Posted May 20th, 2016 in Legal Insights

This Week in NJL Legal News

It has been a busy week for the attorneys at Nilan Johnson Lewis. In case you missed it, here is a recap of the media coverage and analyses on several hot-topic issues.

Media Coverage

• Data privacy attorney Kate Andresen and Corporate and Transactional Services chair Heidi Christianson were featured in the Star Tribune on May 13. The article’s author, Nicole Norfleet, outlines how data breaches have increased over the past several years, and includes an example from one of Kate’s clients, Alaris.
• The EEOC issued final rules regarding corporate wellness programs involving the ADA and GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act). Employment law attorney Don Lewis is quoted in The Wall Street Journal on the topic.
• The Department of Labor (DOL) issued final rules raising the bar for exemption from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which will greatly affect how employers navigate overtime pay. Wage-and-hour attorneys David James and Jeremy Robb outlined two creative ways employers can navigate these changes. In addition, David’s insights on the new overtime rule were featured on Law360 (subscription required), and he was interviewed by the local (Minneapolis) news station Fox 9 on the same topic.

Analysis on Important Issues

• Employment attorney Katie Connolly shared insights with employers on the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA), which was recently signed into law by President Obama on May 11.
• Lisa Schmid, who has been following the Minneapolis paid sick leave ordinance for some time, outlines what employers need to know about the ordinance in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal (subscription required). Her latest tip on the ordinance can be found here, and she will continue to follow the ordinance as it moves through the adoption process.
• The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in the closely watched Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, a decision that, although dealing with FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act), will have implications on the way employers conduct pre-employment background checks. Employment attorney Sarah Riskin outlines the decision and what it means for employers.
• Employment law and disability defense attorney Matthias Niska, in honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (May 19) outlines what businesses can do to stay compliant with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) in today’s digital world.