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
U.S. House of Representatives Passes Union “Wish List” Bill
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (“PRO”) Act, which would make sweeping union-friendly changes to the three primary federal laws that govern private-sector labor relations: the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”), the Labor Management Relations Act, and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959. …
FFCRA Update: What the March 2021 Federal Stimulus Bill Means for COVID-19-Related Leave
On March 10, 2021, Congress passed its landmark $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, and President Biden signed the bill into law on March 11. The bill does not require employers to continue offering Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) leave, but it extends the FFCRA’s payroll tax credit provisions for employers who choose to offer…
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…
Utah Employers’ Ability to Use Non-Competes May Be Substantially Limited
The Utah State Legislature is currently considering legislation that would significantly limit the use of non-compete agreements in Utah. Senate Bill 46 (SB 46) has passed the Senate and received a favorable recommendation from the Utah House Business and Labor Interim Committee. The bill adds to restrictions the Utah State Legislature enacted in 2016, which…
DOL Delays Rollout of New FLSA Tip Rules
As we previously blogged about here, in the final days of the Trump Administration the Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced a series of new rules regarding how and to whom employers can distribute tips. The new rules were scheduled to go into effect on March 1, 2021. We predicted that the Biden Administration might…
Temporary Workers in California After Sullivan, Ward, and Oman
The California Supreme Court’s 2011 decision in Sullivan v. Oracle Corp. (“Sullivan”) and its more recent decisions in Ward v. United Airlines (“Ward”) and Oman v. Delta Air Lines, Inc. (“Oman”) provided employers with a certain amount of clarity in regard to non-California residents working within the State on…
Ninth Circuit Rules That Per Diem Payments Must Be Included in Regular Rate Under the FLSA
It’s common knowledge that an employee’s overtime rate is “time and a half” the regular rate of pay. But that truism begs the question: what exactly is the regular rate of pay? Earlier this week, the Ninth Circuit analyzed whether the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) required a company to include per diem payments that…
Oregon OSHA Proposes Final, Permanent COVID-19 Safety Rules for Oregon Employers
As many of you know, effective November 16, 2020, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OR OSHA”) adopted a comprehensive set of workplace safety rules designed to address the COVID-19 pandemic. (More information about the rules is available here, here and here). These temporary rules remain in effect until May 4, 2021.
Comment Period For Round Two of Proposed Paid Family and Medical Leave Rules Closes Friday
The Oregon Employment Department (“OED”) has posted its second set of proposed administrative rules implementing the Oregon Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (“PFMLA”). A link to the proposed rules is here and our blog about the first set of proposed rules is here. The second set of proposed rules covers such critical topics…