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Proposed Revision to Independent Contractor Classification Rules under the FLSA

Photo of Kira LathamBy Kira Latham on Posted in United States
Global Workplace Insider - A Norton Rose Fulbright BlogThe U.S. Department of Labor has recently unveiled proposed revisions to Wage and Hour Division regulations regarding employee and independent contractor classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The stated intention of this change is to be more consistent with judicial precedent and practical implementation. The proposed change was announced on October 13, 2022 … Continue reading

Commentaire sur la décision Gélinas c. Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) : Un recours collectif autorisé contre la CNESST

Photo of Alexandre Boisjoly-RivestBy Alexandre Boisjoly-Rivest on Posted in Canada, Québec
Résumé La Cour supérieure (la « Cour ») a autorisé l’exercice d’une action collective entreprise au nom de tout bénéficiaire, y compris ses ayants droit, ses successeurs et ses héritiers, ayant été indemnisé en vertu de la Loi sur les accidents du travail et les maladies professionnelles[1] (« LATMP ») pour une maladie associée aux produits de l’amiante et ayant été … Continue reading

Monitoring and Management Tech is on the NLRB’s Radar

Photo of Kevin MacNeillBy Kevin MacNeill on Posted in United States
On October 31, 2022 the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board released a memo urging the Board to adopt a “new framework” for protecting employees from “intrusive or abusive” forms of electronic monitoring and automated management technologies that interfere with employee rights to self-organize and to engage in collective bargaining under Section 7 … Continue reading

NLRB Proposes New Rule Impacting Union Elections and Voluntary Recognition

Photo of Kevin MacNeillBy Kevin MacNeill on Posted in United States
The National Labor Relations Board is proposing to rescind its current rule that allows: Representation elections to proceed even when there are pending unfair labor practice charges alleging employee free choice has been compromised; Challenges to the representative status of a voluntarily recognized before there has been a reasonable period for collective bargaining; and, Election … Continue reading

Free menstrual products in Canadian federally regulated workplaces

Photo of Kevin MacNeillPhoto of Preston BraschPhoto of Erin ColwellBy Kevin MacNeill, Preston Brasch and Erin Colwell on Posted in Canada
The Minister of Labour for Canada has announced Proposed Regulations under the Canada Labour Code. If adopted, employers will have to, among other things: Provide menstrual products, including clean and hygienic tampons and menstrual pads, in each toilet room or, if that is not possible, in another location in the workplace controlled by the employer … Continue reading

New Minimum Worker Age Rules Coming in British Columbia

Photo of Margaret McConnellBy Margaret McConnell on Posted in Canada
British Columbia is tightening rules on age minimums for hazardous occupations. Employers should take note, particularly those in industries such as construction, forestry, animal processing, milling, metal processing or refining, oil and gas, power, and any other industry with potential for exposure to harmful materials. As of January 1, 2023 changes to British Columbia’s Employment … Continue reading

D.C. Circuit vacates NLRB’s order on port union recognition

Photo of Kevin MacNeillBy Kevin MacNeill on Posted in United States
Global Workplace Insider - A Norton Rose Fulbright BlogIn a recent decision, Everport Terminal Services, Inc. v. National Labor Relations Board, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted petitions for review and vacated the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) ruling that an employer had committed an unfair labor practice by favoring one mechanics’ union over another. Everport … Continue reading

Let’s Get This Straight: Entitlement to Overtime under the British Columbia Employment Standards Act

Photo of Margaret McConnellBy Margaret McConnell on Posted in Canada, General
Employee entitlement to overtime wages under the British Columbia Employment Standards Act (the “ESA”) is often misunderstood. Common mistakes include assuming that entitlement to overtime wages is based on how an employee is paid (hourly, monthly salary, annual salary, etc.) or that employees that have not been expressly asked or authorized to work overtime are … Continue reading

Looking to the Horizon: Upcoming Strategy Reveal for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Photo of Kevin MacNeillPhoto of Preston BraschBy Kevin MacNeill and Preston Brasch on Posted in United States
On September 22, 2022, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) completed the last of three public sessions it conducted to solicit input on a forthcoming Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP). In the past, the SEP has established substantive area priorities for the EEOC and set out strategies to integrate components of the EEOC’s private, public, and … Continue reading

Canada Labour Code Regulations to Require Reimbursement for Employee Expenses and More

Photo of Kevin MacNeillPhoto of Emma HamerBy Kevin MacNeill and Emma Hamer on Posted in Canada
Federally regulated employers take note: there are two new pending Regulations addressing (i) reimbursement of employees’ work-related expenses and (ii) the requirement to give new employees a written statement of employment conditions within the first 30 days of employment. Reimbursement for Reasonable Work-Related Expenses Time limit for reimbursement Employers will have to reimburse reasonable work-related expenses … Continue reading

