On June 19, 2014, both houses of the New York State Legislature passed a bill that would amend the N.Y. Wage Theft Prevention Act of 2010 (the “Act”). The amendments eliminate the annual wage rate notice requirement and increase the penalties for violations of the wage payment laws. It is expected that Governor Cuomo will
Employers Should Now Run – Not Walk – Toward Adopting Arbitration Agreements in California
Today, the California Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Iskanian v. CLS Transp. Los Angeles, LLC, Case No. S204032, upholding class action waivers in employment arbitration agreements. This means that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2011 opinion in AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion is to be given full force and effect in the employment setting in California. That said, however, Iskanian distinguishes the right of an employee to bring a representative action under California’s Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (“PAGA”) and holds that such claims may not be barred in an arbitration agreement.
Tennessee Enacts Trio of Employment Laws
Tennessee’s governor recently signed three new employment laws. The first, a social media law, takes effect on January 1, 2015,and provides applicants and employees with social media protections similar to those in fifteen other states.The second, a negligent hiring and retention law, designed to provide a measure of protection to employers that hire and retain
Newark Sick Leave Law Update
The Newark Department of Child and Family Well-Being (Department) recently issued a press release on the City’s new paid sick leave ordinance (Ordinance) together with FAQ forms for employees and employers. In the release, the Department appears to move the effective date of the Ordinance from May 29, 2014 to June 21, 2014.
One of
eBay and National Federation of the Blind Pair Up for Web Accessibility Initiative
Online marketplace eBay and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) recently announced a partnership aimed to enhance the accessibility of eBay’s website and mobile applications. This “Web 2.0 Sustainable Accessibility Partnership Agreement” aims to provide individuals with visual impairments increased access to the goods and services available on eBay by optimizing the use of
California Courts May No Longer Be Able to Certify a Ham Sandwich
Commentators have quipped that class certification is so easy in California that with little effort a group of plaintiffs could certify even a ham sandwich. In fact, as we have discussed here, we have seen a proliferation of recent appellate decisions hinging class certification on the mere existence of an employer’s uniform policy – no matter how facially lawful that policy may be or how diverse its application is to the putative class at issue.