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Labor & Employment Articles by Eric B. Levine

Protecting Employee Data From a Human Resources Perspective

Published on: October 12, 2018 | by Eric B. Levine

Originally published in the October 2018 issue of HR News.

Combatting cyber-threats and protecting data is not only the job of an IT department. Human resource professionals play a critical role in safeguarding personally identifiable information as well. Indeed, if there is one area in every company that has in its possession a literal treasure trove of sensitive information, it is Human Resource. Who else has access to employees’ names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers, bank account information (for direct depositing of paychecks), health and medical information (originating form health insurance applications, flex plan reimbursement materials) and financial information, especially if your company has a self-directed 401K plan and contributions are automatically deducted from payroll. Needless to say, a data breach implicating your Human Resources department could be devastating. So what can you as a human resource professional do to assist in maintaining the integrity of your company’s data? Plenty.

Collaborate with IT and Legal departments:

Employers Face Significant Difficulty Obtaining Injunctive Relief for Alleged Breach of Non-competition and Confidentiality Provisions

Published on: February 2, 2015 | by Eric B. Levine

By: Eric Levine, Esq.

In , the Superior Court denied Mega Brand’s application for injunctive relief against two former employees who purportedly violated the non-competition and confidentiality provisions of their employment agreements. The decision illustrates the burden faced by employers seeking to enforce post-employment restrictions against former employees, as well as the consequences of appearing less than truthful when seeking judicial relief.

The Facts: Mega Brands is a distributor of stationary products to large retail customers such as Wal-Mart and Target. Prior to joining Mega Brands, Michael Cerillo and Ben Hoch operated a company that sold stationary products comparable to those offered by Mega Brands. In 2006, Mega Brands acquired the company through a stock purchase agreement (“SP Agreement”) and hired Cerillo and Hoch under employment agreements containing standard non-competition and confidentiality provisions. These agreements expired on the later of five years from the date of the SP Agreement or twelve months after Cerillo and Hoch’s termination of employment with Mega Brands.

Third Circuit Slams Employer for Inability to Prove FMLA Notices to Employee Were Received

Published on: October 23, 2014 | by Eric B. Levine

By: Eric Levine, Esq.

In its recent decision in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals (which includes New Jersey) issued a ruling that signals heightened obligations for employers communicating with employees about their rights under the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). Prior to that ruling, employers typically relied upon the “Mailbox Rule” (which presumes receipt of a letter properly deposited into the U. S. Mail) as evidence that mandated FMLA notices were received by employees. After , however, the Mailbox Rule’s viability in the FMLA context is questionable, and prudent employers should institute procedures to insure that FMLA notices are served by certified mail or other method of traceable transmission so that actual receipt by the employee can be established.

The Facts: Lisa Lupyan was an instructor for Corinthian Colleges, Inc. (“CCI”). In 2007, Ms. Lupyan requested a personal leave of absence to recover from depression, and thereafter provided CCI with a physician’s certification of a mental health condition. As a result, CCI determined that Ms. Lupyan was eligible for FMLA leave as opposed to using her personal leave allotment.