge 'Sham' Benefits
Former NFL players suing the league's disability plan for denying them benefits have asked a Maryland federal judge to certify a vast class of aggrieved ex-pros, excoriating the "sham claims process" that left them out in the cold.
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September 04, 2024
NLRB Says Deference Not Needed In Solo Protest Case
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision abandoning its long-standing deference to administrative agencies should not affect the Third Circuit's review of a National Labor Relations Board order broadening when individual employees engage in protected actions, the agency argued in a brief to the appeals court.
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September 04, 2024
McElroy Deutsch's Former CFO Fights Bid To Sink Ch. 11 Case
The currently incarcerated former chief financial officer for McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP denied that his Chapter 11 filing was a bad faith maneuver meant to stall ongoing civil litigation, claiming instead that the bankruptcy will allow for the liquidation of property for the benefit of creditors.
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September 04, 2024
Fla. Builder Can't Escape Former In-House Atty's Suit
A Florida federal magistrate judge has rejected a development company's bid to escape a wrongful termination lawsuit brought by its onetime in-house counsel, saying that enough has been pled to overcome the dismissal request.
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September 04, 2024
Wash. Contractors Must Face Suit Over Off-Site Death
A Washington appeals panel has revived a wrongful death suit alleging a contractor and subcontractor are responsible for the death of a worker in a forklift accident, saying they may have had a duty to the worker even though the accident didn't happen on the worksite itself.
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September 04, 2024
Ex-Mass. Pol 'A Little Sloppy' But Not Criminal, Jurors Told
Former Massachusetts state Sen. Dean A. Tran denied charges Wednesday that he stole pandemic unemployment assistance and cheated on his taxes, with his attorney telling a jury that Tran simply made a series of paperwork "mistakes."
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September 04, 2024
Cos. Tell High Court Biden Can't Hike Contractors' Min. Wage
The Tenth Circuit pushed the borders of the Procurement Act too much when it blessed President Joe Biden's decision to increase federal contractors' hourly minimum wage, two outdoor groups told the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the law doesn't authorize wage increases.
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September 04, 2024
Concrete Co. Owes Workers $370K, Wash. Panel Says
A Washington appeals court refused to overturn a state agency's determination that a concrete company owes workers more than $370,000 in wages for working at a disposal site, saying the work was sufficiently related to a public works project to trigger the state's prevailing wage law.
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September 03, 2024
Ex-VP Says Health Co. Tried To Call Firing Retirement
A former vice president and chief human resources officer for The Elevance Health Companies Inc. claims it terminated his employment to hire a substantially younger person and tried to call it a retirement, according to an age discrimination suit filed in a Georgia federal court Tuesday.
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September 03, 2024
Ivy Leaguers Withdraw Opposition To NCAA's $2B NIL Deal
Two Brown University athletes have withdrawn their opposition to the NCAA's proposed $2.78 billion name, image and likeness settlement, telling a federal judge in California on Tuesday that they've been assured it will not impact their own antitrust case against several Ivy League schools.
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September 03, 2024
Seattle Court Accused Of Fostering Racist, Hostile Workplace
An African American former employee at the Seattle Municipal Court has alleged that she was the target of racist and sexist comments and that a court administrator falsely claimed in a courtwide email that she had been arrested and charged with a serious crime when she was on sick leave.
Expert Analysis
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Justices' Title VII Ruling Requires Greater Employer Vigilance
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Muldrow v. St. Louis ruling expands the types of employment decisions that can be challenged under Title VII, so employers will need to carefully review decisions that affect a term, condition or privilege of employment, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Game-Changing Decisions Call For New Rules At The NCAA
From a newly formed college players union to coaches transferring at the drop of a hat, the National College Athletic Association needs an overhaul, including federal supervision, says Frank Darras at DarrasLaw.
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What Makes Unionization In Financial Services Unique
Only around 1% of financial services employees are part of a union, but that number is on the rise, presenting both unique opportunities and challenges for the employers and employees that make up a sector typically devoid of union activity, say Amanda Fugazy and Steven Nevolis at Ellenoff Grossman.
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A Guide To Using The DTSA For Misappropriation Recourse
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Nicholas Armington at Mintz explains the ins and outs of drafting a misappropriation complaint under the Defend Trade Secrets Act, and how and why companies should think strategically about federal and state law when filing a claim.
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6th Circ. Bias Ruling Shows Job Evaluations Are Key Defense
In Wehrly v. Allstate, the Sixth Circuit recently declined to revive a terminated employee’s federal and state religious discrimination and retaliation claims, illustrating that an employer’s strongest defense in such cases is a documented employment evaluation history that justifies an adverse action, says Michael Luchsinger at Segal Mccambridge.
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How Cos. Can Protect IP In Light Of FTC Noncompete Rule
While several groups are challenging the Federal Trade Commission’s recently approved rule banning noncompetition agreements, employers should begin planning other ways to protect their valuable trade secrets, confidential information and other intellectual property, says Thomas Duston at Marshall Gerstein.
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Navigating Harassment Complaints From Trans Employees
The Eleventh Circuit's recent decision in Copeland v. Georgia Department of Corrections, concerning the harassment of a transgender employee, should serve as a cautionary tale for employers, but there are steps that companies can take to create a more inclusive workplace and mitigate the risks of claims from transgender and nonbinary employees, say Patricia Konopka and Ann Thomas at Stinson.
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Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert
As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.
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What To Expect From The DOL's Final Overtime Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor's final overtime rule dramatically increases the salary threshold for white collar workers to be exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act, so employers should prioritize identifying the potentially affected positions and strategically consider next steps, say Leslie Selig Byrd and Deryck Van Alstyne at Bracewell.
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Data Shows H-2B Wages May Be Skewed High By Sample Size
Occupational Wage and Employment Statistics wage data from April illustrates that smaller sample sizes from less populated areas may be skewing prevailing wages for H-2B visas artificially high, potentially harming businesses that rely on the visa program, says Stephen Bronars at Edgeworth Economics.
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Series
Walking With My Dog Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Thanks to my dog Birdie, I've learned that carving out an activity different from the practice of law — like daily outdoor walks that allow you to interact with new people — can contribute to professional success by boosting creativity and mental acuity, as well as expanding your social network, says Sarah Petrie at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
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Employer Considerations Before Title IX Rule Goes Into Effect
While the U.S. Department of Education's final rule on Title IX is currently published as an unofficial version, institutions and counsel should take immediate action to ensure they are prepared for the new requirements, including protections for LGBTQ+ and pregnant students and employees, before it takes effect in August, say Jeffrey Weimer and Cori Smith at Reed Smith.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic
Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals
Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.
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Compliance Strategies To Mitigate 3 New Areas Of AI Risk
The era of artificial intelligence-assisted corporate crime is here, but several concrete mitigation strategies can allow companies to address the new, rapidly evolving threats posed by deepfakes, information barrier evasion and AI model manipulation, say attorneys at Debevoise.