For those (like me!) anxiously awaiting the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed overhaul of the exemptions to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the wait is over. The proposed rule is now available on the DOL’s website (although it has not yet been published in the Federal Register). According to the DOL’s calculations, the proposed rule … Continue Reading
As noted by our post earlier this week, California’s paid sick leave requirement under the Healthy Workplace Act begins on July 1, 2015. Not to be outdone, California’s neighbor to the north also recently passed legislation requiring paid sick leave. This was signed into law by Oregon’s democratic governor on June 22, 2015. Under Oregon’s … Continue Reading
So that turned out to be a lot of fuss about not very much, didn’t it? USDAW – v – Ethel Austin, better known as the Woolworths case, was a challenge by trade union USDAW to the established reading of Section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. This requires collective … Continue Reading
Although early in its first session, the new Republican-controlled Congress is living up to the expectation that it will force numerous showdowns between the legislative and executive branches of our federal government. Included in the many items upon which the new Congress and President Obama will likely disagree are certain National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) … Continue Reading
It wouldn’t happen in professional football. There you are as coach, carefully psyching up your team to a nerve-jangling peak of readiness in the dressing room when one of the match officials trots in to tell you that the other side would actually rather come back and do it in three months, if that’s OK … Continue Reading
Proposition J passed in San Francisco earlier this month approving a minimum wage increase to $11.05/hour effective January 1, 2015. On May 1, it will increase again to $12.25/hour. San Francisco employers should plan to update payroll systems and paystubs to reflect this change in hourly and overtime rates for any employees impacted by this … Continue Reading
France has recently introduced new rules obliging smaller companies to provide increased information to their employees regarding prospective takeovers and ownership changes and also regarding opportunities for the staff to make acquisition offers themselves. The laws are a part of the Lois sur l’économie sociale et solidaire,a scheme of reforms designed to strengthen economic social … Continue Reading
California law currently requires that most employers provide sexual harassment prevention training to supervisory employees every two years. In light of the attention being given to incidents of “workplace bullying,” California has now passed a law (AB 2053) amending Government Code section 12950.1 to require training on the prevention of “abusive conduct” as a component of … Continue Reading
Anything designed to reduce the burden of regulation on employers must be a good idea, right? Well, not necessarily, no, and certainly not the proposed Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Bill, a legislative proposal defective from conception to execution in almost every way it is possible to imagine. The Bill is designed, says proud sponsor … Continue Reading
The Russian President recently signed a new law (Law No: 116-FZ) that will make major changes to secondment arrangements in Russia. Although the legislation is not due to come into force until 1 January 2016, employers operating in Russia should be taking the proposed changes into account now when considering putting secondments in place. First … Continue Reading
Certain occasions call for a celebratory drink in the workplace – a colleague departing, a deal gone well or perhaps the end of a hard week. Yet from now on employees in France might have to rethink the way they mark such events. On 3 July, the Journal Officiel published a Decree stating that it … Continue Reading
As part of its push to simplify employment law and regulation, but using the word “simplicity” in its very loosest sense, the French Government has introduced new rules governing the use of part-time contracts. The key changes for French employers to note are that part-time employees must usually be offered a minimum of 24 hours’ … Continue Reading
The short answer—yes, at least right now. Unemployment rates continue to rise resulting in more out-of-work individuals searching for employment and having a difficult time finding work. Earlier this year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission held a meeting examining employers’ treatment of unemployed candidates. During the meeting, Christine Owens of National Employment Law Project testified … Continue Reading
