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Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues

Our Monthly Report on Labor Law Issues, also known as the Employment Law Bulletin, is a monthly newsletter that covers a wide range of labor law issues, including affirmative action plans, strikes, OSHA regulations, minimum wage requirements, and more. Other topics covered have included issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as workplace walk-outs and strikes, vaccinations, and employee rights related to positive test results and quarantine. The newsletter also covers issues related to discrimination, such as artificial intelligence and racial bias, and issues related to unions, such as organizing efforts and union successes at companies like Amazon and Starbucks. The newsletter also covers issues related to taxes, immigration, and court cases related to labor law. Stay informed and avoid legal missteps, by subscribing to email updates here.

WHAT DO EMPLOYERS DO ABOUT LEGAL MARIJUANA?

| May 2014
Employers are now confronting several issues involving off-duty marijuana use. First, there is a new type of "synthetic" marijuana that is not prohibited by many laws. Second, many states have passed laws allowing medical use of marijuana. Third, in at least three states, state law allows the legal use of marijuana for recreational purposes. These issues ...
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DISCRIMINATION PLAINTIFF MUST PAY BACK SETTLEMENT PROCEEDS DUE TO VIOLATING CONFIDENTIALITY PROVISION

| May 2014
In settlement agreements, it is quite common for the parties to insert confidentiality provisions, such as the following: "The plaintiff shall not either directly or indirectly disclose, discuss or communicate to any entity or person, except his attorneys or other professional advisors or spouse any information whatsoever regarding the existence or terms ...
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PLAINTIFF RECOVERS ONLY $8,000, BUT EMPLOYER HAS TO PAY PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEY $104,000

| May 2014
A recent case demonstrates a dilemma many employers face in defending legal claims. A plaintiff employee may successfully sue and recover only a small amount of money, but under the various discrimination laws, the laws generally provide for the employer to pay the prevailing plaintiff's attorneys' fees. In a recent decision, the plaintiff's employee obt...
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SUPERVISOR SUCCESSFULLY BRINGS DEFAMATION CLAIM AGAINST UNION

| May 2014
It is rare for defamation claims by or against unions to successfully proceed in a union environment, but a recent case makes an exception. Thomas v. Steelworkers Local 1938, 37 IER Cases 1233 (C.A. 8, 2014). The supervisor at a steel mill established a claim subject to jury trial alleging that the vice president of the union defamed him regarding inciden...
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INCOGNITO PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL INCIDENT REMINDS EMPLOYERS OF THE DANGERS OF WORKPLACE BULLYING

| May 2014
There has been a lot of national publicity given recently after a 300+ pound Miami Dolphin tackle left the team and filed grievances of player misconduct against a teammate, a 300+ pound guard. The facts in this situation are murky, but apparently the incident was part of a hazing culture involving newer team members, goading and other incidents that got ...
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DETERMINING STRATEGY ON WHEN AND HOW TO FIGHT AN UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIM

| July 2014
Perhaps the most common form of employment "litigation" is a claim for unemployment compensation. Such claims are so common that only a few employers even consider this as "litigation," although such cases often involve a hearing before a state administrative officer or "judge." Similarly, a record can be established, often by a recording that can later b...
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PLAINTIFF REFUSED TO CHANGE HER HAIRSTYLE FROM DREADLOCKS TO SOMETHING "PROFESSIONAL"

| July 2014
A plaintiff recently sued an employer alleging that its dress code prohibiting dreadlocks constituted an unlawful employment practice that discriminates on the basis of race. While she was given an offer of employment, it was on the condition that she cut off her dreadlocks, and the offer was withdrawn when she refused to do so. The employer's policy stat...
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PLAINTIFF TERMINATED FOR FAILURE TO BE A "TEAM PLAYER" GETS JURY TRIAL

| July 2014
Some employers feel they can assign a certain name or description to an employee termination, and that courts will say it is ok. Terms such as "don't need you anymore," or "the job has been eliminated," "poor attitude," and "not a team player" are often used. Unfortunately, the use of such terms by an employer does not always guarantee an employer's succe...
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JOKES ABOUT AGE FORCE EMPLOYER TO FACE AGE DISCRIMINATION TRIAL

| July 2014
A 43-year-old head of sales was hired by a start-up internet technology company, and was employed only three months before being terminated for failing to meet sales quotas. At only 43, he was the oldest employee in the company, as most employees in the start-up company were in their 30's. The Defendant employer's chief executive made a remark to Plaintif...
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WHY THE GOVERNMENT LIKES TO ISSUE PRESS RELEASES AND BIG FINES

| July 2014
An on-going study of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has explained the obvious of why government agencies like to issue press releases and big fines. According to the preliminary results of the study, when a press release highlighting the fines from an inspection is issued, there is about a fifty percent (50%) reduction in the num...
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ONE WAY TO LOWER THE COST OF SEVERANCE PROGRAMS

| September 2014
The recent U.S. Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Quality Stores, Inc. resolved a disagreement among the U.S. Courts of Appeal about whether severance payments are subject to taxes required under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA).  The Court held that severance payments are taxable "wages" for FICA tax purposes. This decision ...
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