ADA cases today are more often about what took place in the interactive process for identifying a reasonable accommodation than about whether a disability is ...
Employers across all industries are deep in the midst of exciting but unchartered and fluid times. Rapid and unforeseen technological advancements are largely responsible for this dynamic. And while there is a natural tendency to embrace their novelty and potential, the reality is that these advancements are often outpacing our regulatory environment, our bedrock legal constructs, and, in some cases, challenging the traditional notions of work itself.
For employers, this presents numerous challenges and opportunities—from the proper design of the portfolio of the modern ...
Howard Gerver is a self-proclaimed human capital data geek. His “day job” specializes in finding innovative and practical ways to save money by identifying “golden nuggets” mined from Big HR Data sets, such as claims and human capital data. A lot of this work includes analytics, claim auditing and eligibility auditing. His “nights and weekend” job focuses on helping clients leverage their HR, Benefits, Leave and Time & Attendance data to help improve compliance with the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Throughout his career, he has focused on improving the ...
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) recently issued guidance discussing certain disclosure and authorization requirements that employers must satisfy prior to obtaining background screening reports for prospective employees. If your company obtains background information to screen prospective employees, now is a good time to make sure you are complying with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”).
Under the FCRA, background screening reports are either “consumer reports” or “investigative consumer reports” when they are used for employment purposes ...
Growing a company from the ground-up can be immensely rewarding but also challenging. With the proliferation of start-up companies in this Digital Age, the question is often asked how a business can grow from a handful of like-minded individuals with a common goal while maintaining its culture and staying in compliance with a myriad of laws that impact its operations and workplace. On May 17, 2017, Epstein Becker Green’s TMT service team was delighted to co-host with WeWork Dumbo Heights (Prospect): When Jeans Meet Suits: Keeping Your Startup Culture & Staying Compliant with ...
On Tuesday, April 18, 2017, the Trump Administration signed an Executive Order (“EO”) titled, Buy American and Hire American. The EO directs the US Departments of Labor, Justice, State, and Homeland Security to look into ways to reform the current H-1B process used by companies, but in particular, the hi-tech industry, to prevent fraud and abuse. Nothing in this EO’s wording changes or limits the current H-1B visa program. Any future EO that tries to drastically change the current H-1B program will be met with industry opposition and legal action since much of the current H-1B ...
Many of the most successful businesses are the product of the investment of its founder’s time, energy and money. Often, this investment may be the most significant source of their retirement income or personal wealth. Yet at some point, whether due to political or market conditions, or more personal reasons, it may become time to sell the business and unlock the value of this investment.
Here are some important considerations for selling a closely held business, especially for those founders who have never been through a sales process, to achieve a successful exit.
- Know the value ...
In the latest HR headline from the start-up world, the offending executive doesn’t fit the typical mold, but the lesson remains the same: don’t ignore human resources.
Miki Agrawal, the self-proclaimed “SHE-eo” of THINX, and her “boundary pushing” workplace demeanor are the focus of a New York City Commission on Human Rights complaint by the former head of public relations, Chelsea Leibow. Leibow alleges that Agrawal created a hostile work environment through her constant discussion of sex, nudity around employees, and inappropriate touching of employees’ ...
The Immigration Law Group at Epstein Becker Green released a Special Immigration Alert that will be of interest to our readers.
Topics include:
- President Trump Issues Revised Executive Order on Travel
- USCIS Suspends Premium Processing for H-1B Petitions Starting April 3, 2017: All H-1B Petitions, Including H-1B Cap Petitions, Are Affected!
- Use of New Form I-9 Is Now Mandatory
- IRS Announces That Delinquent Taxpayers Face Revocation/Denial of U.S. Passports
- DHS Issues Two New Memos on Enforcement/Border Security
As I continue to follow developments regarding the future of work, I recently attended an event co-sponsored by Cornell/ILR’s Institute for Workplace Studies in NYC and the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) addressing MGI’s report last Fall entitled Independent Work: Choice, Necessity and the Gig Economy. The report examines the increasing numbers of self-employed, freelance and temporary workers in the U.S. and Europe which are currently estimated to comprise 30 percent of the working-age population and rising. The report notes that many workers have chosen this ...
A recent blog post by Susan Fowler, a former software engineer at Uber, and the author of two books regarding software engineering, has once again drawn national attention to the issue of the underrepresentation of women in the technology industry. Her story has received extensive media coverage, and Uber has retained former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate Ms. Fowler’s allegations. Further, the allegations appear to have reinvigorated the #DeleteUber social media campaign.
Ms. Fowler’s account describes a plethora of employment law issues, in particular ...
Our colleagues Brian W. Steinbach and Judah L. Rosenblatt, at Epstein Becker Green, have a post on the Heath Employment and Labor blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Mayor Signs District of Columbia Ban on Most Employment Credit Inquiries.”
Following is an excerpt:
On February 15, 2017, Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the “Fair Credit in Employment Amendment Act of 2016” (“Act”) (D.C. Act A21-0673) previously passed by the D.C. Council. The Act amends the Human Rights Act of 1977 to add “credit information” as a trait protected ...
Human Resources and Payroll should advise employees in their departments to be on the lookout for the latest tax season phishing scam designed to steal employees’ tax related information and social security numbers. Given the regular frequency of these types of attacks, employers should be taking appropriate steps to safeguard employee Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”). At a minimum, Human Resources should have in place written policies regarding the handling of employee PII and provide training designed to protect employee PII against a data breach. Because ...
