On August 30th, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a long-awaited proposed rule that if adopted, will substantially expand the ranks of workers eligible for overtime payments for work in excess of 40 hours, as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under present FLSA regulations, certain “white…
The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 requires all U.S. employers, regardless of size, to complete a Form I-9 upon hiring a new employee to work in the United States. This form serves to verify an employee’s identity and ability to work in the country. On August 1,…
The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) is responsible for enforcement of employee rights under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to engage in protected concerted activity, such as organizing unions, discussing wages and discipline, and other terms and conditions of employment. Many employers are not…
Under New Jersey’s Unemployment Compensation Law, employers have long been obligated to provide separating employees with a Form BC-10 which includes instructions for claiming unemployment benefits, and to provide a reason for the employee’s termination when requested by the NJ Division of Unemployment and Temporary Disability Insurance (the “Division”). Because…
Mandatory Sexual Harassment Policy Requirements Since October 2018 New York has mandated employers to adopt written sexual harassment policies and provide yearly sexual harassment training. The State developed a Sexual Harassment Model Policy and model harassment training materials that employers can use, or employers can develop their own policy and…
In a recent published decision, Kennedy v. Weichert, the New Jersey Appellate Division addressed the proper classification of fully commissioned real estate salespeople as employees versus independent contractors. The court ruled that these individuals are not subject to the “ABC” test for purposes of determining their classification under the New…
On June 29, 2023, a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Groff v. DeJoy, clarifying employers’ obligations to accommodate employees’ religious practices under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The Court reinterpreted the meaning of “undue hardship” and held that Title VII requires an employer who denies an employee’s…
Following through on Governor Hokhul’s promise in her 2022 State of the State address, New York lawmakers passed a blanket ban on all non-compete agreements, thus joining the growing federal and state efforts to curb their use. However, the bill imposes greater restrictions than those implemented in other jurisdictions, including…
On June 13, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) reverted to its prior employee friendly independent contractor test to find that makeup artists, wig artists, and hairstylists (“the stylists”) working for the Atlanta Opera were employees rather than independent contractors. This revived independent contractor test will significantly…
On May 30, 2023, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued an opinion letter clarifying how to calculate leave taken under the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) during a week containing a holiday. It is important for employers to properly calculate employee FMLA leave time because a miscalculation could be…