Mass layoffs have unfortunately become an economic reality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees should know, however, that federal and New York employment laws can provide important rights for employees who lose their jobs in a mass layoff. The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act protects employees of a business with 100 or more full-time workers. An employer who…
The unprecedented challenge of the global COVID-19 pandemic has caused uncertainty in every aspect of society. Certainly, the economy has been no exception, and employers are taking a variety of approaches and tactics in an attempt to weather the storm. Many employers are asking their employees to take pay cuts, with percentages often varying by title or overall compensation level,…
The coronavirus pandemic is changing the face of work. Many employees are working from home, while others are putting in double-time in essential roles. As the economy reopens, employers have implemented and will continue to implement measures designed to limit the spread of Covid-19. At their best, these myriad changes may make employees safer and more efficient in their jobs.…
Despite all of the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, it has been apparent since the early days that the virus is dangerous for older adults. As our understanding of the pandemic changes and evolves, this finding does not appear to have wavered, and the CDC currently maintains that individuals 65 years and older “are at higher risk.” As parts of America continue to stay…
A new Virginia law expands anti-discrimination protections for employees in the state and gives employees and civil rights advocate many reasons to celebrate. Here are five. 1. Virginia employees are explicitly protected from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sexual identity. When the law goes into effect on July 1, 2020, there will be no dispute that employers covered…
Qui tam cases are brought by whistleblowers against companies who have committed fraudulent acts against the U.S. government in order to receive economic gain. Fraud against the Government comes in many forms, but some of the most prevalent types of qui tam cases are: Kickback CasesMany qui tam cases target kickbacks paid to induce Government healthcare services, such as Medicare and Medicaid, or other Government…
There’s a lot more to employment law than dealing with negotiations between two parties. Employment law is a complex field that is always changing. The courts and government agencies are constantly changing the laws and regulations governing in the workplace. What might have been the law only a few years ago can disappear overnight in one ruling.If you feel like…
This blog was co-authored by Leigh Anne St. Charles and Jonathan Tepe. After nearly two years of highly contested litigation, the Eastern District of Tennessee United States District Court recently granted final approval of a class action settlement resolving Tennessee auto-workers’ age discrimination claims against Volkswagen. Plaintiffs, represented by attorneys in Sanford Heisler Sharp’s Nashville and New York offices, brought this lawsuit on behalf…
No doubt you have seen the news recently about the stock market gyrations caused by the uncertainties arising from Covid-19. Because many Americans’ retirement savings are invested directly and indirectly in the stock market, now may be the time to evaluate how your 401(k) is holding up through this market volatility. Foremost, a fund that has lost value in this…
Over fifty years ago, in a speech supporting striking Memphis, Tennessee sanitation workers, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., stated: “All Labor Has Dignity.”[1] How profound a statement. Today, decades later, with our country facing health and economic crises, we are confronted by the truth of Dr. King’s statement. Many of us are now newly appreciative of the hard work, dedication, and…