Our colleague Sharon L. Lippett, a Member of the Firm at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Financial Services Employment Law blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “New DOL FAQs Provide Additional Guidance (and Comfort) for Plan Sponsors.”
Following is an excerpt:
Based on recent guidance from the Department of Labor (the “DOL”), many sponsors of employee benefit plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA Plans”) should have additional comfort regarding the impact of the ...
Our colleagues Joshua A. Stein and Frank C. Morris, Jr., at Epstein Becker Green have a post on the Health Employment And Labor blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: "The U.S. Access-Board Releases Long-Awaited Final Accessible Medical Diagnostic Equipment Standards."
Following is an excerpt:
As part of a flurry of activity in the final days of the Obama Administration, the U.S. the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (the "Access Board") has finally announced the release of its Accessibility Standards for ...
Earlier this month, in the waning moments of the Obama Administration, the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (the “Access Board”) took the long-anticipated step of requiring websites of federal government agencies to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (“WCAG”) 2.0 Levels A and AA. (The Access Board was established in 1973 to develop and maintain standards for accessible design in the built environment, transit vehicles and systems, telecommunications equipment and electronic and information technology.)
On ...
The United States Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) on January 17, 2017, just days before the inauguration of President Donald Trump, filed a lawsuit against Oracle America, Inc. (“Oracle”), alleging discrimination in its compensation and hiring practices, and its refusal to produce requested records and data. See Complaint. The lawsuit, filed with the Office of Administrative Law Judges, stems from a compliance review initiated by the OFCCP on September 24, 2014 at Oracle’s Redwood Shores headquarters in ...
In the new issue of Take 5, our colleagues examine five employment, labor, and workforce management issues that will continue to be reviewed and remain top of mind for employers under the Trump administration:
Read the full Take 5 online or download ...Our colleagues Judah L. Rosenblatt, Jeffrey H. Ruzal, and Susan Gross Sholinsky, at Epstein Becker Green, have a post on the Hospitality Labor and Employment Law Blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Where Federal Expectations Are Low Governor Cuomo Introduces Employee Protective Mandates in New York.”
Following is an excerpt:
Earlier this week New York Governor Andrew D. Cuomo (D) signed two executive orders and announced a series of legislative proposals specifically aimed at eliminating the wage gap in gender, among other workers ...
On December 9, 2016, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signed ordinances no. 184652 and 184653, collectively referred to as the “Fair Chance Initiative.” These ordinances prohibit employers and City contractors (collectively “Employers”), respectively, from inquiring about job seekers’ criminal convictions until after a conditional offer of employment has been made. Both ordinances will go into effect on January 22, 2017 and will impact all employers in the City of Los Angeles and for every position which requires an employee to work at least an average of two hours per ...
The new episode of Employment Law This Week offers a year-end roundup of the biggest employment, workforce, and management issues in 2016:
- Impact of the Defend Trade Secrets Act
- States Called to Ban Non-Compete Agreements
- Paid Sick Leave Laws Expand
- Transgender Employment Law
- Uncertainty Over the DOL’s Overtime Rule and Salary Thresholds
- NLRB Addresses Joint Employment
- NLRB Rules on Union Organizing
Watch the episode below and read EBG’s Take 5 newsletter, "Top Five Employment, Labor & Workforce Management Issues of 2016."
Our colleague Jeffrey H. Ruzal, Senior Counsel at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Wage & Hour Defense Blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Decision Enjoining Federal Overtime Rule Changes Will Not Affect Proposed Increases Under New York State’s Overtime Laws.”
Following is an excerpt:
As we recently reported on our Wage & Hour Defense Blog, on November 22, 2016, a federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction enjoining the U.S. Department of Labor from implementing its new ...
Our colleague Michael S. Kun, national Chairperson of the Wage and Hour practice group at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Wage & Hour Defense Blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Stop! Texas Federal Court Enjoins New FLSA Overtime Rules."
Following is an excerpt:
The injunction could leave employers in a state of limbo for weeks, months and perhaps longer as injunctions often do not resolve cases and, instead, lead to lengthy appeals. Here, though, the injunction could spell the quick death to the new rules should the Department ...
Gene Zaino, a nationally recognized expert in the contract workforce market, launched MBO Partners to re-invent the way independent consultants and organizations work together. MBO Partners provides technology solutions and personal service that both simplify and expedite business processes for self-employed professionals including: incorporation, contract setup, billing, financial management, payroll, tax compliance, and health and retirement benefit programs. MBO Partners also provides access to the largest network of “engagement ready” enterprise ...
Our colleague Daniel J. Green, an Associate at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Trade Secrets & Noncompete Blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Aggressive New Antitrust Guidance for Human Resources Professionals Threatens Criminal Prosecution for Certain Unlawful Wage Fixing and No Poaching Agreements”
Following up on a string of civil enforcement actions and employee antitrust suits, regarding no-poaching agreements in the technology industry, on October 20, 2016 the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and Federal ...
