Workforce Bulletin

On January 7, 2016, New York launched the Medical Marijuana Program established under the State’s Compassionate Care Act (“Program”). The Program

is intended to deliver approved forms of marijuana to seriously ill individuals “in desperate need of treatment.”   Medicinal use of marijuana in New York requires a registered physician’s certification and State-issued registry identification card.

The Program establishes that State-certified medicinal pot users “shall be deemed” disabled within the meaning of the State’s Human Rights Law (“NYSHRL”).  ...

[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 ...

The Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) requires larger employers (50 or more full time equivalents) to offer “affordable” “minimum value” health care to employees working thirty (30) or more hours per week or face the possibility of significant penalties in some cases.  Thus the cost of staffing with part time employees may be far less than paying for health insurance for workers working 30 or more hours.

At the same time, ERISA Section 510 (29 USC Section 1140) prohibits discrimination against an employee “for exercising any rights to which he is entitled under the provisions ...

Retail employers and other businesses that serve the public in New York City should take particular notice of the New York City Commission on Human Rights’ detailed written guidance issued on December 21, 2015, reinforcing its desire that the protections afforded to transgender individuals by the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”) be broadly interpreted to ensure that transgender individuals receive the full protection of the NYCHRL. The guidance includes specific examples of what the Commission believes constitutes unlawful discrimination based on an ...

In a decision that will affect New Jersey employers seeking to arbitrate employees’ claims, the Appellate Division, earlier this month, in Morgan v. Ramours Furniture Company, Inc., held that arbitration clauses contained in employee handbooks are unenforceable where the handbook also includes a disclaimer that it does not create a contract.[1]  Accordingly, New Jersey employers whose handbooks currently include arbitration clauses should consider carefully, replacing them with either arbitration clauses in an employment application, and/or with a stand-alone ...

Employers of all industries should be aware of the following five recent developments under New York State and New York City employment law.

1. Increased Minimum Wage

Effective December 31, 2015, three separate minimum wage increases took effect across New York State: (i) the nonexempt employee minimum wage increased from $8.75 per hour to $9.00 per hour; (ii) the minimum salary for executive and administrative exemptions increased from $656.25 per week to $675.00 per week; and (iii) the minimum pre tip wage for tipped employees in the hospitality industry increased to $7.50 per ...

One of the featured stories on Employment Law This Week – Epstein Becker Green’s new video program – is the Eleventh Circuit decision limiting the supervisory misconduct defense against OSHA citations.

At a construction worksite, a supervisor and his subordinate from Quinlan Enterprises were found working on a 15 foot wall without fall protection or a secure ladder. The company was held responsible for the OSHA violation, because, in most cases, a supervisor’s knowledge of a violation is imputed to the employer. Quinlan appealed citing the Eleventh Circuit’s Comtran ...

One of the featured stories on Employment Law This Week – Epstein Becker Green’s new video program – is that in a year when OSHA penalties are already set to increase, a new enforcement initiative is putting pressure on companies to make sure they’re compliant.

The Department of Justice and the Department of Labor have teamed up to encourage federal prosecutors to pursue OSHA and other worker safety violations as environmental crimes. These crimes can be charged as felonies, while OSHA violations are considered misdemeanors. The initiative will facilitate the sharing of ...

Employment Law This Week – Epstein Becker Green’s new video program – has a story about an effort to unite retailers against a restrictive scheduling law in Washington, D.C.

The National Retail Federation issued a letter urging the city council in D.C. to abandon new scheduling legislation for retailers and restaurants. The proposed law would require businesses to post schedules three weeks in advance, with heavy penalties if they make any changes to the posted schedule. The NRF argues that this legislation removes the benefit of flexibility for employees, and that it ...

One of the featured stories on Employment Law This Week – Epstein Becker Green’s new video program – is the SEC reminder that their bounty program applies to external whistleblowers.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has awarded $700,000 to a whistleblower who was not employed by the company he exposed. The external whistleblower discovered the issue when he ran a detailed analysis on the company. The agency explained that analysis from “industry experts” is as valuable as insider information. The whistleblower program began after the Dodd-Frank Act was ...