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Category: Legal Insights

Posted October 21, 2020 with Tags ,

Politics in the Workplace: When Political Speech Goes Against Employer Policies

With the presidential election looming, discussions about politics are happening in the workplace now more than ever. In the current political environment, these conversations may be disruptive and may not align with Equal Employment Opportunity and Harassment-Free Workplace Policies, diversity and inclusion goals, and organizational brands. This means that HR professionals and other supervisors walk a very fine line as they draw distinctions between what violates or contradicts employment policies versus free speech.

Newsroom image for the post Reducing Liability for Concussion-Related Lawsuits: Document Your Training and Education

Posted October 13, 2020 with Tags

Reducing Liability for Concussion-Related Lawsuits: Document Your Training and Education

Anyone paying attention to the sports world in the past several years is well aware of the spotlight focused on concussions and head trauma.  Much of the attention has come from high-profile, class-action lawsuits against major sports leagues like the NFL, NHL, and NCAA.  But as these cases run their course and the pool of major sports leagues that can be sued dwindles, plaintiffs’ attorneys have turned their attention to other groups that might be held liable for concussion-related injuries, including manufacturers of helmets and other sports equipment, as well as amateur and youth sports leagues.

Posted October 12, 2020 with Tags

October Surprise: Major Changes for Employers who Sponsor Foreign Workers

During the first week of October and just days into the new fiscal year, the Trump Administration announced two significant changes for employers who wish to sponsor foreign workers. The first of these announcements affects changes to the prevailing wage that employers must pay foreign workers, while the second imposes changes to the H-1B process for employers who wish to sponsor foreign professionals.

Posted October 8, 2020 with Tags

Federal Contractors and Diversity Initiatives: Understanding the Executive Order on Implicit Bias Training and the Department of Labor’s Newest Enforcement Actions

In recent weeks, the federal government has increased its attention on diversity and inclusion initiatives undertaken by federal contractors. First, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) that appears—on its face—to prohibit implicit and unconscious bias trainings. Then the Department of Labor (DOL) opened a new hotline to receive complaints regarding discrimination by federal contractors. Since opening the hotline just days ago, the DOL has already commenced investigations into multiple federal contractors’ diversity initiatives, and not only trainings addressed by the EO.

Posted August 20, 2020 with Tags

USCIS Temporarily Adds Document to I-9 List of Acceptable Documents

As a result of delays in the issuance of Employment Authorization Documents (or EAD cards), the agency announced that employees may use—and employers must accept—form I-797 Notice of Action that indicates the approval of Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization Document) in lieu of the actual EAD card, provided that the I-797 is dated between December 1, 2019, and August 20, 2020.

Posted July 31, 2020 with Tags , ,

You Run a Youth Sports Organization. Should you set up a 501(c)(3) or an LLC?

Youth sports organizations are often run by people who are volunteers. Sometimes one volunteer within the group opens a bank account in the name of the sports organization, so fees can be deposited and expenses paid. Many times, a member of the group will suggest that the organization should formalize itself and set up a 501(c)(3) or an LLC to run the programs. What do these terms mean and when would it benefit a youth sports organization to formally organize as a 501(c)(3) or an LLC? Heidi Christianson explains.

Newsroom image for the post Pay Equity Advocacy Groups Target Employer Brand & Morale

Posted July 14, 2020 with Tags

Pay Equity Advocacy Groups Target Employer Brand & Morale

Pay inequities can create government regulatory problems with the EEOC and OFCCP, for example, and can also present litigation risks in the form of government lawsuits or private class actions. But pay equity issues also can result in brand and morale challenges that may ultimately be more significant than those in the regulatory and litigation contexts. Because of new, creative tactics from advocacy groups, as well as changes in the societal and media environments, employers should place greater focus on the brand and morale aspects of pay equity.

Newsroom image for the post Goodbye, NAFTA. Hello, USMCA.

Posted June 29, 2020 with Tags ,

Goodbye, NAFTA. Hello, USMCA.

On July 1, 2020, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”) will enter into full force, when it will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) as the primary agreement governing trade relations between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.  

Newsroom image for the post U.S. Supreme Court Rules to Uphold DACA Protections

Posted June 18, 2020 with Tags

U.S. Supreme Court Rules to Uphold DACA Protections

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court issued today a legal defeat to the Administration’s termination of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The program (initially announced in June 2012) allows certain foreign nationals who were brought to the United States as children to request permission to remain in the United States (also known as deferred action) and work for a period of two years if specific requirements are met. An estimated 700,000 beneficiaries have received DACA benefits to date.

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