How, and to what extent, should “big data” analytics play a role in workforce recruitment, development, and retention? These were some of the questions asked on October 13, 2016 at a meeting convened by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on the use of big data analytics in the workplace. Based on the exchange with the panel of seven experts, it is clear that the EEOC is cautiously approaching companies’ use of big data in informing employment decisions, and is beginning to think about its role in overseeing big data analytics as applied to the workforce.
Big data ...
When: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019
Epstein Becker Green’s Annual Workforce Management Briefing will focus on the latest developments in labor and employment law, including:
- Latest Developments from the NLRB
- Attracting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce
- ADA Website Compliance
- Trade Secrets and Non-Competes
- Managing and Administering Leave Policies
- New Overtime Rules
- Workplace Violence and Active-Shooter Situations
- Recordings in the Workplace
- Instilling Corporate Ethics
By Michelle Capezza (Member of the Firm, Epstein Becker Green) and Howard Gerver (President, ACA Managed Services)
As employers prepare the Affordable Care Act information reporting filings for the 2016 year that will be due in 2017 (notably the 1094/1095 B&C), the good faith standard of compliance, and the potential for inaccuracies, is no longer available. In order to seek a waiver of penalties for the 2016 filings made in 2017, an employer will need to meet a standard of reasonable cause and no willful neglect. With this standard, an employer must show that there are significant ...
On August 31, 2016, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposed rule which, if adopted in its present form, would ease the ability of foreign national (FN) entrepreneurs to temporarily enter the United States to invest in and grow start-up businesses. At the present time, there is no temporary visa classification that permits FNs to make significant investments in new or growing businesses and then remain here to manage them. In announcing this proposed rule, DHS indicated that it was intended to spur business growth and job creation at a time when the U.S. economy ...
In August 2015, the National Labor Relations Board (“Board”) issued its decision in Browning-Ferris Industries of California, Inc., 362 NLRB No. 186 (2015), adopting a new standard for determining whether a company is a joint employer and therefore subject to all of an employer’s legal obligations under the NLRA with respect to the employees of another employer that provides it with services, leased or temporary labor, or the like. Since then, there have been many dire predictions as to how this new test would result in finding businesses to be joint employers of the employees ...
For years, companies have been struggling to understand the multitude of locations where their data resides. From traditional employment files with embedded Social Security numbers, to new-aged hiring software with videos of job applicants, and enterprise software used to facilitate employee communications, controlling employee, customer, and corporate data is, to say the least, a logistical challenge. One of the newest entries into the mix is the increased use of ShadowIT and cloud-based storage systems.
ShadowIT involves workers’ use of unsanctioned products and ...
Throughout 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC” or “Commission”) has been examining initiatives to identify and attempt to rectify a perceived lack of diversity in the workplace. The EEOC has, in particular, identified the technology industry as an area where significant strides can be made to create a more diverse workforce.
Following a May 18, 2016, public meeting on diversity in the technology industry, the EEOC issued a “Diversity in High Tech” report (“Report”) summarizing research on the lack of diversity in the “high-tech ...
In recent years, the use of wearable devices, such as smartwatches and Fitbits, has gained popularity not only with the general public and consumers but also among employers as a way to encourage workers to maintain healthier habits and, in turn, help reduce health care costs. Increasingly, companies are distributing wearable devices to employees as part of workplace wellness programs. According to one estimate, nearly half of employers that have a workplace wellness program use fitness trackers.[1] This trend shows little sign of abating. The data collected from these ...
Our colleague Steven M. Swirsky, a Member of the Firm at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Management Memo blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Can Your Corporate Social Responsibility Policy Make You a Joint-Employer With Your Suppliers? The NLRB May Find That It Does”
Following is an excerpt:
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board), which continues to apply an ever expanding standard for determining whether a company that contracts with another business to supply contract labor or services in support of its ...
Our colleague Linda B. Celauro, Senior Counsel at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Financial Services Employment Law blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Seventh Circuit Panel Finds That Title VII Does Not Cover Sexual Orientation Bias.”
Following is an excerpt:
Bound by precedent, on July 28, 2016, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that sexual orientation discrimination is not sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The panel thereby affirmed the decision of the U.S ...
As the employer-employee relationship and the meaning of a “workplace” continue to evolve in the “gig” (or “sharing” or “on-demand”) economy, a model of portable employee benefits, which are managed by mobile workers themselves, is gaining appeal. This employee benefits approach is not currently intended to replace employer-provided benefits for all workers but rather to fill a gap for those who may work independently as contractors or as temporary employees, do not have access to workplace benefits, or move from employer to employer quite frequently ...
Featured on Employment Law This Week® - Pokémon Go creates privacy concerns for employers.
The first mainstream augmented reality game is sweeping the nation, and the game never stops, even during work hours. Despite a recent update to the game that reduces its access to players’ Google accounts, Pokémon Go’s data collection practices are under fire from privacy advocates. The Electronic Privacy Information Center has joined the fray, calling for the FTC to investigate security risks associated with the game. In light of the popularity of the game, employers should ...
Our colleagues Adam C. Abrahms and Steven M. Swirsky, attorneys at Epstein Becker Green, have a post on the Management Memo blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “NLRB Drops Other Shoe on Temporary/Contract Employee Relationships: Ruling Will Require Bargaining In Combined Units Including Employees of Multiple Employers – Greatly Multiplies Impact of BFI Expanded Joint Employer Test.”
Following is an excerpt:
The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) announced in its 3-1 decision in Miller & Anderson, 364 ...
