On Monday, May 21, 2018, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a 5-to-4 decision that employers may require workers to accept individual arbitration for wage and hour and other workplace disputes rather than banding together to pursue their claims in class actions in federal or state courts. The Court’s decision in Lewis v. Epic Sys. Corp. overturns the position of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and resolves a split among federal courts of appeals. The case is one of the most important employment law cases to be decided by the Supreme Court in the past decade and could affect millions of U.S. workers and their employers.
Continue Reading U.S. Supreme Court rules that mandatory, individual arbitration of employment disputes trumps employees’ rights to participate in class action lawsuits
Important update regarding the DOL’S Persuader Rule: Texas District Court issued a permanent, nationwide injunction blocking it
When we last reported on the status of the U.S. Department of Labor’s controversial “Persuader Rule,” it was to inform you that on June 27, 2016, a federal district court in Texas had issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily blocked the DOL’s new interpretation of the rule from taking effect. We are pleased to report
DOL’s Persuader Rule blocked from taking effect – for now
A special thanks to summer clerk Arslan Sheikh for his assistance with this article
On June 27th, 2016, a federal district court in Texas issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily blocking the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new interpretation of the “Persuader Rule.” This injunction, which is national in scope, is a big win for employers and attorneys alike as it provides both parties more latitude to discuss union avoidance issues without being subject to reporting requirements. The Texas court’s decision means that the DOL must continue to exempt an attorney from reporting to the DOL on advice given to clients pertaining to union avoidance and employee relations, as long as the attorney does not communicate directly with non-supervisory employees. For example, this injunction means that an attorney may lawfully, without reporting, prepare documents and speeches for an employer’s use during union organizing, train managers and supervisors through seminars, and develop personnel policies and practices for an employer to implement.
Continue Reading DOL’s Persuader Rule blocked from taking effect – for now
Important update regarding DOL’S new “Persuader Rule”
As we previously reported, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new “Persuader Rule” is set to take effect July 1, 2016. The rule is highly controversial because it requires employers and labor relations consultants, including attorneys, to file reports with the DOL regarding any arrangements to assist the employer in “persuading” employees regarding their rights to engage in, or refrain from engaging in, union organizing activities or to collectively bargain. Under the new Persuader Rule, many legal services that labor consultants and lawyers typically provide to employers will have to be reported to the federal government effective July 1, 2016. Examples of activities that will have to be reported under the new rule include:
- Planning, directing or coordinating activities undertaken by supervisors or other employer representatives, including meetings and interactions with employees
- Providing material or communication for dissemination to employees
- Conducting a union avoidance seminar for supervisors and other employer representations
- Develop or implement personnel policies, practices, or actions for the employer that are intended to influence or persuade employees regarding their rights to engage or abstain from engaging in union organizing activities
Continue Reading Important update regarding DOL’S new “Persuader Rule”
DOL’s final “Persuader Rule” delivers another coup to unions
Thinking about having an employment relations consultant or attorney meet with your managers and supervisors for a union avoidance session? If so, you may want to have it scheduled to take place prior to July 1, 2016. According to a new rule issued by the Department of Labor (DOL), any union avoidance seminars conducted for supervisors or other employer representatives after July 1, 2016 must be reported to the DOL on government-issued forms.
Continue Reading DOL’s final “Persuader Rule” delivers another coup to unions
DOL has issued new FMLA forms
If you are one of the many employers that uses the FMLA forms issued by the Department of Labor, be aware that the Department has issued new forms. You should begin using the new forms effective immediately. Here are links to all of the new forms:
The NLRB is prepared for its new election rule, are you?
The NLRB’s controversial “quickie election” rule is slated to take effect April 14, 2015. That’s next week! Two lawsuits filed by employer groups in January to block the rule are pending in separate federal courts of appeals. However, absent a “hail Mary” ruling by one of these courts, employers have to ask themselves if they
Obama Board declares 30-year old NLRB deferral standard inadequate
On December 15, 2014, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” and “Board”) issued a decision in which the three Democratic-appointed members of the Board struck down the standard that the NLRB has applied for the last 30 years to determine whether to defer to arbitral decisions in cases that also involve alleged violations of Section
U.S. Supreme Court rules against the NLRB in recess appointments case
On Thursday, June 26, 2014, the United States Supreme Court ruled the three recess appointments President Obama made to the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) in January 2012 were invalid and unconstitutional. In NLRB v. Noel Canning, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that President Obama exceeded his powers when he by-passed Congress
NLRB Re-Embarks On Quest to Speed Up Union Elections
Yesterday, February 5, 2014, the NLRB officially announced the reissuance of its controversial proposed election rule changes that were first proposed in 2011 and promptly dubbed by employer groups as the “quickie election” and “ambush election” rules. In a statement issued by Board Chairman Mark Pearce, the NLRB yesterday stated: “Unnecessary delay and inefficiencies hurt