Employment

  • August 15, 2025

    Employment Authority: Calif. Justices Arb. Fee Ruling

    Law360 Employment Authority covers the biggest employment cases and trends. Catch up this week with coverage on a California Supreme Court's decision expanding arbitration fee leniency and setting up a new roadway for employer relief, what attorneys should know about how enforcement actions will look like after the U.S. Department of Justice's guidance on "unlawful" diversity, equity and inclusion, and how more disputes will be diverted away from the National Labor Relations Board after a recent memo from the board's acting general counsel instructed prosecutors to choose carefully when to send cases to contractural arbitration processes. 

  • August 15, 2025

    BREAKING: 5th Circ. Says PWFA Was Constitutionally Enacted

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was wrongly blocked from enforcing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act against the state of Texas, the Fifth Circuit ruled Friday, saying the U.S. Constitution didn't require House lawmakers' physical presence to have a quorum when the statute was approved.

  • August 15, 2025

    White Police Officer Loses Race Bias Suit At 5th Circ.

    A Fifth Circuit panel won't reinstate a white police officer's claim that his race motivated the department's decision not to promote him to captain, holding Friday that the Louisiana State Police put forth a nondiscriminatory reason for promoting a pair of nonwhite candidates.

  • August 15, 2025

    Split DC Circ. Says Federal Union Not Immune From Bias Suit

    A divided D.C. Circuit panel on Friday reinstated a retired federal worker's discrimination lawsuit against a government workers union, with the majority pushing back on arguments that the allegations must be funneled through a special administrative process outside the courtroom. 

  • August 15, 2025

    Ex-US Bank AI Chief Says He Was Pushed Out Over Race

    The former head of U.S. Bank's artificial intelligence efforts has sued the bank, arguing he was subjected to a biased investigation, replaced by less-qualified white employees and had a new job offer rescinded after defamatory statements by bank employees, in retaliation for reporting race and religion discrimination.

  • August 15, 2025

    AFA-CWA Fights SkyWest's Counterclaims In Union Drive Suit

    The Association of Flight Attendants, a union organizer, and a group of current and former SkyWest flight attendants have asked a Utah federal judge to toss most of the counterclaims in their suit accusing the airline of undermining a union drive, saying SkyWest can't substantiate its allegations against them.

  • August 15, 2025

    NLRB Top Cop Says States Can't Act As Agency Stand-In

    The National Labor Relations Board's acting general counsel opined Friday that federal law blocks pending state proposals to take on the agency's labor relations oversight even when the board can't perform certain functions because it lacks a quorum.

  • August 15, 2025

    4th Circ. Sides With Judiciary In Ex-Defender's Sex Bias Suit

    The Fourth Circuit shot down a former assistant public defender's effort to revive her sexual harassment suit against the federal judiciary, finding Friday that her belief that the judiciary's internal complaint process was unfair, leading her to quit, was not reasonable.

  • August 15, 2025

    Lyft Could Face Blame In Connecticut Ax Murder, Judge Says

    Lyft Inc. might be liable after one of its drivers brought an "aggressive" passenger carrying a 3-foot ax to a residential neighborhood, where he murdered a woman in front of her children, a Connecticut federal judge said Friday in advancing a lawsuit brought by the victim's estate.

  • August 15, 2025

    Engineering Consultant Says Ex-Principal Can't Jump To Rival

    Engineering and environmental consulting firm Partner Assessment Corp. has asked a federal judge to block a former principal from taking a high-level role at another firm, saying the former employee violated a noncompete agreement by accepting a job at a direct competitor.

  • August 15, 2025

    X Denied Early Win In Ex-Worker's WARN Act Fight

    A California federal court turned down X Corp.'s bid for an early win in a suit alleging Twitter employees weren't given proper notice of mass layoffs that followed Elon Musk's takeover of the social media company, citing disputes between the parties over why the ex-worker who sued was let go.

  • August 15, 2025

    Atty Urges Texas High Court To Take On Suit Over Firm Ouster

    A former Branscomb PC partner is asking the Texas Supreme Court to reject a lower court's order compelling him to arbitrate a suit he brought against the firm's other partners accusing them of wrongfully ousting him.