As with most aspects of the workplace, employee benefits are going digital. From online enrollments and administration for all types of benefits, to electronic educational tools, employers are increasingly seeking ways to use new technologies to enhance their benefits programs, increase efficiencies and employee engagement. Among these innovations is the proliferation of computer-driven, digitally-based investment advisers, or so-called “robo advisers.” The market for robo-advisers is growing fast with many new companies entering the space with increasing ...
Our colleague Steven M. Swirsky, a Member of the Firm at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Management Memo blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Federal Appeals Court Sides with NLRB – Holds Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver Violates Employee Rights and Unenforceable.”
Following is an excerpt:
The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago has now sided with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) in its decision in Lewis v. Epic Systems Corporation, and found that an employer’s arbitration ...
Our colleagues Joshua Stein, co-chair of Epstein Becker Green’s ADA and Public Accommodations Group, and Stephen Strobach, Accessibility Specialist, have a post on the Retail Labor and Employment Law blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “DOJ Refreshes Its Efforts to Promulgate Title II Website Accessibility Regulations and Other Accessible Technology Updates – What Does It All Suggest for Businesses?”
Following is an excerpt:
On April 28, 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, withdrew its Notice of ...
Maryland has now joined New York and several other states that have recently passed legislation expanding state equal pay laws and/or broadening the right of employees to discuss their wages with each other (often called “wage transparency”). The Equal Pay for Equal Work Act of 2016 (“Act”), signed by Governor Hogan on May 19, 2016 and set to take effect October 1, 2016, amends Maryland’s existing Equal Pay law (Md. Code, Labor and Employment, §3-301, et seq.), which applies to employers of any size, in several significant aspects.
First, as to the equal pay provisions, the ...
Our colleagues Jeffrey Ruzal and Michael Kun at Epstein Becker Green have a post on the Wage & Hour Defense Blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “DOL Final White Collar Exemption Rule to Take Effect on December 1, 2016.”
Following is an excerpt:
Nearly a year after the Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to address an increase in the minimum salary for white collar exemptions, the DOL has announced its final rule, to take effect on December 1, 2016. …
According to the DOL’s Fact Sheet, the final rule will ...
Our colleague Valerie Butera, a Member of the Firm at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the OSHA Law Update blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “OSHA’s New Electronic Recordkeeping Rule Creates a Number of New Pitfalls for Employers.”
Following is an excerpt:
On May 12, 2016, OSHA published significant amendments to its recordkeeping rule, requiring many employers to submit work-related injury and illness information to the agency electronically. The amendments also include provisions designed to prevent employers from ...
Our colleague Steven M. Swirsky, a Member of the Firm at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Management Memo blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “NLRB Looks to Make It Harder for Employees to Decertify Unions.”
Following is an excerpt:
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Richard F. Griffin, Jr., has announced in a newly issued Memorandum Regional Directors in the agency’s offices across the country that he is seeking a change in law that would make it much more difficult for employees who no longer wish to be ...
[caption id="attachment_1519" align="alignright" width="113"] Gregg Settembrino[/caption]
Recently I attended the American Bar Association’s (“ABA”) 2016 mid-year National Symposium on Technology in Labor and Employment Law (“Conference”) in Washington, D.C. The Conference highlighted a number of technology related issues that should be of interest to employers, such as the use artificial intelligence in the workplace, cybersecurity, and new trends in the National Labor Relations Board’s technology-based decisions and rulemaking.
One segment of the ...
Technology employers should note that the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (“DOL”) has just released a new Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) poster and The Employer’s Guide to The Family and Medical Leave Act (“Guide”).
New FMLA Poster
The FMLA requires covered employers to display a copy of the General FMLA Notice prominently in a conspicuous place. The new poster is more reader-friendly and better organized than the previous one. The font is larger and the poster contains a QR code that will connect the reader directly to the DOL homepage. According to ...
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="98"] Jang Hyuk Im[/caption]
Many high-tech companies are recovering from the recent April mad-dash to file H-1B cap petitions allowing for the continued employment of their foreign student graduate population. Since the H-1B cap season closed abruptly following the first week of April, and USCIS has completed its computer-generated lottery determining which of the 200,000-plus petitions submitted have been accepted for the limited 85,000 H-1B cap slots available, employers now must turn their attention immediately to define ...
Our colleague Steven M. Swirsky, a Member of the Firm at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Management Memo blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “NLRB Argues 'Misclassification' as an Independent Contractor Is Unfair Labor Practice.”
Following is an excerpt:
In a further incursion into the area of the gig and new age economy, the Regional Director for the National Labor Relations Board’s Los Angeles office has issued an unfair labor practice complaint alleging that it is a violation of the National Labor Relations Act (the ...
We recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Julianne Tveten of Motherboard, for her article “HR Comes Last at Startups, and Women Pay the Price.”
The article raises some important issues for startup founders and investors. In particular, as we discuss, a delay in establishing HR policies may inadvertently draw claims of harassment in the workplace.
Following is an excerpt of one of our passages:
“Usually, the wakeup call comes by way of litigation, investigation, or when the people strategy is not completely sound and investors or potential acquirers look at the ...
Our colleagues Steven R. Blackburn and Elizabeth J. Boca, attorneys at Epstein Becker Green, have a post on the Retail Labor and Employment Law blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “San Francisco Paid Parental Leave.”
