Law and the Workplace

Tag Archives: wage and hour

DOL Clears Up Travel Time Issue For Employees With No “Normal Working Hours”

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Wage and Hour
The rules on what kinds of travel time are (and are not) compensable for non-exempt employees are complex.  As opposed to exempt employees—who generally receive a salary intended to compensate them for all working time, including time spent in business-related travel—non-exempt employees are often only paid for the particular hours that the law deems compensable.  … Continue Reading

States’ Attorneys General Throw Shade on USDOL’s “PAID” Program

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Wage and Hour
Last month, we discussed some serious concerns about the efficacy of the U.S. Department of Labor’s “PAID” program, under which employers can self-report wage and hour violations to the federal agency and negotiate a seeming resolution of potential claims.  Chief among our concerns was that the resolution would not extend to state law claims, leaving … Continue Reading

SCOTUS Soundly Rejects Notion That FLSA Exemptions Are To Be “Narrowly Construed”

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Wage and Hour
In an April 2, 2018 decision of otherwise narrow appeal to most employers (whether the exemption in Section 13(b) (10)(A) of the Fair Labor Standards Act for an automobile “salesman, partsman, or mechanic” applies to “service advisors”), the Supreme Court flatly debunked the well-worn notion that FLSA exemptions are to be construed narrowly. To be fair, … Continue Reading

DOL’s “New” PAID Self-Reporting Program of Questionable Value to Employers

By Allan Bloom and Andrew A. Smith on Posted in Wage and Hour
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division announced the upcoming launch of a “new” pilot program called the Payroll Audit Independent Determination program (“PAID”).  Under PAID, employers can come forward voluntarily to disclose wage and hour violations to the DOL, the DOL will supervise a settlement of any monetary claims … Continue Reading

New York Minimum Salary for Exemption and Minimum Wage To Increase on December 31

By Allan Bloom and Rachel Philion on Posted in Wage and Hour
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

SDNY Denies Approval in FLSA Settlement Based In Part on Overly Broad Non-Disparagement Clause

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Class/Collective Action, Wage and Hour
In its November 17, 2017 opinion in Galindo v. East County Louth, Inc. (No. 16 Civ. 9149), the Southern District of New York denied a motion to approve an individual FLSA settlement, including on the ground that the settlement agreement contained what the Court deemed to be an overly broad non-disparagement provision. In the settlement … Continue Reading

Fifth Circuit Dismisses Appeal of Nationwide Injunction of Obama-Era Overtime Rule

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Wage and Hour
In light of the Texas district court’s recent judgment invalidating the 2016 overtime rule, the DOL filed an unopposed motion to withdraw its appeal of the November 2016 order that preliminarily enjoined the rule on a nationwide basis.  The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the motion and dismissed the appeal on September 6.  Unless … Continue Reading

Texas Court Invalidates 2016 Federal Overtime Rule; DOL Seeks to Withdraw Appeal of Injunction

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Wage and Hour
On August 31, 2017, the Texas federal district court that had issued a preliminary injunction in November 2016 blocking implementation of the Obama Administration’s revised overtime rule granted the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment, declaring the rule invalid and ending the case at the district court.  The DOL had appealed the injunction with the Fifth Circuit Court … Continue Reading

Wage and Hour Considerations During Weather-Related Emergencies

By Allan Bloom and Arielle E. Kobetz on Posted in Wage and Hour
As Tropical Storm Harvey continues wreak havoc across Texas and beyond, it’s the right time to revisit employer rights and responsibilities during a weather-related emergency or other major disruption.  Here are some typical scenarios that employers face during weather-related or other emergencies, and the consequences under the wage and hour laws. “Our office was closed … Continue Reading

Top Five Proactive Ways for Start-Ups to Avoid HR Nightmares

By Keisha-Ann Gray on Posted in Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation, Hiring/Background Checks, Wage and Hour, Workplace Policies and Procedures
Unless you’ve been under a rock, the fact that many start-ups have recently found themselves on the wrong side of the litigation or threatened litigation “v.” should not surprise you. In fact, it is often the very things that make start-ups so appealing – their laid back culture, open floor plans, no dress code, lack … Continue Reading

DOL Withdraws Obama-Era Administrator’s Interpretations on Independent Contractors and Joint Employment

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Independent Contractor, Wage and Hour
Employers across the U.S. were troubled by the sub-regulatory guidance issued by the DOL in 2015 and 2016 on independent contractors and joint employment.  Today, the DOL announced the withdrawal of that guidance (Administrator’s Interpretations No. 2015-01 (July 15, 2015, on independent contractors) and No. 2016-01 (Jan. 20, 2016, on joint employment)). As you may … Continue Reading

UPDATE: Philadelphia Law Prohibiting Salary History Inquiries Survives Legal Challenge … For Now

By Allan Bloom and Laura Fant on Posted in Hiring/Background Checks
A Pennsylvania federal district court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to declare unconstitutional a Philadelphia ordinance making it unlawful for employers to inquire into a job applicant’s wage history during the hiring process. As we previously reported, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia (the “Chamber”) sought to enjoin the new city law in April 2017, … Continue Reading

NYC Mayor Signs Into Law Suite of Retail and Fast Food Employee Protections

By Allan Bloom, Laura Fant and Dana N. Berber on Posted in Wage and Hour
On May 30, 2017, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed a bill package into law that will impose new restrictions on retail and fast food employers with regard to employee scheduling, hiring, and pay practices. The laws take effect on November 26, 2017. The “Fair Workweek” bills address issues including more predictable working schedules, … Continue Reading

[Podcast] The Proskauer Brief: New York City’s New Salary History Law

By Laura Fant and Harris Mufson on Posted in Hiring/Background Checks, The Proskauer Brief Podcast, Wage and Hour, Workplace Policies and Procedures
In the inaugural “The Proskauer Brief” podcast episode, senior counsel Harris Mufson and associate Laura Fant discuss New York City’s new salary history law, noting that employers should be actively taking steps to prepare for October 31, 2017, when the law will go into effect. This law will place significant restrictions on the ability of employers to … Continue Reading

SCOTUS Denies Cert in Regular Rate Case; Ninth Circuit Decision Requiring Overtime on “Cash-in-Lieu” of Benefits Stands

By Allan Bloom on Posted in Wage and Hour
Even the Supreme Court doesn’t want to talk about the regular rate of pay. The City of San Gabriel, California, provides a flexible benefits plan to its employees under which they receive a designated monetary amount to be used to purchase medical, vision, and dental benefits. Employees can decline to purchase medical benefits (say, because … Continue Reading
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