Legal News

Last year we reported on Haven Healthcare, the venture started by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and J.P. Morgan. Amazon has now announced a pilot program for its employees in Seattle that puts a modern spin on employer provided health care....By: SmithAmundsen LLC

The holiday season is fast approaching. What should be a joyful time filled with family, friends and festivities is all too often the opposite for employers: a season filled with legal and logistical challenges with their employees....By: SmithAmundsen LLC

Long used to prevent former employees from gaining an unfair competitive advantage, covenants not to compete are increasingly under attack. California, North Dakota and Oklahoma essentially ban employee non-competes and recent legislation in...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

Colleges and universities have witnessed major developments in September with student teaching and research assistants at private schools losing the right to unionize but student-athletes in California gaining the right to be paid. U.S. higher...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) requires employers with a unionized workforce to bargain in good faith with the union over mandatory subjects of bargaining (e.g., wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment). The duty to...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

The Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in a California lawsuit that one of the most recognized franchises, McDonald’s, does not exert sufficient direction or control over its franchisees’ employees to be considered a joint employer under...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

Wellness programs are a popular employee benefit. Whether an employer already has a program in place or is considering implementing one, it should be mindful of the requirements of federal law. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

On July 24, 2019, the Chicago City Council passed an expansive fair workweek ordinance, effective July 1, 2020. The onerous ordinance has many significant impacts for larger employers, and as with minimum wage, paid sick leave, and even cannabis...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

As employers scramble to meet the September 30, 2019 deadline to submit pay data for years 2017 and 2018, they can find some relief in knowing that the EEOC recently stated that it does not intend to collect pay data for 2019 or after at this time....By: SmithAmundsen LLC

The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is expected to implement its proposal to amend the minimum salary requirements for exempt employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) no later than the end of 2019. As you may recall, a similar...By: SmithAmundsen LLC