Following is an excerpt:
Under the proposed San Francisco ordinance, for up to six weeks employers must bridge the gap between the amount the employee receives in PFL and one-hundred percent of the employee’s gross weekly wages (referred to as “Supplemental Compensation”) for parental bonding purposes. In ...
Our colleague Joshua A. Stein, attorney at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Retail Labor and Employment Law blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Recent Decisions Reinforce That Accessible Technology Claims Are Not Going Away.”
Following is an excerpt:
As businesses continue to compete to provide customers and guests with more attractive services and amenities, we have seen increased utilization of technology to provide those enhanced experiences. However, in adopting and increasingly relying on new technologies such as ...
Our colleague Frank C. Morris, Jr., attorney at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Financial Services Employment Law blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: "New Online Recruiting Accessibility Tool Could Help Forestall ADA Claims by Applicants With Disabilities."
Following is an excerpt:
In recent years, employers have increasingly turned to web based recruiting technologies and online applications. For some potential job applicants, including individuals with disabilities, such as those who are blind or have low vision, online ...
Our colleagues in Epstein Becker Green’s Immigration Law Group recently published a special client alert: "USCIS Announces That the Congressionally Mandated H-1B Cap for Fiscal Year 2017 Has Been Reached."
Following is an excerpt:
On April 7, 2016, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that it had reached the Congressionally mandated H-1B cap for fiscal year 2017 (“FY17”). This announcement applies to both the general cap of 65,000 and the additional cap of 20,000 for those with advanced degrees from U.S. universities.
One of the featured stories on Employment Law This Week is the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) release of its highly anticipated final rule expanding and modifying the F-1 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Optional Practical Training (OPT) Program.
A 2015 district court case found procedural errors in the DHS’s program, putting the current employment and OPT extensions of thousands of foreign nationals in jeopardy. This new final rule is DHS’s response to the court’s decision. Among other changes, the new final rule extends the potential ...
Our colleagues Peter M. Panken, Nancy L. Gunzenhauser, and Marc-Joseph Gansah have a post on the Retail Labor and Employment Blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Employers Should Care About This: New York City’s Amendment on Caregiver Discrimination.”
Following is an excerpt:
The New York City’s Human Rights law (“NYCHRL”) prohibits employment discrimination against specified protected classes of employees and applicants including:
race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender ...
Our colleagues in Epstein Becker Green’s Immigration Law Group recently published a special client alert: “USCIS Announces That Current Form I-9 Remains in Effect Until Further Notice.”
Following is an excerpt:
On March 31, 2016, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that employers should continue using the current version of Form I-9 until further notice. USCIS guidance was required because the current Form I-9 bears an expiration date of March 31, 2016. The USCIS has proposed a new Form I-9 to replace the current version, but the agency has ...
Our colleagues Adam C. Abrahms and Steven M. Swirsky, attorneys at Epstein Becker Green, have a post on the Management Memo blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: “Department of Labor Releases New Persuader Rule Intended to Aid Union Organizing.”
The US Department of Labor has finally issued its long awaited Final Rule radically reinterpreting the “Advice Exemption” to the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (“LMRDA.”). The Final Rule eviscerates any meaningful use of the Advice Exemption, which would be ...
Our colleagues in Epstein Becker Green’s Immigration Law Group recently published a special client alert: "DHS Releases New F-1 STEM OPT Regulations."
Following is an excerpt:
On March 11, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) issued its long-awaited final rule (the “2016 Rule”) allowing F-1 graduates to extend their Optional Practical Training (“OPT”) period if they have a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (“STEM”) from an accredited U.S. university and their prospective employer is registered in and using the ...
Our colleagues Anthony Laura and Matthew Aibel, attorneys at Epstein Becker Green, have a post on the Trade Secrets & Noncompete Blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: "Jurisdiction to Pursue Non-Compete Claims in the Age of Remote Employees."
Following is an excerpt:
With remote access technology becoming standard across industries, companies readily engage a multi-state workforce, with many employees residing outside of the employer’s home state. While an expanded access to talent may be beneficial, one drawback is the ability to ...
[caption id="attachment_1461" align="alignright" width="113"] Nancy L. Gunzenhauser[/caption]
On March 3, 2016, the EEOC issued a one-page fact sheet aimed at assisting start-ups and small businesses understand their responsibilities under the various federal employment laws. The fact sheet, which is available in over 30 languages, reminds employers that:
- employment decisions cannot be made on the basis of protected categories
- employers should establish policies that do not disparately impact employees on the basis of protected categories
- men and women must be provided ...
Our colleague Nancy L. Gunzenhauser, an Associate at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Retail Labor and Employment Blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the technology industry: "Reminder: All Philadelphia Employers Must Post New Ban-the-Box Poster."
Following is an excerpt:
One of the requirements of the amended Philadelphia ban-the-box law has gone into effect. As of March 14, 2016, Philadelphia employers are required to post a new poster provided by the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations in a conspicuous place on both the employer’s website and on ...
Our colleague Joshua A. Stein has a Retail Labor and Employment Law Blog post that will be of interest to many of our technology industry readers: “Defending Against Website Accessibility Claims: Recent Decisions Suggest the Primary Jurisdiction Doctrine Is Unlikely to Serve As Businesses’ Silver Bullet.”
