
Rachel Philion
Rachel S. Philion is a partner in the Labor & Employment Law Department, co-head of the Wage and Hour Practice Group and a member of the Employment Litigation & Arbitration and Class and Collective Actions Practice Groups.
Rachel represents management across all industries in a broad array of employment matters, including wage-and-hour, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, as well as whistleblowing, wrongful discharge and breach of contract disputes. In addition to jury trial experience, she has extensive experience litigating nationwide class and collective actions.
In addition to Rachel’s active employment litigation practice, she regularly advises clients on litigation avoidance strategies and compliance issues, conducts wage and hour audits and leads workplace investigations.
Rachel was selected as a “Rising Star” by The Legal 500 for 2019 and New York Super Lawyers for 2017-2019. She is a current member of the Committee on Labor and Employment Law of the New York City Bar Association, and a past member of the Executive Committee of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and former co-chair of the Section’s New Lawyers’ Committee.
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On May 19, 2020, the United States Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) implemented a final rule withdrawing partial lists of establishments that it previously interpreted as either having “no retail concept” or possibly having a retail concept for purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) Section 7(i) overtime exemption for commissioned … Continue Reading
As discussed in our earlier post, New York State’s annual increases for overtime exemption and minimum wage go into effect on December 31, 2018. Employers whose exempt “administrative” and “executive” employees are currently paid less than the new salary minimums must either increase those salaries to the new levels or start paying the affected employees … Continue Reading
It’s that time of year again! New York State’s annual threshold increases for overtime exemption and minimum wage go into effect on December 31, 2018. On that date: The minimum salary for exemption as an “administrative” or “executive” employee increases from $975 per week ($50,700 annually) to $1,125 per week ($58,500 annually) for New York City … Continue Reading
It’s that time of year again! New York State’s annual threshold increases for overtime exemption and minimum wage go into effect on December 31, 2017. On that date: The minimum salary for exemption as an “administrative” or “executive” employee increases from $825 per week ($42,900 annually) to $975 per week ($50,700 annually) for New York … Continue Reading
Which federal bills will become law? Proskauer partner Allan Bloom and associate Rachel Philion run through some of the key proposed congressional legislation in the pipeline that we are keeping our eyes on, and provide insight into the potential implications for employers if they pass. We also provide an update on developments from the U.S. Department of … Continue Reading
Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Labor filed a reply brief in further support of its appeal of the November 22, 2016 order in State of Nevada v. United States Dep’t of Labor, No. 4:16-CV-00731 (E.D. Tex.). That order, issued by federal district judge Judge Amos L. Mazzant, enjoined the DOL’s 2016 overtime rule on a nationwide … Continue Reading
On June 27, 2017, the U.S. Department of Labor sent a Request for Information related to the now-enjoined overtime rule to the Office of Management and Budget for review. After OMB completes its review, the RFI will be published in the Federal Register for public comment. The new overtime rule, which was to take effect … Continue Reading
Earlier today Judge Amos Mazzant of the Eastern District of Texas denied the motion of the U.S. Department of Labor to stay further district court proceedings in the overtime litigation. The DOL had asked the district court—which has already issued a preliminary injunction blocking the DOL’s new overtime rule from taking effect—to refrain from taking … Continue Reading
The New York State Department of Labor formally adopted new wage orders today that raise the weekly salary thresholds for exemption as an executive or administrative employee from the current $675 per week ($35,100 annually) to new levels that differ based on employer size and location. Effective December 31, 2016, the new salary thresholds in … Continue Reading
The New York State Department of Labor is still sitting on proposed new wage orders that raise the weekly salary thresholds for exemption as an executive or administrative employee from the current $675 per week ($35,100 annually) to up to $825 per week ($42,900) for employers with eleven or more employees in New York City. … Continue Reading
On December 8, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the U.S. Department of Labor’s motion seeking an expedited briefing schedule on its appeal of the district court injunction of the overtime rule that was scheduled to take effect on December 1. In granting the motion, the Court of Appeals actually issued a more expedited … Continue Reading
Following a Texas court’s issuance of a nationwide preliminary injunction enjoining the new overtime rule on November 22, the U.S. Department of Labor filed a notice of appeal of the decision earlier today. If the appeal is adjudicated in the ordinary course, we can expect an appeal to take several months to one year; as … Continue Reading
A federal judge in Texas has enjoined the new overtime rule on a nationwide basis. Specifically, the U.S. Department of Labor is enjoined from “implementing and enforcing” the new rule (which would have raised the minimum salary for most exempt executive, administrative, and professional employees to $913 per week, among other things). The judge noted … Continue Reading
Barring something completely unexpected, the new overtime rules—effectively setting a federal minimum wage of $913 per week ($47,476 per year) for most exempt executive, administrative, or professional employees—will take effect on Thursday, December 1. That Congressional bill to delay the effective date of the new rules by six months? The President promises to veto it … Continue Reading