Labor

Expert Analysis

• Labor Law Reform Is Needed For Unions To Succeed

  

  Though support for unions is at an unprecedented high, declining union membership levels expose the massive disconnect between what Americans want from unionizing and what they are actually able to achieve, primarily due to the disastrous state of U.S. labor law, say Sharon Block and Benjamin Sachs at Harvard Law School.

• How Cos. Can Avoid Sinking In The Union Organizing Storm

  

  Faced with a new NLRB administration and pandemic-fueled employee unrest, employers must deal with the perfect storm for union organizing by keeping policies up-to-date and making sure employees’ voices are heard, says Daniel Johns at Cozen O'Connor.

• Eye On Compliance: Employee Biometric Data Privacy

  

  Following recent high-profile developments in Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act lawsuits and an increase in related legislation proposed by other states, employers should anticipate an uptick in litigation on this issue — and several best practices can help bolster compliance, say Lisa Ackerman and Laura Stutz at Wilson Elser.

• Examining Employer Best Practices For Reserved Gates

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Joshua Fox at Proskauer discusses the legal implications of employers establishing a reserved gate system for union picketing — which creates a separate worksite entrance for employers not involved in the dispute — with a focus on rights and obligations under the National Labor Relations Act, and preventing disruptions toward secondary employers.

• 6 Antitrust Compliance Tips For Employers From MLB Probe

  

  Major League Baseball's recent investigation into possible collusion between the Mets and Yankees — involving then-free agent Aaron Judge — can teach employers of all types antitrust lessons in a time when competition for top talent is fierce, says Mohamed Barry at Fisher & Phillips.

• Water Cooler Talk: Trade Secret Lessons From 'Severance'

  

  In light of the recently enacted Protecting American Intellectual Property Act, attorneys at Troutman Pepper chat with Tangibly CEO Tim Londergan about trade secret protection as it relates to the show “Severance,” which involves employees whose minds are surgically divided between their home and work lives.

• 4 Ways Nonunion Employers Can Make Workers Feel Heard

  

  With employees less likely to join the recent surge of unionizations if management proactively responds to their concerns, companies should cultivate positive relationships with their workers now, lest employees feel they must organize to amplify their voices, say Stacey McClurkin Macklin and Grant Mulkey at Stinson.

• Independent Contractor Laws Are Ignoring Economy's Evolution

  

  Over the last year, federal and state approaches to independent contractor classification have demonstrated an inability to adjust to changes in the economy — save for a 12-factor test proposed in New York City, which would have balanced gig economy prosperity and worker protections, say attorneys at Greenberg Traurig.

• Key Employer Questions On Ill. Workers' Rights Amendment

  

  With the Illinois' Workers' Rights Amendment recently voted into the state constitution despite challenges in and out of court, employers struggling to understand if the ban on right-to-work statutes applies to the private sector should follow litigation on the amendment for help interpreting its scope and applicability, say attorneys at Neal Gerber.

• What To Know About NLRB's Expanded Labor Remedies

  

  The National Labor Relations Board’s recent Thryv decision, which added "foreseeable pecuniary harms" to employee remedies for unfair labor practices, should prompt employers to recalibrate risk assessments involved in making significant employment decisions, says Manolis Boulukos at Ice Miller.

• Top 10 Employer Resolutions For 2023

  

  A recent wave of pivotal judicial, legislative and executive actions has placed an even greater responsibility on employers to reevaluate existing protocols, examine fundamental aspects of culture and employee relations, and update policies and guidelines to ensure continued compliance with the law, say Allegra Lawrence-Hardy and Bria Stephens at Lawrence & Bundy.

• NLRB Takes Antiquated Approach To Bargaining Unit Test

  

  The National Labor Relations Board's recent decision in American Steel Construction rewrites history and tries to demonstrate that the interests of the employees included in a union's proposed petitioned-for unit are superior to the interests of the employees excluded, ignoring the reality of modern organizing, say Patrick Scully and Iris Lozano at Sherman & Howard.

• Nonstatutory Labor Antitrust Exemption Risk In Sports Unions

  

  Given the increased focus on union organizing across all industries, sports leagues and other multiemployer groups should be mindful of the unresolved breadth of the nonstatutory labor exemption — which can allow individuals to bring antitrust claims during the bargaining period — as they navigate a rapidly changing legal landscape, say attorneys at Latham.