Following is an excerpt:
For businesses hoping to identify an avenue to quickly and definitively defeat the recent deluge of website accessibility claims brought by industrious plaintiff’s firms, advocacy groups, and government regulators in the initial ...
Technology media and telecommunications (“TMT”) industry employers should begin taking steps to mitigate a new litigation risk—reverse discrimination claims. This past year there were a number of news stories regarding the lack of diversity in the technology industry (see, for example, articles in Inc., The Cut, Fusion, The New York Times, and Wired). Numerous advocacy groups pressured TMT employers to focus on increasing workplace diversity in order to eliminate this disparity. As TMT employers continue to defend themselves against these allegations, the ...
Our colleague Laura A. Stutz has a Retail Employment Law Blog post that will be of interest to many of our technology industry readers: “EEOC Implements Nationwide Program to Disclose Employer Position Statements and Supporting Documents.”
Following is an excerpt:
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) recently implemented nationwide procedures for the release of employer position statements to Charging Parties upon request. The new procedures raise concerns about disclosure by the EEOC of non-public personnel and commercial or financial ...
Following on the tails of recent updates in New York and California’s equal pay laws, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California all have bills pending in their state legislatures that would seek to eliminate pay differentials on the basis of sex and other protected categories.
The NJ Amendment
NJ employers may be curious why this amendment is necessary, as the state’s Equal Pay Law already prohibits discrimination in the rate or method of payment of wages to an employee because of his or her sex. The NJ Amendment, which has passed in the Senate and must now move through the House ...
Our colleague Frank C. Morris, Jr., a Member of the Firm in the Litigation and Employee Benefits practices, in the firm’s Washington, DC, office, was quoted in “Retaliation, ADA Charges Rise” by Allen Smith. The article discusses the uptick in retaliation charges which have been filed and includes tips for employers on how to reduce the likelihood that they will get hit with those types of charges.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="98"] Jang Hyuk Im[/caption]
My colleague Jang Hyuk Im, a Member in the firm’s San Francisco office, authored an article in Law360 titled “Steps for Avoiding Unexpected Joint Employer Liability.” (Read the full version – subscription required.). I thought you might find Jang’s article of interest particularly given recent media coverage about the outsourcing of domestic IT jobs and legal challenges facing employers.
Following is an excerpt:
The long-term expense and economic effects of maintaining a full-time workforce ...
Our colleagues in Epstein Becker Green’s Immigration Law Group recently published a special client alert regarding a final rule issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) concerning highly skilled workers.
On January 15, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) issued its long-awaited final rule regarding highly skilled workers from Australia, Chile, Singapore, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (“CNMI”), along with amendments favoring employment-based immigration. In summary, this rule:
Frustrating news has emerged from Washington D.C. as the recently-published federal government’s Fall Semiannual Regulatory Agenda revealed that the long-anticipated U.S. Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) for regulations governing website accessibility for places of public accommodation under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“Title III”) would not be issued in the Spring of 2016 as most recently anticipated and would instead be delayed until fiscal year 2018. DOJ now intends to issue a NPRM governing ...
Employers in the technology, media and telecommunications industry are faced with many workplace management and legal compliance challenges. Among these are trends in the shared economy and rise of the contingent workforce, data privacy and security, and use of social media in connection with recruitment, employee monitoring and termination. At the recent Epstein Becker Green 34th Annual Workforce Management Briefing held at the New York Hilton, members of the firm’s TMT Group including the authors of this post, along with in-house counsel speakers Rebecca Clar of AOL and ...
On August 12, 2015, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued its decision in Washington Alliance of Technology Workers v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Civil Action No. 14-529 (D.D.C. Aug. 12, 2015) (“Washington Alliance”). In this case, the Court found that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) had failed to satisfy proper procedural requirements when the agency originally issued its April 2008 interim final rule (the “2008 Rule”) permitting F-1 foreign students who graduated with STEM (acronym for Science, Technology ...
When: Thursday, October 15, 2015 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Where: New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019
This year, Epstein Becker Green’s Annual Workforce Management Briefing focuses on the latest developments that impact employers nationwide, featuring senior officials from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. We will also take a close look at the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its growing impact on the workplace.
In addition, we are excited to welcome our keynote speaker ...
If an employer is found to have misclassified an employee as an independent contractor or other contingent worker, then liability can be substantial under applicable federal and state labor, employment, tax and withholding laws including laws regarding payment of wages, overtime and unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation, discrimination and rights of workers and unions. It is equally important to understand that compliance of employee benefit plans with requirements under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) and the Internal ...
Several recent National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or the “Board”) decisions are likely to give further momentum to ongoing union organizing efforts targeting employers in the technology, media and telecommunications industry. Organized labor has already demonstrated that it is interested in actively expanding in this area, both among white collar employees and ancillary workers.
- Most significantly, on August 27, the Board discarded the test it had used for determining whether companies are joint employers for the past 30 years and adopted a new standard that will ...
Wage and hour issues are on the rise in every industry, and tech is no exception. (Especially see our post "How The Apple Class Certification Ruling Affects All Tech Companies.")
Our colleague Michael Kun, leader of our Wage and Hour group, has just announced the release of a new, expanded version of the firm's Wage & Hour Guide for Employers app. Available without charge for Apple, Android, and BlackBerry devices, the app is a handy, mobile reference guide to wage and hour regulations – now in all 50 states, plus federal, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Following is from ...
