Expert Analysis

Maximizing Employer Defenses After Calif. Meal Waiver Ruling

A California state appeals court's recent decision in Bradsbery v. Vicar Operating, finding that revocable meal pe... (more story)

Independent Contractor Rule Up In The Air Under New DOL

In several recent court challenges, the U.S. Department of Labor has indicated its intent to revoke the 2024 indep... (more story)

Employer Tips For Navigating Cultural Flashpoints Litigation

A New York federal court's recent refusal to fully dismiss claims that Cooper Union failed to address antisemitism... (more story)

Labor More

Local Gov'ts, Union Seek Block Of COVID Grant Cancellations

Three cities, a county and a public employees' union asked a Washington, D.C., federal judge Wednesday to block the government from rescinding $11 billion in public health grants doled out through pandemic-era... (more story)

DOL, HHS Seek Nix Of Bid To Halt DOGE's Access To Systems

The U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services challenged a bid to halt agencies from giving Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency access to sensitive systems, tell... (more story)

The AFL-CIO's amicus brief in support of the National Labor Relations Board's opposition to a constitutional challenge filed by a Texas diner declares that "Article III has never been interpreted" as the diner argues. (Photo by Carlos Kosienski/Sipa USA via AP Images)
AFL-CIO Backs NLRB In Diner's Challenge To In-House Court

The AFL-CIO has thrown its weight behind the National Labor Relations Board in the agency's opposition to a constitutional challenge filed by a Texas diner, telling the Fifth Circuit that the diner's "radical ... (more story)

DraftKings Wants MLB Players' IP Case Sent To 3rd Circ.

Sports betting company DraftKings Inc. told a Pennsylvania federal judge Wednesday that she was wrong to allow an MLB players organization's suit over unlicensed use of athletes' likenesses to proceed, arguing... (more story)

Starbucks Flouts Labor Law At Philly Cafe, NLRB Judge Says

Starbucks flouted federal labor law at a Philadelphia store by encouraging workers to report union activity to their managers and by firing two workplace activists over violations of a previously unenforced at... (more story)

Michael Best Gains Higher Ed Leader In Austin From Littler

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP has deepened its labor and employment practice group with a partner in Austin who also serves as co-chair of the firm's higher education industry team and came aboard from Littler Mendelson PC.

Bipartisan House Members Pitch Expanded Paid Family Leave

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers unveiled legislation Wednesday that they said would expand access to paid family leave by incentivizing states to establish their own programs and facilitating the exchang... (more story)

Discrimination More

Full 6th Circ. Won't Weigh In On Stomach Bug Disability Case

The full Sixth Circuit declined Wednesday to take up the case of a man who claimed he was fired for taking time off to recover from a stomach illness, leaving in place a ruling that the man's ailment was not a... (more story)

Steakhouse Fired Ga. Worker For Reporting Bias, Suit Says

The Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo De Chão has been sued in Georgia federal court by a former employee who said she was fired after complaining about discrimination she and other Black workers experienced at ... (more story)

A Sixth Circuit panel at oral arguments seemed skeptical of the reason a Chili's restaurant gave for firing a manager, which was the restaurant's "culture." (Photo by Jimin Kim/SOPA Images/Sipa via AP Images)
6th Circ. Skeptical Of Chili's 'Culture' Rationale For Firing

The Sixth Circuit appeared inclined Wednesday to revive an age discrimination case by a former Chili's restaurant manager, indicating that the restaurant's definition of "culture" — the reason given for his fi... (more story)

Fired Whataburger Worker's Bias Case Sent To Arbitration

A Georgia federal judge said Wednesday a Black and gay ex-Whataburger employee should have to arbitrate his claims that he endured racial and homophobic slurs on the job before being fired, saying he signed a ... (more story)

Marine Reservist Says Retaliation Suit Should Go To Trial

A U.S. Marine Corps reservist urged a Texas federal court to keep in play his lawsuit alleging a professional services company fired him after two months because he took time off to attend training, saying the... (more story)

3rd Circ. Sides With Pa. Transit Agency In Race Bias Suit

The Third Circuit on Wednesday upheld a Pennsylvania public transportation authority's defeat of a Black employee's lawsuit alleging she was given lower raises than white colleagues and transferred to a differ... (more story)

McDonald's Operator Loses Assault Suit Coverage Appeal

Two insurers were correct to deny coverage for a former Pittsburgh-area McDonald's franchisee in a lawsuit accusing it of failing to stop a supervisor from sexually harassing and assaulting underage employees,... (more story)

Wage & Hour More

Coal Mining Cos.' $15.2M Wage Deal Needs Revision

A Kentucky federal judge declined to greenlight a $15.2 million settlement resolving miners' class and collective action against several mining companies over unpaid wages, saying the deal must be revised beca... (more story)

Ex-PETA Worker Says 24/7 On-Call Policy Ducked Wages

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals implemented an illegal 24/7 on-call policy that cheated social media employees of wages and overtime, and terminated those who complained about it, a former employee... (more story)

A nurse told the Sixth Circuit she was not afforded the ability to tackle pre-notice discovery in her suit accusing Acadia of meal break violations and unpaid overtime. (iStock.com/Andrei Vasilev)
Nurse Says 6th Circ. Should Look At Notice Ruling In Pay Suit

A Tennessee federal court erred in turning down a nurse's bid to reach others in her suit accusing Acadia Healthcare of meal break violations and unpaid overtime because her discovery issues were not resolved,... (more story)

Unaccepted Offer Can't End Server's Tip Credit Suit

A Texas federal court ruled that it still had jurisdiction over a server's proposed collective action accusing a Houston-area restaurant of violating tip credit requirements, saying the worker has not accepted... (more story)

Muji, Uniqlo Accused Of Failing To Pay Workers On Time

Japanese retailers Muji and Uniqlo illegally paid employees biweekly despite the New York Labor Law requiring that manual workers be paid at the end of each workweek, according to two proposed class and collec... (more story)

NYC Paid Record High Of $2B In Legal Claims In 2024

New York City paid nearly $2 billion last year to settle legal claims, setting a record high for the payouts with a half-billion dollar increase over the previous year, according to new data released by the ci... (more story)

NY Contractor Hasn't Paid Caregivers In A Month, Suit Says

A New York state contractor that helps administer a Medicaid program has forced thousands of caregivers to face a "dizzying array of technical problems" and caused many to not receive any pay over the past mon... (more story)