The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the federal appellate court with jurisdiction over much of the western United States (including Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho), ruled last week that an employee’s temporary impairment can qualify as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). The Ninth Circuit’s decision resolves an important
NLRB GC Asks Board To Revisit Standard For Analyzing Employee Handbooks
Since August 2021, three of the five members of the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) have been appointed by Democratic presidents, including two members appointed by President Biden. Earlier this year, the Democratic majority announced in Stericyle, Inc., 371 NLRB No. 48 (Jan. 6, 2022), that it was requesting briefing on whether
CDC Issues New Mask and Social Distancing Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Individuals
Hot off the proverbial presses: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) announced today that fully vaccinated individuals can resume normal life activities without wearing masks or socially distancing. The CDC’s guidance is available here. Although it is certainly good news, the CDC’s guidance comes with several cautionary notes:
- An individual is only
U.S. Department of Labor Repeals Trump-Era Rule Favoring Independent Contractor Status, as Expected
As expected, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has repealed the Trump-era rule regarding classification of independent contractors. As we discussed here, the Trump-era rule codified the “economic realities test” for use when analyzing whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Labor advocates criticized
DOL Announces Plans To Rescind FLSA Joint Employment Rule, Withdraw FLSA Independent Contractor Rule
Late last week, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced that it plans to rescind the Trump DOL rule that tightened the standards by which two or more companies could be deemed a joint employer for purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). The same day, the DOL announced its plans to withdraw the
DOL Delays Roll-Out of New Independent Contractor Rule
Another day, another Trump-era Department of Labor (“DOL”) rule that’s been put on the shelf for 60 days. Last week, we blogged about the Biden DOL’s decision to delay the rollout of the tip rules that the Trump DOL adopted in the final weeks of its administration from March 1, 2021 until at least April
DOL Publishes Final Independent Contractor Rule to Take Effect in March
The U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) published a final rule addressing independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). Independent contractor status is a critical question under the FLSA because eligible employees are entitled to the law’s protections (for example, minimum wage and overtime for non-exempt employees) but independent contractors are not. Incorrectly
Ninth Circuit Holds Class Claims Moot When Class Representative Settles Individual Claims Without Retaining a Financial Stake in the Outcome of Class Claims
On Wednesday, June 3, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held in Brady v. Autozone, No. 19-35122, slip op. at 1 (9th Cir. June 3, 2020), https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2020/06/03/19-35122.pdf, that class claims become moot when “a class representative voluntarily settles only his individual claims without indicating any financial stake in the unresolved class claims.”
Michael
OSHA Web Alert: New Enforcement Policy Places Respiratory Hazards Under Employer’s “General Duty”
A new enforcement policy from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) states employers may face citations for subjecting their employees to hazardous air contaminants even if the levels are below or not covered by a permissible exposure limit.
This new enforcement policy comes from OSHA’s recent memorandum released to the public on December 7,
No Peace for Piece-Rate Pay in Washington Agriculture
In yet another blow to agricultural employers, grab your stopwatches. In Carranza v. Dovex Fruit Co., the Washington Supreme Court has just held that agricultural employers are required to compensate piece-rate workers on a separate hourly basis for time spent performing tasks outside the specific scope of the piece-rate work.
In a narrow 5-4