Our colleagues Brandon C. Ge, Steven M. Swirsky, Daniel J. Green, Lori A. Medley, and Valerie N. Butera (with Theresa E. Thompson, a Summer Associate) contributed to Epstein Becker Green’s recent issue of Take 5 newsletter. In this edition, we address important employment, labor, and workforce management issues in the technology, media, and telecommunications industry:
Recently, Epstein Becker & Green attorneys Michelle Capezza, Christopher Farella, Laurajane Kastner and Patrick Lucignani attended the New Jersey Technology Council (NJTC) 2015 Annual Meeting held on July 15, 2015 at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe, NJ. A dynamic panel discussed many innovative ways technology is being used in today’s sports and how it may be used in the future. Tools have emerged to assist in coaching, refereeing and reviewing plays, as well as the development of sensors and technology to protect player safety, virtual player training techniques and video ...
Employers in the technology industry should take note of last week’s decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in EEOC v. New Breed Logistics (PDF). The court declined to reconsider a panel holding that, in the context of a retaliation claim, “a demand that a supervisor cease his/her harassing conduct constitutes protected activity under Title VII.”
Three former employees of New Breed Logistics, a supply-chain logistics company, asserted that they had engaged in protected activity by telling their supervisor to stop making advances and sexual comments. The ...
Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens’ office and retail leasing markets are booming as rents continue to rise through the second quarter of 2015. The surge in leasing has gone hand in hand with strong employment growth with businesses of all sizes desiring to set up shop in New York City. Retail, industrial, and office tenants have flocked to capitalize on this surge in growth and opportunities. In addition, entrepreneurship, technology and creative firms are seeking more office and retail space for their growing businesses, especially in Brooklyn and Downtown Manhattan.
The ...
My colleague Steven M. Swirsky at Epstein Becker Green has a Management Memo blog post concerning union organizing campaigns that will be of interest to many of our readers: “Salon Writers and Editorial Staff Demand Representation by The News Guild – Union Organizing in Electronic Media Continues to Grow.”
Following is an excerpt:
In the footsteps of last month’s union election at Gawker, an electronic news site, it has now been reported that all 26 of the writers and editors of San Francisco-based at Salon, another on line news organization, have served the publication ...
My colleague Laura A. Stutz at Epstein Becker Green has a Retail Labor and Employment Law blog post that will be of interest to employers doing business in New York City: “New York City Investigation of Hiring Practices."
Following is an excerpt:
New York City’s Commission on Human Rights is now authorized to investigate employers in the Big Apple to search for discriminatory practices during the hiring process. This authority stems from a law signed into effect by Mayor de Blasio that established an employment discrimination testing and investigation program. The program is ...
My colleagues Michael S. Kun and Jeffrey H. Ruzal at Epstein Becker Green has a Wage and Hour Defense blog post that will be of interest to all technology, media, and telecommunications employers: “Proposed DOL Rule To Make More White Collar Employees Eligible For Overtime Pay.”
Following is an excerpt:
More than a year after its efforts were first announced, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) has finally announced its proposed new rule pertaining to overtime. And that rule, if implemented, will result in a great many “white collar” employees previously treated as ...
My colleague Nathaniel M. Glasser recently authored Epstein Becker Green’s Take 5 newsletter. In this edition of Take 5, Nathaniel highlights five areas of enforcement that U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) continues to tout publicly and aggressively pursue.
In a decision emphasizing the need for employers to focus on data security, on June 15, 2015, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California refused to dismiss a lawsuit filed by nine former employees of Sony Pictures Entertainment who allege the company’s negligence caused a massive data breach. Corona v. Sony Pictures Entm’t, Inc., Case No. 2:14-cv-09600 (C.D. Ca. June 15, 2015).
In November 2014, Sony was the victim of a cyber-attack, which has widely been reported as perpetrated by North Korean hackers in relation for “The Interview,” a Sony comedy ...
My colleague Nancy L. Gunzenhauser at Epstein Becker Green has a Management Memo blog post that will be of interest to many of our readers: “NLRB Dramatically Educates Private School on Meaning of Concerted Protected Activity. ”
Following is an excerpt:
While we have been reminding readers of the fact that the National Labor Relations Act (the “Act”) protects employees regardless of whether they are represented by a union and the Act applies to non-unionized workforces, too, recently a National Labor Relations Board (the “NLRB”) Administrative Law Judge issued a ...
My colleagues Nancy L. Gunzenhauser and Barry A. Guryan published a Health Employment And Labor Law blog post that will be of interest to many of our readers: “Massachusetts AGO Provides Safe Harbor on New Sick Leave Law.”
Following is an excerpt:
On May 1, 2015, we reported on proposed regulations to the Massachusetts paid sick leave law, which becomes effective on July 1, 2015. The regulations have not yet been adopted, and in light of the uncertainty about many provisions of the law, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office has issued a “Safe Harbor for ...
My colleague Joshua A. Stein at Epstein Becker Green has a Hospitality Labor and Employment Law blog post that will be of interest to many of our readers: “DOJ Further Delays Release of Highly Anticipated Proposed Website Accessibility Regulations for Public Accommodations.”
