On April 20, 2024, Governor Hochul approved New York’s final budget for fiscal 2025, amending New York Labor Law § 196-b (the New York Paid Sick Leave Law) to require employers to provide up to 20 hours of “paid prenatal personal leave” (“PPPL”) in a 52-week period, beginning January 1, 2025. This is the first […]
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U.S. Department of Labor Finalizes New Rule Increasing Overtime Salary Threshold
On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) released a final rule, raising the salary threshold for certain overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), the federal law establishing minimum wage and overtime pay, among other things. Under the FLSA, employees who work more than 40 hours in a week must […]
Michigan Court Denies Fiat Chrysler’s Motion to Dismiss Claims that Company Failed to Include Shift Differentials and Bonuses in Workers’ Overtime Pay
On Friday, March 29, 2024, a federal court in Michigan denied Fiat Chrysler’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that the company failed to properly calculate workers’ overtime pay. Specifically, assembly workers, welder repair workers, and stock workers, among others, allege that Fiat Chrysler paid them a base hourly rate, such as about $15 […]
2nd Circuit Confirms Legitimate Non-Discriminatory Reason for Termination Does Not Necessarily Beat Discrimination Claims
In Bart v. Golub Corporation, No. 23-238, 2024 WL 1281069 (2d Cir. March 26, 2024), the Second Circuit Court of Appeals provided additional clarity to analyzing claims of discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the Court addressed whether an employee needs to show an employer’s legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for […]
McDonald’s Workers Sue for Lack of Breaks and Private Space for Nursing, in Violation of PUMP Act
On February 14, 2024, McDonald’s workers Kathleen Faber and Lexis Mays brought a nationwide collective action against the company and its franchisees for failing to provide sufficient breaks or private spaces for employees who were lactating, in violation of the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (the “PUMP Act”). The PUMP Act […]
New York State to Expand Protections for Freelance Workers
Employees possess a wide range of legal protections and benefits that freelancers, who work for themselves, do not. This often leaves freelancers vulnerable to the whims of their clients, who can potentially threaten a freelancer’s livelihood in ways that would be plainly illegal if done to an employee. On March 20, 2024, New York will […]
New York Prohibits Employers from Requesting Access to Employees or Applicants’ Social Media Accounts
On March 12, 2024, bill S2518A/A836 will go into effect, prohibiting employers from requesting employees and/or job applicants provide usernames, passwords, and/or other personal information necessary to access their social media accounts or from requesting or requiring an employee access their accounts in the employer’s presence. Employers are also prohibited from disciplining or retaliating against […]
NYC Enacts Law Allowing Lawsuits for Violations of Earned Safe and Sick Time Act
On January 20, 2024, New York City enacted a law allowing employees to sue for violations of the City’s Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (“ESSTA”). Until now, the only way to enforce rights under the ESSTA was to file a complaint with the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (“DCWP”). The DCWP […]
New Jersey Passes Legislation Affording Domestic Workers $15.13 in Minimum Wages and Other Protections
On January 12, 2024, New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy signed the New Jersey Domestic Worker Bill of Rights, which guarantees New Jersey’s approximately 50,000 domestic workers, including childcare providers, home caretakers, and caregivers, a minimum wage of $15.13 along with other protections. Previously, domestic workers were exempt from receiving minimum wage under New Jersey’s labor […]
NYC Enacts Law Requiring Employers to Provide “Workers’ Bill of Rights” to Employees
On December 3, 2023, NYC enacted a new law, Int 0569, requiring employers to provide a yet-to-be-drafted “workers’ bill of rights” to employees, beginning July 1, 2024. NYC’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) will write the workers’ bill of rights in coordination with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), the NYC […]
NYC Law Prohibiting Height and Weight Discrimination Goes Into Effect
On November 22, 2023, the New York City law prohibiting employment discrimination based on a person’s height or weight went into effect. The law amends the NYC Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”) to include height and weight as classes or characteristics protected against employment discrimination. Prior to the amendment, the NYCHRL protected the following classes: “actual […]
Recent Second Circuit Decision Blunts Protections Afforded by the Equal Pay Act by Making it Easier for Employers to Prove the Act’s Catch-All Affirmative Defense
The Second Circuit’s recent decision in Eisenhauer v. Culinary Institute of America made it easier for employers to defeat pay-discrimination claims under the Equal Pay Act (“EPA”), the federal law that makes pay discrimination based on sex unlawful. Specifically, the Second Circuit made it easier for employers to establish the “factor other than sex” affirmative […]
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