  • August 15, 2025

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen Transport for London hit with a procurement claim by the operator of Oyster card, while Mastercard and Visa face claims from the Rocco Forte Hotel Group, and Liverpool Football Club lobbed a claim against a security company.

  • August 15, 2025

    Jackson Lewis Names New Leader In Austin

    Employment law firm Jackson Lewis has tapped an experienced management-side employment litigator to serve as managing principal of its Austin, Texas, office.

  • August 15, 2025

    DC Circ. Paves Way For Trump Admin To Resume CFPB Cuts

    A D.C. Circuit panel on Friday tentatively cleared President Donald Trump's administration to carry out mass layoffs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, rejecting a lower-court hold on those efforts but giving time for groups representing consumers and agency workers to request an appeal.

  • August 14, 2025

    Ed. Dept. Effort To Bar School Diversity Programs Blocked

    A Maryland federal judge on Thursday held that the U.S. Department of Education violated the constitution and Administrative Procedure Act when it issued guidance that took aim at school diversity programs, ruling that the "law does not countenance the government's hasty and summary treatment of these significant issues."

  • August 14, 2025

    Lizzo Touring Co. Wants Designer Sanctioned Over Health Info

    Lizzo's touring company urged a California federal judge to sanction a former designer for failing to disclose records of receiving mental health treatment to support her emotional distress claim, arguing Wednesday it was forced to hire its own expert to examine her and prepare a rebuttal without those records. 

  • August 14, 2025

    9th Circ. Won't Revive 3M Worker's Noncompete Dispute

    The Ninth Circuit on Thursday declined to revive a former 3M Co. employee's lawsuit over a noncompete provision in his employment contract, agreeing with a Washington federal court's finding that the complaint failed to allege 3M actually enforced or leveraged the noncompete in violation of state law.

  • August 14, 2025

    Healthcare Co. Exec, GC Revealed Trade Secrets, Court Told

    A preponderance of emails shows that former CEOs involved with a trio of healthcare and real estate companies shared financial documents and other intellectual property that were undoubtedly trade secrets, the companies' attorney told the North Carolina Business Court on Thursday.

  • August 14, 2025

    Grubhub, Driver Ink $24.8M Deal To End Decade-Long Dispute

    Grubhub Inc. and a former delivery driver who accused the mobile food delivery platform of misclassifying him as an independent contractor have reached a $24.75 million settlement in his nearly decade-old lawsuit, with the driver deeming the deal an "excellent result" for a proposed settlement class of California drivers.

  • August 14, 2025

    Ex-Diversity Officer Sues NJ Hospital, Claiming Harassment

    The former diversity and inclusion officer at New Jersey's only public acute-care hospital claimed she endured sexist and racial harassment before she was unlawfully pushed out of her job in violation of the state's Law Against Discrimination, according to a lawsuit filed in state court.

  • August 14, 2025

    Planet Fitness Shorted OT Pay, Ex-General Manager Says

    A onetime Planet Fitness general manager has filed a collective action in Ohio federal court, alleging the gym failed to pay nonexempt employees overtime in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and failed to maintain accurate records of time worked and amounts earned by and paid to employees.

  • August 14, 2025

    Trans Teacher's Battle Over Restrictive Fla. Law Put On Ice

    A Florida federal judge ruled Wednesday that a state law regulating workplace pronouns violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act but paused a lawsuit by a transgender public school teacher while the Eleventh Circuit considers another suit brought by a transgender sheriff's deputy in Georgia.

  • August 14, 2025

    9th Circ. OKs Returning Calif. Farm Wage Suit To State Court

    A California farmworker's wage and hour suit against Sunsweet Growers Inc. can proceed in state court, a Ninth Circuit panel ruled Thursday, rejecting the company's argument that the suit belongs in federal court and should be dismissed.

  • August 14, 2025

    DC Judge Halts Some USDA Climate Grant Terminations

    A D.C. federal judge on Thursday halted the U.S. Department of Agriculture's termination of certain climate-focused grants awarded to five nonprofits, saying the terminations were likely arbitrary and capricious but stopping short of blocking the administration's broader grant termination policy.

