Winston Churchill allegedly once said, “lovers of sausage and public policy should not watch either be made.” Recent events at the National Labor Relations Board call that apt quote to mind. In its zeal to overturn Obama-era precedent, the Trump N.L.R.B. seems to have stepped right into it – creating confusion and uncertainty for manufacturers … Continue Reading
Two recent developments, generated from the tidal forces of the #MeToo movement should get manufacturers’ attention. On December 22, 2017, Congress adopted a comprehensive tax reform law. Included in the statute is an amended Section 162(q). That provision states that manufacturers may no longer deduct from federal income tax “(1) any settlement or payment related … Continue Reading
As has been our tradition, January is the time to predict the big developments in the coming year that will impact manufacturers. In January 2017, notwithstanding my “Lawyer’s Shrug,” I predicted Congress was unlikely to raise the minimum wage, but states and cities would attempt to do so; the National Labor Relations Board would turn … Continue Reading
As we mark the Manufacturing Law Blog’s 5th anniversary, I am also pleased to announce the launch of our new manufacturing law website. To access it, please click here. Last week, Megan provided our thoughts and predictions for environmental, health & safety. This week, I am providing our outlook for corporate compliance and litigation. GDPR … Continue Reading
Acting just days before the term of Chairman Phillip Miscimarra ended on December 16, the National Labor Relations Board issued four decisions overturning landmark cases that expanded employee and labor union protections. In a single week, the NLRB returns to pre-Obama-Board standards and upends the apple cart. Each case was decided on a strict, party-line … Continue Reading
Effective January 1, 2018, employees of manufacturers working in New York State may be eligible for paid family leave. The NY Paid Family Leave Law (“PFLL”) is both broader than and more narrow than the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. The PFLL applies to all employees employed by private manufacturers and working in New … Continue Reading
Readers of this blog may recognize I have spilled a good deal of ink over the last two years discussing the impact of the Obama Administration’s efforts to increase the minimum salary for certain employees to be considered exempt from minimum wage and overtime requirements. See “Breaking News: Manufacturers Breathe Relief as Court Strikes Down … Continue Reading
The United States District Court for the District of Texas issued a broad decision today invalidating the U.S. Department of Labor’s attempt to amend the so-called “White Collar” Exemption by doubling the minimum salary paid to such individuals. Read the decision here. I have previously posted about the DOL Overtime Rule. See “Time Running Out … Continue Reading
Readers of this space may recall my recent posts highlighting court and legislative changes to employment laws, regulations and policies affecting manufacturers. See e.g. “‘Manufacturing’ Law: Courts Also Move to Fill the Void,” “INTERESTING UPDATE: ‘Manufacturing’ Law: Courts Join the States to Fill the Void,” and “The DOL Seeks to Change the Tide.” While … Continue Reading
While local state and city governments have been working to expand the scope of workplace protections, the Federal government has begun “undoing” some of the aggressive advancements of the Obama Administration. On June 7, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced in a brief statement that it was withdrawing two significant guidance documents – one with … Continue Reading
In a May 16 Blog Post, I reviewed several cases dealing with the question of whether Title VII’s ban on discrimination “because of . . . sex” included a ban on discrimination “because of sexual preferences.” I summarized three recent decisions by the United States Courts of Appeal – the Eleventh Circuit holding Title VII … Continue Reading
Some manufacturers may interpret the “Epic Fail” of Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act as a sign of stability in the labor and employment landscape. After all, one thing which the new Administration and Congressional Republicans had in common was their seven-year pledge to repeal “Obamacare.” When compared to the divergent views on other … Continue Reading
Last month, in my “Manufacturing Law Predictions for 2017: Labor and Employment” posting, I wrote: “Expect at least some high-profile workplace ‘raids’ to round up undocumented workers and substantial fines on the employers which have hired them.” On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it had concluded the round-up of 680 undocumented workers … Continue Reading
As has been our tradition, January is the time to predict the big developments in the coming year which will impact on manufacturers. Notwithstanding my “Lawyer’s Shrug,” here is my take on 2017. Minimum Wages. Even though President Trump ran on a populist platform to raise wages for American Workers, I believe it unlikely Congress … Continue Reading
I am a really big fan of the NPR radio show, “Car Talk,” where two Boston auto mechanics took callers’ questions and tried to answer them. Since the November 8 election, I have freely adapted one of their signature phrases – I call it the “Manufacturers’ Lawyers’ Shrug.” Basically, when I attend any event and … Continue Reading
I had a blog piece almost done. It was going to give an overview of another NLRB case which threatened to overturn settled law and expand the rights of unions to organize. I was going to use it as another “Year of Change” post. Then the votes got counted. Wow. After eight years of ever … Continue Reading
As noted in this space in May, effective December 1, employees earning less than $47,476 per year may no longer be treated as exempt from overtime under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. See “New Wage and Hour Requirements for Certain Employees of Manufacturers.” Those manufacturers which have not yet addressed the issue have a … Continue Reading
We have been watching, warning and posting about the saga of the troubled Central States Pension Plan (“CSPP”). See The Gift-Giving Season? Three “Game-Changing” Employment Developments Impacting Manufacturers, Teamster Plan to Cut Pensions Presents Significant Issues for Manufacturers, and A Troubling Future Part One: Teamsters’ Pension Rescue Plan. Things were bad. They got worse. Created … Continue Reading
While you may have thought that the major party conventions and Olympic Games in Rio would have resulted in a break from significant legislative and regulatory changes, that simply does not seem to be the case. Recent changes affecting manufacturers include the following: The U.S. Department of Labor to increase civil penalties for ERISA violations. … Continue Reading
In May, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) published its amended regulation regarding the so-called “White Collar” exemption from the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). As a result, manufacturers may either have to boost the wages of some employees or radically change the manner in which those employees are compensated. Under the FLSA, employees must … Continue Reading
Last month, we posted about the United States Senate’s passage of the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016. Breaking news: It passed. Thanks to members of our Labor & Employment (Ian Clarke-Fisher) and Intellectual Property Litigation groups (Jim Nault) for this guest post. On May 11, 2016, President Barack Obama signed the Defend Trade Secrets … Continue Reading
Manufacturers should take note of two recent developments in the human resources world. One expected. The other not. Frequent readers of this blog may recall that in January I predicted the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) would make good on its goal of updating the “Persuader Rule.” By way of background, the Persuader Rule … Continue Reading
As I have commented in this space multiple times, under the Obama Administration, government agencies (particularly the U.S. Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board) have given manufacturers great incentives to review and update employment policies in light of an aggressive enforcement environment. The National Labor Relations Board … Continue Reading
I ended my January 21 “employment law predictions” post by writing, “One thing I can count on as these ‘Years of Change’ continue, [I] expect something unexpected.” The EEOC made that prediction come true the same day when it published for comment a wholesale revision of its policy guidance on retaliation claims under federal civil … Continue Reading
