Newsletters

04.30.14

California Employers Face Rise In PAGA Suits

California employers are facing a proliferation of suits filed under the State’s Private Attorney General Act (PAGA): new data reveals that the number of lawsuits jumped from 759 in 2005 to 3,137 in 2013. Why the increase in popularity?


04.16.14

Second Circuit: Inability to Sit for Long Periods Can Trigger ADA Coverage

Can an employee’s inability to sit for a prolonged period of time constitute a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act?


04.02.14

PAGA Suit Belongs in State, Not Federal, Court Says Ninth Circuit

A wage and hour suit brought under California’s Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) belongs in state, not federal, court, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has concluded.


03.19.14

Same-Sex Harassment Suits Yield Sizable Settlements

Same-sex sexual harassment made headlines recently after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reached settlements with two different employers.


03.05.14

Time To Review Severance Agreements

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a complaint against CVS Pharmacy last week.


02.20.14

EEOC Stats on Enforcement and Litigation, Plus BOL Reports on Union Numbers

What was the most common type of discrimination charge filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in fiscal year 2013?


02.07.14

The More Things Change: U.S. Supreme Court Rules on “Changing Clothes”

In a unanimous decision—save for a single footnote—the U.S. Supreme Court held that the time spent donning and doffing protective gear, including items of clothing, was not compensable pursuant to a provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) allowing parties to collectively ...


01.22.14

EEOC Reports On FY 2013: Charges Down But Recovery Up

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission touted several achievements in its Performance and Accountability Report for fiscal year 2013, from a record-setting $372.1 million in monetary relief recovered by the agency to a decrease in the average time to investigate a charge and bring it to ...


12.20.13

Despite $27,000 Jury Award, 9th Circuit Approves Almost $700,000 in Attorney’s Fees

Affirming the broad discretion of federal district court judges to award attorney’s fees, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that an award of $700,000 in fees was justifiable despite a jury’s award of just $27,000 to the plaintiff.


12.06.13

Ninth Circuit Holds 125,000-to-1 Ratio Maintains a “Reasonable Relationship”

In a decision that should make employers sit up and take notice, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals approved an award for a Title VII plaintiff of $125,000 in punitive damages—and just $1 in nominal damages.