Expert Analysis

  • Unpacking Ore. Law's Limits On PE Healthcare Investment

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    A recent Oregon law imposes significant restrictions on nonphysicians owning or controlling medical practices, but newly enacted amendments provide some additional flexibility in certain ownership arrangements without scuttling the law's intent of addressing concerns about the rise of private equity investment in healthcare, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • 5 Ways Lawyers Can Earn Back The Public's Trust

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    Amid salacious headlines about lawyers behaving badly and recent polls showing the public’s increasingly unfavorable view of attorneys, we must make meaningful changes to our culture to rebuild trust in the legal system, says Carl Taylor at Carl Taylor Law.

  • How To Successfully Challenge Jurors For Cause In 5 Steps

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    To effectively challenge a potential juror for cause, attorneys should follow a multistep framework rather than skipping straight to the final qualification question, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.

  • Employer Tips As DOL Shifts Away From Liquidated Damages

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    The recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division eliminating liquidated damages during Fair Labor Standards Act investigations creates an opportunity for employers to secure early, cost-effective resolution, but there are still reasons to remain vigilant, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: August Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy discusses key takeaways from federal appellate decisions involving topics including antitrust, immigration, consumer fraud, birthright citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment, and product defects.

  • Series

    Hiking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    On the trail, I have thought often about the parallels between hiking and high-stakes patent litigation, and why strategizing, preparation, perseverance and joy are important skills for success in both endeavors, says Barbara Fiacco at Foley Hoag.

  • Opinion

    3rd Circ. H-2A Decision Mistakenly Relies On Jarkesy

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    The Third Circuit's decision last month in Sun Valley v. U.S. Department of Labor found that the claims required Article III adjudication under the U.S. Supreme Court's Jarkesy decision — but there is an alternative legal course that can resolve similar H-2A and H-2B cases on firmer constitutional ground, says Alex Platt at the University of Kansas School of Law.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Negotiation Skills

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    I took one negotiation course in law school, but most of the techniques I rely on today I learned in practice, where I've discovered that the process is less about tricks or tactics, and more about clarity, preparation and communication, says Grant Schrantz at Haug Barron.

  • DOJ Whistleblower Program May Fuel Criminal Antitrust Tack

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    A recently launched Justice Department program that provides rewards for reporting antitrust crimes related to the U.S. Postal Service will serve to supplement the department’s leniency program, signaling an ambition to expand criminal enforcement while deepening collaboration across agencies, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Opinion

    Bar Exam Reform Must Expand Beyond A Single Updated Test

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    Recently released information about the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ new NextGen Uniform Bar Exam highlights why a single test is not ideal for measuring newly licensed lawyers’ competency, demonstrating the need for collaborative development, implementation and reform processes, says Gregory Bordelon at Suffolk University.

  • How To Navigate NYC's Stricter New Prenatal Leave Rules

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    On top of the state's prenatal leave law, New York City employers now face additional rules, including notice and recordkeeping requirements, and necessary separation from sick leave, so employers should review their policies and train staff to ensure compliance with both laws, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

  • A Simple Way Courts Can Help Attys Avoid AI Hallucinations

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    As attorneys increasingly rely on generative artificial intelligence for legal research, courts should consider expanding online quality control programs to flag potential hallucinations — permitting counsel to correct mistakes and sparing judges the burden of imposing sanctions, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl and Connors.

  • Viral Coldplay Incident Shows Why Workplace Policies Matter

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    The viral kiss cam incident at a recent Coldplay concert involving a CEO and a human resources executive raises questions about how employers can use their code of conduct or morality clauses to address off-the-clock behavior that may be detrimental to the company's reputation, says Masood Ali at Segal McCambridge.

  • Cos. Must Tailor Due Diligence As Trafficking Risks Increase

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    As legislators, prosecutors and plaintiffs attorneys increasingly focus on labor and sex trafficking throughout the U.S., companies must tailor their due diligence strategies to protect against forced labor trafficking risks in their supply chains, say attorneys at Steptoe.

  • Series

    Creating Botanical Art Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Pressing and framing plants that I grow has shown me that pursuing an endeavor that brings you joy can lead to surprising benefits for a legal career, including mental clarity, perspective and even a bit of humility, says Douglas Selph at Morris Manning.

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