1. “Can you?” As a conscientious employer aware of the complicated web of employment laws, you probably focus heavily on whether an action is lawful. Committing an unlawful action – even by accident – can be very costly for employers. (See this month’s article on Novartis’ $99 million settlement!) Consulting with an attorney in your [...]
Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Novartis thought it was playing by the rules when it treated its sales representatives as exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (the “FLSA”). Now it is paying $99 million to settle a class action lawsuit by its sales representatives, not to mention six years’ worth of attorneys’ fees. The [...]
In the United States, each party to court or agency proceedings typically pays its own litigation costs. Courts occasionally order one side to pay such costs, but usually only when that party acts in bad faith. However, the Supreme Court has said administrative agencies, such as the National Labor Relations Board (the “NLRB”), cannot order [...]
Indiana just enacted a new law, making it the nation’s 23rd “right-to-work” state, meaning it bans collective bargaining agreements that require union membership or paying fees as a condition of employment. Workers in the other 27 states can be forced to join or pay money to a union if the union and the employer agree [...]
As seen in the January, 30 2012 CT Law Tribune