Fisher Phillips News

(Part IV) A Decade In Review: Workplace Law In The 2010’s

Part IV includes California Law, Employee Benefits, & Supreme Court

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When the calendar turned to January 1, we not only saw the dawn of a new year but the beginning of a new decade. It’s natural, at such a turning point, to spend some time looking back on what has transpired in the past 10 years before turning our attention to the years to come. And we’ve done just that in the area we know best: labor and employment law.

We’ve assembled some of our firm’s thought leaders to spend some time recapping the most significant events in workplace law from the 2010’s, while also forecasting where we might see things heading in the decade to come.

(Part III) A Decade In Review: Workplace Law In The 2010’s

Part III includes Immigration, International Law, & Workplace Privacy

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When the calendar turned to January 1, we not only saw the dawn of a new year but the beginning of a new decade. It’s natural, at such a turning point, to spend some time looking back on what has transpired in the past 10 years before turning our attention to the years to come. And we’ve done just that in the area we know best: labor and employment law.

We’ve assembled some of our firm’s thought leaders to spend some time recapping the most significant events in workplace law from the 2010’s, while also forecasting where we might see things heading in the decade to come.

(Part II) A Decade In Review: Workplace Law In The 2010’s

Part II includes Labor Relations, Wage and Hour, Workplace Safety, & Joint Employment

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When the calendar turned to January 1, we not only saw the dawn of a new year but the beginning of a new decade. It’s natural, at such a turning point, to spend some time looking back on what has transpired in the past 10 years before turning our attention to the years to come. And we’ve done just that in the area we know best: labor and employment law.

We’ve assembled some of our firm’s thought leaders to spend some time recapping the most significant events in workplace law from the 2010’s, while also forecasting where we might see things heading in the decade to come.

(Part I) A Decade In Review: Workplace Law In The 2010’s

Part I includes #MeToo, EEO Law, Pay Equity, & Affirmative Action

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When the calendar turned to January 1, we not only saw the dawn of a new year but the beginning of a new decade. It’s natural, at such a turning point, to spend some time looking back on what has transpired in the past 10 years before turning our attention to the years to come. And we’ve done just that in the area we know best: labor and employment law.

We’ve assembled some of our firm’s thought leaders to spend some time recapping the most significant events in workplace law from the 2010’s, while also forecasting where we might see things heading in the decade to come.

U.S. Women’s Soccer Scores First Goal In Their Pay Equity Battle

This article was published by Cheryl Pinarchick on November 11, 2019 in the “Pay Equity Matters: Mind the Gap” blog on fisherphillips.com.

A California federal judge on November 11th granted the U.S. Women’s National Team an early victory in their pay equity battle against the U.S. Soccer Federation (the Federation), granting class certification to a group of players who want to collectively assert their gender-related legal claims. While Judge Gary Klausner’s order is just the first of several hurdles the women’s team will have to overcome in order to successfully challenge the pay structure that they allege favors the men’s team, it is an important milestone in any class action.

Philadelphia’s Portable Benefits Plan Could Be Gig Economy Model

This article was published by Rick Grimaldi on November 12, 2019 in the "Gig Employer Blog" on fisherphillips.com.

The Philadelphia city council recently passed the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights, which grants domestic workers benefits such as paid time off. While it is not the initial purpose of this plan, a benefits model where workers carry benefits with them between one job to the next could help gig economy workers nationwide.

Men Refusing To Work Alone With Women: The HR And Legal Guide

This article was published in the December issue of the “On The Front Lines” newsletter by Andrew Hoag and Sarah George.

What happens when a male employee refuses to work with female coworkers because of a religious belief that men and women should avoid one-on-one situations? This article examines a pending case in North Carolina as well as several from the recent past where religious convictions collide with federal anti-discrimination laws. It concludes with three suggestions for your company’s HR department and three for General Counsel.

Former Employee Firebombing – 5-Step Plan To Handle Incendiary Online Reviews

This article was published in the November edition of the On the Front Lines Newsletter by Micah Dawson in Denver.

With the rise of social media and other review outlets, employers can find themselves exposed to fake or slanderous online postings from former employees. With almost all content platforms having policies stating they will not play arbitrator in defamation disputes, what can employers do to respond to these claims? This article looks at five steps you can take when handling incendiary online reviews.

Co-Working Spaces: Mitigating Litigation Risks While Encouraging Innovation

This article was published in the November edition of the On the Front Lines Newsletter by Cheryl Pinarchick and Jennifer Scully in Boston.

The rise of co-working spaces has presented unique legal issues for companies that utilize these services. Some of the risks include sexual harassment, theft, and other unwanted behavior caused by the absence of policies governing conduct, and the availability of alcoholic beverages at many locations. If you are an owner or operator of one of these spaces, or a company utilizing their services, you can mitigate these risks by setting ground rules, increasing security, and knowing your public accommodation obligations.

Could 2020 Be The Year Of The California Copycats? Other States Line Up To Consider Misclassification Statutes

This blog post was published on October 21^st 2019 by Richard Meneghello in Portland.

California just enacted a new independent contract statute that will soon make it difficult for gig economy businesses and other companies to classify their workers as independent contractors. Now, several other states are considering their own versions. This blog post looks at California’s statute and what it means for businesses, and at what could soon be happening in New York, Illinois, Wisconsin, Oregon, and Washington.