Labor

Expert Analysis

• NLRA Expansion May Come With Risks For Workers

  

  The last few years have seen a rapid expansion of the National Labor Relations Act to increase labor law coverage in as many ways and to as many areas as possible, but this could potentially weaken rather than strengthen support for unions and worker rights in the U.S., says Daniel Johns at Cozen O’Connor.

• What The NLRB Wants Employers To Know Post-Cemex

  

  Recent guidance from the National Labor Relations Board illuminates prosecutorial goals following Cemex Construction Materials, a decision that upended decades of precedent, and includes several notable points to which employers should pay close attention, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.

• Top 10 Employer Resolutions For 2024

  

  From technological leaps to sea changes in labor policy to literal sea changes, 2024 provides opportunities for employers to face big-picture questions that will shape their business for years to come, say Allegra Lawrence-Hardy and Lisa Haldar at Lawrence & Bundy.

• Cos. Should Be On Guard After Boom In Unfair Labor Claims

  

  The National Labor Relations Board's recent expansion of protected activity and imposition of case-by-case policies led to a historic boom in unfair labor practice charges in 2023, so companies should prepare for labor complaints to increase in 2024 by conducting risk assessments and implementing compliance plans, say Daniel Schudroff and Lorien Schoenstedt at Jackson Lewis.

• 3 Developments That Will Affect Hospitality Companies In 2024

  

  As the hospitality industry continues its post-pandemic recovery, it faces both challenges and opportunities to thrive in 2024, including navigating new labor rules, developing branded residential living spaces and cautiously embracing artificial intelligence, says Lauren Stewart at Sheppard Mullin.

• Top 10 Whistleblowing And Retaliation Events Of 2023

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and federal and state courts made 2023 another groundbreaking year for whistleblower litigation and retaliation developments, including the SEC’s massive whistleblower awards, which are likely to continue into 2024 and further incentivize individuals to submit tips, say attorneys at Proskauer.

• Starbucks Raise Ruling Highlights Labor Law Catch-22

  

  A National Labor Relations Board judge recently ruled that Starbucks violated federal labor law when it gave raises to nonunion employees only, demonstrating that conflicts present in workforces with both union and nonunion employees can put employers in no-win situations if they don't consider how their actions will be interpreted, say attorneys at Duane Morris.

• Del. Ruling Shows Tension Between 363 Sale And Labor Law

  

  The Delaware federal court's ruling in the Braeburn Alloy Steel case highlights the often overlooked collision between an unstayed order authorizing an asset sale free and clear of successor liability under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code and federal labor law imposing successor liability on the buyer, say attorneys at Proskauer.

• How AI Executive Order Aims To Compete For Foreign Talent

  

  Immigration provisions within the Biden administration's executive order on artificial intelligence take a strategic approach to promoting the U.S. as a destination for AI and STEM talent by streamlining visa processing, enhancing educational and exchange programs, and improving current visa programs and pathways to permanent residency, says Eric Bord at Morgan Lewis.

• A Gov't Contractor's Guide To Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wages

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  In light of shifting federal infrastructure priorities and recent updates to U.S. Department of Labor regulations, employers should take the time to revisit the basics of prevailing wage requirements for federal contractors under the Davis-Bacon Act and similar laws, says Timothy Taylor at Holland & Knight.

• Business Takeaways From Biden's Global Labor Rights Memo

  

  President Joe Biden's recent memorandum on protecting worker rights is one of the most expansive statements the administration has made regarding international labor rights policy, and reflects several points of which businesses should take note, including the government’s interest in working with the private sector on these issues and a notable focus on the transition to clean energy, say Tom Plotkin and Pegah Nabili at Covington.

• How Employers Should Prep For NLRB, OSHA Collaboration

  

  The National Labor Relations Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s recent announcement of increased interagency cooperation may suggest that each agency will be expanding its scope of inquiry moving forward, and signals that employers need to be prepared for inspections that implicate both OSHA and NLRB issues, say attorneys at Baker Donelson.

• 3 Evolving Issues Shaping The College Sports Legal Playbook

  

  Conference realignment will seem tame compared to the regulatory and policy developments likely to transform college sports in the near future, addressing questions surrounding the employment status of student-athletes, athlete compensation and transgender athletes, say attorneys at O'Melveny.