Ninth Circuit to Reconsider California Law Restricting Employment Arbitration

Photo of Kevin MacNeillPhoto of Josh Owings (US)By Kevin MacNeill and Josh Owings (US) on Posted in United States
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) recently said that it will take another look at California Assembly Bill 51 (AB 51), a state law affecting mandatory employment-related arbitration agreements.[1]  AB 51 prohibits employers from requiring that employees enter into mandatory arbitration agreements for disputes arising under the California Fair Employment … Continue reading

La Cour suprême du Canada se prononcera sur le droit à la syndicalisation des cadres de premier niveau

Photo of Andréane GiguèreBy Andréane Giguère on Posted in Canada, Québec
Le 29 septembre 2022, la Cour suprême du Canada a autorisé[1] l’appel de l’arrêt rendu par la Cour d’appel du Québec[2] en matière de syndicalisation des cadres. Rappelons que selon la Cour d’appel, le Code du travail contient une définition trop restrictive de la notion de « salarié » en excluant tous les niveaux de cadres. Cette définition viole … Continue reading

OSHA Plans Big Changes to Process Safety Management Standard

Photo of Kevin Mayer (US)Photo of Kevin MacNeillBy Kevin Mayer (US) and Kevin MacNeill on Posted in United States
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is contemplating several, and extensive, changes to its existing Process Safety Management (PSM) standard, and will be seeking public comments. Broadly speaking, the PSM standard requires employers to implement safety programs that identify, evaluate and control highly hazardous chemicals. Contemplated changes to the current PSM … Continue reading

The Rising Tide of Pay Transparency Legislation – How Employers can Prepare

Photo of Kevin MacNeillPhoto of Preston BraschBy Kevin MacNeill and Preston Brasch on Posted in United States
Several jurisdictions are in the process of passing, or have already passed, pay transparency legislation, including California, Colorado, Maryland, New York State, New York City, Rhode Island, and Washington, with some new legislation potentially coming into force in early 2023. While specifics vary based on the jurisdiction, below are some of the key emerging employer … Continue reading

2nd Circuit finds that Terminated Whistleblower Employees Must Prove Retaliatory Intent in Sarbanes-Oxley Act Lawsuits

Photo of Kevin MacNeillPhoto of Preston BraschBy Kevin MacNeill and Preston Brasch on Posted in United States
In a recent decision, Trevor Murray v. UBS Securities, LLC, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit considered section 1514A of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), which protects employees of publicly traded companies from adverse employment actions that “discriminate against an employee . . . because of” any lawful whistleblowing act. On appeal, … Continue reading

Quarantaine et vacances : les mesures sanitaires obligatoires ne font pas naître un droit à des vacances supplémentaires

Photo of Margot Beauchemin-DaoustBy Margot Beauchemin-Daoust on Posted in Québec
Dans une décision récente[1], le Tribunal administratif du travail (le « Tribunal ») conclut que le confinement obligatoire de 14 jours en vigueur pour les voyageurs durant la pandémie n’a pas pour effet de faire naître un droit d’obtenir une prolongation de la période de vacances. Cette décision confirme ainsi le droit d’un employeur d’exiger qu’un salarié planifie … Continue reading

D.C. Circuit Draws Line Between Protected Labor Activities and Discipline-Worthy Employee Misconduct

Photo of Kevin MacNeillBy Kevin MacNeill on Posted in United States
Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (Act) gives employees the right to form unions, bargain collectively and to “engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of … mutual aid or protection”. Speaking out about conditions of employment on behalf of a group of employees would fall  within this protection. And, section 8 … Continue reading

Secondments: What employers should consider

Photo of Jeff LandmannPhoto of Preston BraschBy Jeff Landmann and Preston Brasch on Posted in Canada
What is a secondment? Secondments involve temporarily transferring an employee from one organization to another. The employee performs work for the host organization but remains employed only by the transferring (or “home”) organization. This arrangement can help organizations fill positions, find uncommon skill sets, engage staff and reduce attrition. Secondments can be done domestically or … Continue reading

11th Circuit decides Retaliation Protections do not Protect Prior Misconduct

Photo of Kevin MacNeillPhoto of Preston BraschBy Kevin MacNeill and Preston Brasch on Posted in United States
In a recent decision, Nazarie Anderson v. Emory Healthcare Inc., the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of Emory Healthcare Inc. (Emory), who had defended against a former employee’s retaliation claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 … Continue reading

9th Circuit Says NLRB Can Order Employer to Pay Union’s Legal Fees Incurred in Collective Bargaining

Photo of Kevin MacNeillBy Kevin MacNeill on Posted in United States
The National Labor Relations Act (Act) states that it is an unfair labor practice for an employer to refuse to bargain collectively with its employee representatives (i.e. a union). Recently, the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit confirmed that when this happens, an employer may have to reimburse its union the legal … Continue reading
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