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New guidelines reflect 25 years of changes in the law and the workplace Last month, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces federal anti-discrimination laws, issued updated enforcement guidance on unlawful workplace harassment. This is the first time the federal agency has updated its guidance on the subject since 1999. While the EEOC's...

On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a new rule that would eliminate virtually all employee noncompete agreements nationwide. Nearly one in five American workers are currently subject to noncompetes, and this new rule will affect more than 30 million employees. The federal regulation would empower millions of workers According to the...

Recent research highlights the impact of discrimination on employees. It's well-known that discrimination can have serious effects on victims, but new research has highlighted just how profoundly it can affect physical health. The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), looked at the connection between workplace discrimination and hypertension (high blood...

The new legislation doesn't affect employers' drug policies. Last year, Ohio became the 24th state to legalize recreational, adult-use marijuana after the passage of Issue 2. The new law allows adults 21 and over to possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use, as well as to grow a limited number of marijuana plants at...

Our attorneys can protect your rights if you lost your job. While the job market is currently strong for workers overall, in certain sectors of the economy, high-profile layoffs have made headlines across the country. Well-known companies like Amazon, Google, and Citigroup opened 2024 with layoffs, and while those job cuts may make business sense,...

Employers need to keep employees safe at work events. It's the holiday season, and many employers in Ohio are getting into the spirit by celebrating with their employees. When done well, office holiday parties can be a welcome respite from the day-to-day of the workplace, not to mention an opportunity to hand out some well-earned...

A recent decision by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found that federal labor law protections include employee advocacy for non-employees, reversing a 2019 decision. As Reuters reported, the ruling in question concerned Sarah Raybon, an employee of the American Federation for Children (AFC), a nonprofit organization. AFC reportedly pushed Raybon to resign after she...

Earlier this month, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) proposed new guidance that would clarify how the agency enforces laws prohibiting workplace harassment. The new guidance is up for public comment until November 1. While the proposed guidance is not itself a change to the law, it clarifies how evolving case law (including the Supreme...

One of the most contentious and controversial subjects in wage and hour law is the status of exempt employees. In theory, being exempt is supposed to come with greater flexibility, autonomy, and growth. In practice, it's often just a way to get extra work out of an employee for no additional pay. A proposed Department...

If you do the work, you should get paid. That's not just an ethical or philosophical point; that's the law. But too many employers flout the law and take money right out of their employees' paychecks. Nationwide, wage and hour violations cost employees tens of billions of dollars every year, and only a fraction of...