Following is an excerpt:
For those who have been eagerly anticipating the release of the U.S. Department of Justice’s proposed website accessibility regulations for public accommodations under Title III of the ADA (the “Public Accommodation Website Regulations”), the wait just got even ...
My colleague, Steven M. Swirsky, published a Management Memo post that will be of interest to many of our readers: “First Challenge to NLRB’s New Election Rules Dismissed –Rules Held Constitutional.”
Following is an excerpt:
One of two lawsuits challenging the National Labor Relations Board’s authority to issue the expedited election rules that took effect on April 14, 2015, has now been dismissed by Judge Robert L. Pitman of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas in Austin. In his 27 page decision, Judge Pitman that the plaintiffs ...
My colleague, Adam C. Abrahms, published a Management Memo blog post that will be of interest to many of our readers: “Worse Than Feared … NLRB Reports First Month of Ambush Election Rules Yields More Petitions, Dramatically Quicker Elections.”
Following is an excerpt:
A couple weeks ago we provided anecdotal reports from several NLRB Regional Directors that after one month the new Ambush Election Rules union elections were being held in considerably less time, with the Regional Directors claiming elections were being scheduled between 25-30 days. Last week ...
Epstein Becker Green will host a complimentary webinar, “Hi-Tech Compliance in the Digital Age” on June 25th from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (EDT) presented by Epstein Becker Green attorneys Michelle Capezza, Nathaniel M. Glasser, Adam C. Solander, and Joshua A. Stein.
Below is a description of the webinar:
All employers face unique challenges in having to comply with both overarching and targeted labor and employment, employee benefits, and civil rights laws and regulations that greatly impact their workplace and business model. As employers — including those operating in ...
My colleagues Steven M. Swirsky and Evan J. Spelfogel published a Management Memo blog post that will be of interest to many of our readers: "Regional Directors Report Data on The NLRB’s Amended Election Rules After One Month – Court Challenges Continue."
Following is an excerpt:
May 14th marked the one-month anniversary of the effective date of the NLRB’s Amended Representation Election Rules (“amended rules”). That day, the Regional Directors for NLRB Regions 2 (New York, NY), 22 (Newark, NJ), and 29 (Brooklyn, NY) discussed their offices’ ...
We recently blogged about recent gender discrimination lawsuits filed against technology industry employers. Following in the wake of these lawsuits have been news stories regarding the lack of diversity in the technology industry. The scale of the statistical disparity, (for example, 90% of Twitter’s technical employees are male), creates major litigation risks for companies seeking to remedy this disparity. Technology companies eager to accept social responsibility for correcting these discrepancies must be careful not to inadvertently invite legal liability for ...
Today, Law360 published our article “Considering Best Data Practices for ERISA Fiduciaries.” (Download the full article in PDF format.)
In this article, we outline steps that ERISA plan fiduciaries can take to develop a policy concerning protection of plan data and prudent selection and monitoring of plan service providers who handle PII. Benefit plan service providers, including technology-based outsourcing companies, should also consider these important guidelines and implement the appropriate safeguards to protect against infringement of plan and participant ...
With the ever-increasing amount of information available on social media, employers should remember to exercise caution when utilizing social media as a part of their Human Resources/ Recruitment related activities. As we have discussed in a prior blog post, “Should Employers and Facebook Be Friends?” we live in a digital-age, and how people choose to define themselves is often readily showcased on social networking sites. Whether – and how – employers choose to interact with the online presence of their workforce will continue to develop as the relevant legal standards ...
My colleagues Nancy L. Gunzenhauser and Barry A. Guryan published a Health Care and Employment Law blog post that will be of interest to many of our readers: “Massachusetts Issues Proposed Sick Leave Regulations.”
Following is an excerpt:
As we reported, last November, voters in Massachusetts approved a law granting Massachusetts employees the right to sick leave, starting on July 1, 2015. The law provides paid sick leave for employers with 11 or more employees and unpaid sick leave for employees with 10 or fewer employees. While the law set forth the basics, many of the details ...
In the lifecycle of a start-up company, there are many key issues, situations and milestones when it is important to seek legal consultation. Epstein Becker Green has developed an easy to follow guide to highlight common workforce management issues (including employment, benefits and immigration concerns) start-up employers must consider as they grow their business and application of important laws which are triggered by employee count.
The Workforce Guide outlines critical areas such as:
- Onboarding and compensation;
- Managing existing workforce;
- Separation; and
- Statutory ...
To register for this complimentary webinar, please click here.
I’d like to recommend an upcoming complimentary webinar, “EEOC Wellness Regulations – What Do They Mean for Employer-Sponsored Programs? (April 22, 2015, 12:00 p.m. EDT) presented by my Epstein Becker Green colleagues Frank C. Morris, Jr. and Adam C. Solander.
Below is a description of the webinar:
On April 16, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) released its long-awaited proposed regulations governing employer-provided wellness programs under the American’s with ...
My colleagues Frank C. Morris, Jr., Adam C. Solander, and August Emil Huelle co-authored a Health Care and Life Sciences Client Alert concerning the EEOC’s proposed amendments to its ADA regulations and it is a topic of interest to many of our readers.
Following is an excerpt:
On April 16, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) released its highly anticipated proposed regulations (to be published in the Federal Register on April 20, 2015, for notice and comment) setting forth the EEOC’s interpretation of the term “voluntary” as to the ...
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