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New Overtime Protections: What Employers and Employees Need to Know
September 14, 2023 By R. Douglas Taylor, Jr. | Employment Law
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently shook up the labor market with an announcement that could significantly impact 3.6 million low-paid salaried workers in the United States. Under the new rule proposed by the DOL, the new salary threshold for overtime pay eligibility under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) would be set at $1,059 per week or about $55,000 per year, up from the current salary level of $684 per week, or $35,578 annually.
Read More...What is Up for Contractors When the Federal Government Shuts Down?
With the Senate returning from its August recess on September 5, 2023, and the House not back in session until September 12, 2023, — and differences of hundreds of billions of dollars on spending remaining between the two chambers — time may have run out to avoid a federal government shutdown on October 1, 2023, according to many experts. Without Congressional enactment of the required annual appropriation bills, federal agencies are unable to spend federal resources and must cease all non-essential governmental functions until Congress acts.
Read More...The Road Ahead: Reimagining the 8(a) Program and Federal Contracting
This is Part 3 in a Three-Part Series. Read Part 2. The recent ruling on the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) program has stirred much debate and speculation. With the blanket assumption of social disadvantage based on race or ethnicity overturned by a Tennessee Federal District Court, a new path for the program’s future awaits. This concluding piece in our series aims to envision the road ahead for the 8(a) program, its participants, and the broader realm of federal contracting.
Read More...The SBA’s 8(a) Program: Interim Guidance, Future Directions, and The Promise of Economic Growth
Following the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee’s recent decision, which impacts the 8(a) Business Development Program’s administration criteria, the Small Business Administration (SBA) released interim guidelines. The challenge now facing the program lies in ensuring that eligibility criteria remain true to its mission while adhering to the court’s mandate.
Read More...Understanding the Controversy: The 8(a) Program and the Federal Court Ruling
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) program, established to support and foster growth among socially and economically disadvantaged businesses, has found itself in the eye of a storm. A recent ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee has reshaped how the SBA will approach its pivotal 8(a) program, particularly concerning the criteria of “socially disadvantaged.”
Read More...EEOC Proposes New Regulations for Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
On August 11, 2023, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued proposed regulations to implement the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). The proposed regulations will remain open for public comment through October 10, 2023.
Read More...NLRB Adopts Employee-Friendly Standard for Evaluating Workplace Rules
On August 2, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) adopted a new standard for evaluating when employer workplace rules will be found to have a “reasonable tendency” to discourage employees from exercising their right under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to form, join, or assist with labor organizations, to bargain collectively, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of mutual aid or protection.
Read More...Unraveling the Legal Labyrinth of Workplace Retaliation Claims
Unlawful retaliation in the workplace, whether under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, or under state civil rights or whistleblower protections, is a pivotal situation – the EEOC received more than 28,000 retaliation complaints in 2022 — and involves complex areas of employment law, requiring a nuanced understanding for employers to effectively navigate the potential risks. Simply put, workplace retaliation denotes the unjust punitive measures taken by an employer against an employee who has engaged in legally “protected activities,” which can include whistleblowing or lodging complaints about workplace discrimination or harassment.
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