Laura M. Fant
Laura Fant is an associate in the Labor & Employment Law Department.
She frequently counsels on matters involving the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act, including disability accommodation in the workplace and public accommodations. She is experienced in conducting accessibility audits and providing ADA and accessibility training for clients in a variety of sectors that include retail, hospitality, sports and not-for-profit. She also handles general employment counseling and has experience in reviewing and updating employee handbooks and company policies under federal and state law.
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In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, senior counsels Jurate Schwartz, Joshua Fox, and special employment law counsel Laura Fant discuss the new standard on personnel policies and workplace rules set forth by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in its August 1, 2023 decision in Stericycle, Inc., 372 NLRB No. 113 (2023). Be sure to tune in as we discuss why employers … Continue Reading
On May 11, 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a “medical freedom” bill (SB 252), which amends and expands the existing Florida statute Section 381.00316, prohibiting businesses from requiring their customers and patrons to provide documentation of COVID-19 vaccination status. Under the amended law, businesses in Florida will be prohibited from discriminating in any … Continue Reading
The New York State Senate has passed a bill that, if enacted, would require certain corporate entities to report data regarding the gender, race, and ethnicity of their employees. On March 27, 2023, an identical version of the bill was introduced in the New York State Assembly. If enacted, the reporting requirements would take effect … Continue Reading
In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, partners Evandro Gigante, Allan Bloom and special employment law counsel Laura Fant discuss the New York City Council’s recently proposed amendments to the city’s pay transparency law. Presently, an employer is only required to include the “base annual or hourly wage or rate of pay” and not other forms of compensation or … Continue Reading
There is no doubt that 2022 was an eventful year in employment law. In this post, we review some key developments from the prior year that employers should be aware of and hot topics to watch out for as we move forward into 2023. Salary and Pay Transparency The trend of enacting salary and pay … Continue Reading
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law an amendment to the NY State Labor Law that will expand workplace protections for nursing employees, effective June 7, 2023. The new law builds upon already-existing requirements under the Labor Law to provide reasonable unpaid break time (or permit employees to use paid break time) to express … Continue Reading
In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, partners Evandro Gigante, Allan Bloom and special employment law counsel Laura Fant discuss the New York City Pay Transparency Law, which is set to come into effect on November 1, 2022. The law covers employers with four or more employees and generally requires covered employers who post a job, promotion, … Continue Reading
On July 19, 2022, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of the state’s confidential hotline for complaints of workplace sexual harassment. As we previously reported, S812A (enacted in March 2022) establishes a toll-free confidential hotline, administered by the New York State Department of Human Rights (NYSDHR), “to provide individuals with complaints of workplace … Continue Reading
On July 12, 2022, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) – the agency which investigates and enforces federal antidiscrimination laws in the workplace – updated its guidance across several different areas relating to COVID-19 and the workplace, including when employees can be required to undergo COVID-19 testing, reasonable accommodations, and parameters around mandatory vaccination programs. … Continue Reading
In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, partner Evandro Gigante and associate Laura Fant discuss a recent New York City law requiring employers to state salary ranges in job postings. Effective May 15, 2022, as an amendment to the New York City Human Rights law, it shall now be an unlawful discriminatory practice for an employer or their agent to … Continue Reading
On December 22, 2021, the New York State Department of Labor (“NYDOL”) issued a proposed rule regarding workplace safety committees under the HERO Act. As we have previously reported, the HERO Act requires all employers in New York State to adopt a prevention plan to protect against the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne infectious … Continue Reading
UPDATE: On January 13, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court granted applications to stay OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard pending review on the merits by the Sixth Circuit, and if writs of certiorari are subsequently sought to the U.S. Supreme Court, pending the Court’s disposition of such writs. Click here to read more about the Court’s decision. On … Continue Reading
