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On Mar. 4, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld the lower court’s ruling that parts of Florida’s House Bill 7, dubbed the Individual Freedom Act or the “Stop WOKE Act”, are unconstitutional and infringe on an employer’s free speech rights. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Individual Freedom Act in 2022 as part of his campaign against what he terms “woke ideology.”Continue Reading Eleventh Circuit upholds lower court decision holding Florida Individual Freedom Act unconstitutional

*Special thanks to Porter Wright summer law clerk, Diego De La Vega, for his assistance with this post.

On June 1, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision some have deemed a blow to the right to strike. An 8-1 decision, Glacier Northwest v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union No. 174 crossed ideological lines, as both conservative and liberal members of the Supreme Court either joined the majority opinion or concurred.Continue Reading Shot through the heart: Did SCOTUS give strikes a bad name?

The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit recently issued an opinion that reversed a decision by the National Labor Relations Board about whether a comment by a management representative was a threat to workers or a mere joke. The NLRB decision sheds interesting light on how remarks, such as this specific employer’s tweet, meant in jest can backfire. Fortunately for this employer, on appeal the Third Circuit “got the joke.”
Continue Reading Third Circuit decides employer’s tweet was comedic, not coercive

The Eastern District of Kentucky, which falls within the purview of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, recently denied injunctive relief to a group of plaintiffs who challenged their employer’s mandatory vaccination requirement in Beckerich, et al., v. St. Elizabeth Medical Center Inc., et al.

Facts

In this case, plaintiffs are a group of healthcare workers who are employees or former employees of defendants St. Elizabeth Medical Center and Summit Medical Group (St. Elizabeth). St. Elizabeth recently enacted a mandatory vaccination policy, whereby an employee must receive a COVID-19 vaccination unless he or she requests a medical or religious exemption. Any employee who fails to comply with the policy may be terminated.
Continue Reading Federal Court holds that private employer’s mandatory vaccination policy is lawful

Working through issues related to a separation of employment can be challenging.  Negotiating a separation of employment agreement can be even more difficult if the departure is contentious. Employers are often confronted with the question of whether a non-disparagement clause should become part of the agreement.
Continue Reading “If you don’t have anything nice to say…” Non-disparagement clauses in settlement and separation agreements

It is simple enough: press record and you can easily share your internal video conference call, re-watch it later, or forget it and move on. You move on until you receive a discovery request or a subpoena for information if the company is sued. Now, your internal video call is discoverable and may be seen…