On December 15, 2021, New York City released guidance on the private employer vaccine mandate set to take effect on Monday, December 27. As we previously reported, the mandate will require workers in New York City who perform in-person work or interact with the public to show proof they have received at least one dose … Continue Reading
UPDATE: On January 13, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court granted applications to stay OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard pending review on the merits by the Sixth Circuit, and if writs of certiorari are subsequently sought to the U.S. Supreme Court, pending the Court’s disposition of such writs. Click here to read more about the Court’s decision. On … Continue Reading
On September 9, 2021, the Biden Administration announced that the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is developing an Emergency Temporary Standard that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require unvaccinated workers to provide a negative COVID-19 test result at least … Continue Reading
***UPDATE: On February 15, 2022, the New York State Commissioner of Health continued the designation of COVID-19 as a “highly contagious communicable disease” pursuant to the HERO Act until March 17, 2022. According to the designation, on March 17, the Commissioner “will review the level of transmission of COVID-19 in New York State and determine … Continue Reading
In its recent decision in Scott v. Family Dollar Stores, Inc., No. 12-1610 (4th Cir. Oct. 16, 2013), the Fourth Circuit ruled that the district court abused its discretion by refusing to allow plaintiffs asserting claims of gender-based pay discrimination leave to file an amended complaint based upon an erroneous interpretation of the Rule 23(a) … Continue Reading
Former Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes class members were dealt another blow this week when Southern District of Florida District Judge Robert N. Scola, Jr. granted Wal-Mart’s motion to dismiss more regionally-focused class claims that had been brought by certain members of the doomed Dukes class. In Love v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., No. 12-61959-Civ-SCOLA (S.D. … Continue Reading
In the latest chapter in what is now a twelve-year legal battle, plaintiffs seeking to bring gender-based disparate treatment and disparate impact claims against Wal-Mart with regard to the retail giant’s pay and promotion decisions were again denied class certification in Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., No. CV 01-022520-CRB (N.D. Cal. Aug. 2, 2013). Following … Continue Reading
[Podcast]: The New NLRB standard on Handbook Policies and Workplace Rules
By Jurate Schwartz, Joshua Fox and Laura M. Fant on Posted in The Proskauer Brief Podcast, Workplace Policies and Procedures
Florida Expands Ban on Vaccination, Testing and Masking Mandates
Proposed Legislation Would Require New York State Employers to Report Certain Employee Demographic Data
By Allan Bloom, Evandro Gigante, Laura M. Fant and Alisha Bruce on Posted in Workplace Policies and Procedures
[Podcast]: NYC Council Considers Expanding the City’s Pay Transparency Law
By Evandro Gigante, Allan Bloom and Laura M. Fant on Posted in The Proskauer Brief Podcast, Wage and Hour
2022 Labor & Employment Year in Review … and Looking Ahead to 2023
New York State Expands Workplace Protections for Nursing Employees
By Evandro Gigante, Laura M. Fant and Arielle E. Kobetz on Posted in Workplace Policies and Procedures
[Podcast]: The New York City Pay Transparency Law Takes Effect
By Evandro Gigante, Allan Bloom and Laura M. Fant on Posted in The Proskauer Brief Podcast, Wage and Hour
New York State’s Workplace Sexual Harassment Complaint Hotline is Live
By Evandro Gigante, Laura M. Fant and Arielle E. Kobetz on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
EEOC Issues New Workplace Guidance Regarding COVID-19 Testing
[Podcast]: The New York City Pay Transparency Law
By Evandro Gigante and Laura M. Fant on Posted in The Proskauer Brief Podcast
New York State Department of Labor Issues Proposed Rule for HERO Act Workplace Safety Committees
By Evandro Gigante, Laura M. Fant, Alex Downie and Raymond Arroyo on Posted in Coronavirus
Sixth Circuit Panel Dissolves Stay of OSHA Vaccine/Testing Mandate
New York City Issues Guidance on Private Employer COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
By Evandro Gigante, Steven Hurd, Laura M. Fant, Alex Downie and Caroline Libby on Posted in Coronavirus
OSHA Releases Emergency Temporary Standard Requiring Mandatory Vaccination or Weekly Testing for Employers with 100 or More Employees
OSHA To Issue Emergency Temporary Standard Requiring Large Employers to Mandate Vaccination or Weekly Testing for Employees
COVID-19 Designated as an Airborne Infectious Disease under New York State’s HERO Act
By Evandro Gigante, Steven Hurd, Laura M. Fant and Alex Downie on Posted in Coronavirus
Fourth Circuit Finds District Court Erroneously Applied Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes In Denying Leave to Amend Complaint in Pay Discrimination Suit
By Laura M. Fant and Robert Rachal on Posted in FLSA
Former Dukes Class Members Foiled by Eleventh Circuit’s “No Piggybacking” Rule
By Elise M. Bloom, Laura M. Fant and Mark W. Batten on Posted in FLSA
Plaintiffs Once Again Denied Class Certification in Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
By Elise M. Bloom, Laura M. Fant and Mark W. Batten on Posted in Uncategorized
